School Recess in Primary School: Rescuing the Meaning of Play in Education

Abstract

The purpose of the article is to identify the games and the playful experience of children, as well as to understand the educational processes triggered by this social practice in the context of school recess, in eight public primary schools located in the province of Talca, Maule region, Chile. In methodological terms, the research is inscribed in the perspective of the interpretive-comprehensive paradigm, through qualitative methodology, with a design that consisted of applying the nonparticipant observation technique, in such a way that they carried out 32 units of direct observations, with 138 events described during the months of August to November of the year 2019. The results revealed that the schoolyard was a space rich in children's experiences and learning, with regard to the repertoire of games and interactions between children, in the context of these recreational activities. The need to value play in the time and space of the schoolyard is highlighted, for the child's learning and its articulation with pedagogical practices. In terms of conclusions, it is proposed to delve into studies of this nature, since it is relevant that the school considers recess as a pedagogical tool, since it is at that moment when children naturally manifest themselves and express their emotions, in an eminently playful and socializing.