Figure 1.--Schools do not insist that the children read during the rest periods. But in fact many do. This younger boy is clearly engrossed in his book. Notice how he is using his finger, a common tendency among beginning readers. |
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Almost all prepararory-level boarding schools have rest periods after lunch. It is not common at day schools, but almost universal at boarding scjoolds. I am not sure just why this is. Perhaps there is a health benefit to quiet time after meals. We suspect part of the reason is a much needed short break for the teachers. Almodst unnongst to the children is how much the teachers look forward to this short break to gave a cup of tea and enjoy a little conversation with their peers. The children at most schools return to their dorm rooms and quietly read or take a nap on their beds. Generally they are required to stay on their beds, but not necessaeily lay down. Most children do read, but not all. Some children do not enjoy reading and thus simply state off into the distance for a while. This enforced boredom does encourage some children to pick up a book. Some schools do explicity try to develop the enjoyment of reading among the children. Other children actually do take a nap, but this is not very common. It is modstly the younger children who does off. Some schools instead have the children go into rooms where they sit and read as a group. This is, however, most common with the day children. Schools have varying rules. Some allow the children to play board games in their dorm rooms rather than read on their beds, if they can do so quietyly. At colleges with both primary and secondary sections the more common pattern is an extended lunch break where the children can play sports or engage in other activities. We did not notice this approach at any of the day schools we visited. One exception to the quiet period is that the children at some schools were allowed to practice the instruments tht they were learning.
Almost all prepararory-level boarding schools have rest periods after lunch. It was surely one of the most common feature of boarding school schedules. This is not common at day schools, but almost universal at boarding scjoolds.
I am not sure just why this is. Perhaps there is a health benefit to quiet time after meals. I know working in South America, I came to enjoy the siesta after lunch. The children do have a very full schedule which is demanding for the younger ones. We suspect, however, part of the reason is a much needed short break for the teachers. Almodst unnongst to the children is how much the teachers look forward to this short break to gave a cup of tea and enjoy a little adult conversation with their peers. It is also a useful opportuity to coordinate and make plans fir the rest of the day.
The children at most schools return to their dorm rooms and quietly read or take a nap on their beds. Generally they are required to take of their shoes or sandals and stay on their beds, but not necessaeily lay down. This was a very common rule at many boarding schools. They do not have to nap. Many of the children use the time to read an iknterwesting book. Other than the rest period, the children were not generally susposed to be in their dorms during the day, except for changing their uniforms or other special purpose. The beds equipped wuth duvets and colorful blankets as well as friendly teddy or other stuffed animal provided a comfortanle quie interlude from the hectic school day. The presence of stuffed animals was an often accurate indicator of the school atmosphere. Wecfound that many of the more child friendly schools would have dorm rooms populasted with cheeful stiuffed animals.
The children had a very limited range of activities allowed. Most schools insisted that they be quiet so as not to disturn those who wanted to does off or read. Most children decuded to read, but not all. Some children do not enjoy reading and thus simply state off into the distance for a while. This enforced boredom does encourage some children to pick up a book. Some schools do explicity try to develop the enjoyment of reading among the children. Other children actually do take a nap, but this is not very common. It is modstly the younger children who does off. Some schools instead have the children go into rooms where they sit and read as a group. This is, however, most common with the day children. Schools have varying rules. Some allow the children to play board games in their dorm rooms rather than read on their beds, if they can do so quietyly. At colleges with both primary and secondary sections the more common pattern is an extended lunch break where the children can play sports or engage in other activities. We did not notice this approach at any of the day schools we visited. One exception to the quiet period is that the children at some schools were allowed to practice the instruments tht they were learning. Here the provlem was to find an isolated spot where they would not disturb others. They were not allowed to practice in their dorm rooms because it would disturb the others.
