Tasha Rivers is a middle school student, and she has just been assigned her schedule for the year. She immediately goes to compare with her friends to see if they have the same specials, but to her disappointment, her friends are in the opposite class. This is why I think that middle school students should be able to choose their classes. I think if students show a particular interest in excelling in art, then they should be able to take more art classes, and if they would like to be with their friends then they can! Kids should be allowed to have phones at school, kids should have more physical education, and kids should choose their classes. Children, while at school, should have more freedom and time for what they want to do. 

First, I think that Kids at school should be allowed to have phones. Ninety-five percent of students bring them to school even when it is against the rules, so why not just let them. Lots of kids in school finish their work early, so I think that it would be convenient for them to bring their phones in for  their free time. The only work required for the teachers to do is approve the child using the phone. If they did not do this, then things would get out of hand. It would also be beneficial because teachers could allow students to use their phones for educational purposes as well. After all, the teachers are adults and could incorporate a way to make this work.

Second, according to the CDC, kids should have at least 20 minutes to eat and socialize once seated at lunch. This never happens at Thomas Jefferson School. During our forty-five minute lunch period, it is split in half for recess. After a total of fifteen minutes of recess, we barely have enough time to eat after that. Plus if you are buying lunch, that basically gets rid of ten minutes as well. By the time you are seated, you have under the amount of time that children should have. Also on the topic of lunch, there is never enough food which forces kids to buy extra fluids and food. This could drain your money, so then you would not be able to get a second pizza slice. The lunch service should consider ways to make this better.

Some teachers think that students in middle school should not even have recess. While I understand that recess is fun, eating is required and recess is not. The state of New Jersey does not require kids above the fifth grade to have recess. Sadly though, Thomas Jefferson School does. However, we should not have recess, so  we can get the required amount of time we need to socialize and eat. The school should decide which decision is worth making.

 Lastly, the CDC says that children should have at least sixty minutes of Physical Education each day. We have forty five minute periods, and this also includes changing for PE. Mr .O gives us five minutes to change at the end and beginning of class, and that subtracts ten minutes. By the time we are actually playing we only have thirty. We could solve this problem very easily by letting the students choose their electives. They would be able to have an hour of PE if they wanted to, or not. You would still have to take the basic classes like Reading and Writing, but the rest can be chosen. I think giving more freedom and time to kids at school would prepare them more for what they will face in the future. This is why I think that kids should have more freedom and time at school.

Works Cited

“Making Time for School Lunch.”

The Center For Disease Control.

29 Jul. 2019, Web. 22 Feb 2023

“Should Children Bring Phones to School?”

Kidslox

22 Feb 2023

“Physical Education Facts”

The Center For Disease Control.

26 Jul. 2022 Web. 22 Feb 2023.