Time-out is a symbolic as well as physical separation from the class students enjoy being part of.
This is key.
Because if a misbehaving student doesn’t feel like they’re missing something, if they don’t care whether they’re in time-out or not, then it won’t be effective.
The student won’t reflect on their mistake, resolve not to break the same rule again, and change their behavior.
This approach to time-out isn’t a punishment in the sense that the student is made to feel hurt and shame. They’re not labeled as bad, subjected to a lecture, or even made to feel guilty.
The reason I’m pointing this out is to underscore what makes time-out actually work, and thus why it can be readily modified in a socially distanced classroom. You see, it isn’t physical separation that curbs misbehavior.
It’s the lesson learned and meaning attached to temporarily losing membership status in the classroom the student wants to be part of.
So, practically, how do you do this? How do you invoke a loss of status without physically moving the student?
You use what I call observation mode.
Observation mode is when a student has reached a second consequence in a socially distance classroom, and you’re unable put them in time-out.
How it works is simple:
The misbehaving students stays right where they are in their assigned seat. Only, you will inform them that they’re limited to observing the class.
They still must complete all of their work, but they may not otherwise participate. They may not work in groups, complete fun projects, raise their hand to contribute, or do anything other than watch and listen.
They stay in observation mode for as long as they would time-out. In fact, it replaces time-out so your consequences would now read:
1st – Warning
2nd – Observation Mode
3rd – Parent Contact
Everything else remains the same.
Again, I can’t emphasize enough the importance of creating a classroom students love being part of. It’s the secret of effective classroom management.
You need the leverage of knowing that your students like and respect you and being part of your classroom so much that a mere warning is a powerful deterrent.
Our entire website here at SCM, as well as our books and guides, support this approach. Every one of our principles and strategies is designed to give you maximum leverage.
And not just with behavior, but with motivation, work habits, and the collective pursuit of excellence.
With this leverage and the understanding of the symbolic rather than punitive nature of time-out, you can manage your classroom just as effortlessly while students are socially distanced.
To review:
Work on creating a classroom students want to be part of.
Replace time-out with observation mode.
Follow your classroom management plan per normal.
You can go back to using time-out once the pandemic is over or, if you prefer, stick to observation mode.
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I really loved what you called ”observation mode” I think it would work in light of what is happening at the moment. Can I please ask if you can write an article about your thoughts to seating plans? Whether you think students should be seated wherever the teacher asks them to or they should be allowed to choose where to sit.
Thank you so much for getting to this topic. I really appreciate this. Terrific advice as usual!
This is exactly what I’d been wondering about lately, and you clarified it well. Thanks!
Thank you for addressing this, Michael! This past week, I came up with a similar solution: handing a student a clipboard with some timeout/think time visual cues. While they have the clipboard they are not participating actively in class. I’ve used it with a couple of students and it has worked well. I like that you call it observation mode. Thanks again!