THURS-009 - Policies as Predictors of Elementary School Teachers’ In-school Play Intentions

Brief Abstract Summary: Discover the relationship between school- and district-level policies and teachers’ behavioral beliefs towards in-school play and their intentions to provide and utilize play opportunities. Data from a 2021 survey of elementary school teachers (n=221) indicate that the majority taught in schools with district- and school-level recess, play break, and play centers policies. All levels of policy were significant predictors of teachers’ behavioral beliefs towards recess and intentions to utilize recess. However, policy was not a significant predictor of teachers’ behavioral beliefs towards play breaks (e.g., classroom, outdoor, and other play break periods), and no policies predicted their intentions to provide play breaks in addition to recess except for school break and school centers policies. This study discusses the influence of policy on teacher play perceptions and intentions and provides education policy considerations.

Detailed abstract description: Implementing equitable policies that support school play is necessary for advancing children’s overall physical, social-emotional, and cognitive health and development. However, a lack of play-supportive policies in U.S. districts and schools may prevent children, especially those in low-income schools, from receiving adequate playtime. The purpose of this study was to assess levels of play-supportive policies as predictors of teachers’ behavioral beliefs towards recess and play breaks (e.g., classroom, outdoor, and other play break periods), and their intentions to utilize daily recess and provide daily play breaks in addition to recess. In 2021, elementary school teachers were surveyed and self-reported their behavioral beliefs towards recess (If I utilize daily recess, my class will be easier to manage, I will build trust and rapport with my students, students will feel a sense of community, and students will play safe) play breaks (If I provide daily play breaks in addition to recess, my students will pay more attention, have better behavior, and be more ready to learn), and their intentions to utilize and provide daily recess and play breaks, respectively, in the next six months. Teachers were also asked to indicate whether their district and school implemented recess, play break, and play centers/stations policies. Linear regressions were conducted to determine the predictive power of policy on behavioral beliefs and intentions. A large majority of teachers reported teaching in a school that implemented recess, play break, and centers policies at both levels. All levels of policy significantly predicted teachers’ positive behavioral beliefs towards recess and their intentions to utilize daily recess. However, no level of policy predicted teachers’ behavioral beliefs towards play breaks, and only school play break (p=.021) and school centers (p=.003) policies significantly predicted their intentions to provide daily play breaks. This study assessed the influence of policy on teachers’ perceptions of in-school play. Results of this study indicate teachers' perceptions of recess are highly influenced by policy, whereas their views towards play breaks are less impacted by policy. Policies may improve teachers’ attitudes towards and confidence in their ability to incorporate recess into their daily schedules.