What’s Good on the Playground Is Good in the Boardroom

May 06, 2010 • Early Learning, Middle School

School is almost done for the year. Over the course of the year, students have been taught a lot of information in the classroom—all of it very important knowledge that can, and will, become the academic foundation that they will build future careers upon.

But what if the most important lessons that students learn over the school year—the ones that will help them in their future careers the most—are being learned during recess?

Recess, it turns out, is more than just a time for kids to burn off their excess energy so that they don’t drive the teacher nuts; it’s a chance for kids to learn social lessons that are as important in an office/corporate/networking setting as any amount of education.

Here are Oxford Learning’s 12 Career Lessons Learned During Recess:

1. Not everything goes your way all of the time, and nobody likes a pouter.
2. Tell people what you think, but remember to be tactful.
3. Don’t be so caught up in playing marbles that you don’t notice that the touch football game is getting closer and closer.
4. Challenge gender stereotypes.
5. Test your limits.
6. Apologize right away.
7. Don’t do anything that would horrify your mom.
8. Reach out to the shy kid.
9. When in a race, give it all that you’ve got.
10. Do a silly victory dance, especially when other people are watching, but don’t be cocky.
11. Help someone up.
12. Don’t make people wait for you.

So, when your kids tell you that their favourite school subject is recess, there’s no need to worry. After all, they may be learning more at recess than you ever thought.

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