So a student, let’s call her Karla, pushes another student while rushing to enter the classroom after recess. You see the incident and quickly realize that, because it’s her second rule violation of the day, a time-out is in order. As soon as Karla … Read more
Teachers who use time-out as a consequence but don’t know the details of how to carry it out are bound for failure. Less obvious, but equally important, is the knowledge of its purpose. You see, it’s the why of time-out—its ethics, benefits, and lessons—that … Read more
Most teachers don’t keep their students in time-out long enough. Five to ten minutes seems to be the norm, but to be most effective, your students need to sit and reflect on their misbehavior for at least fifteen minutes. Another common mistake is deciding … Read more
When a student refuses to go to time-out, he (or she) often has a good reason. This doesn’t mean he isn’t responsible for making such a decision. He is—completely and fully. For it’s never okay to defy a teacher’s direction. But in his mind … Read more
‘Through the rainstorm came sanctuary, and I felt my spirit fly’ ~Seal, Love’s Divine If you’re like most teachers, you don’t keep your students in time-out long enough. For a majority of students, regardless of grade level, five or ten minutes won’t cut it. … Read more
Time-out is an important part of any effective classroom management plan. But how is it best enforced? There is much confusion over where time-out should take place, how long it should last, and what students should be doing while they’re there. It’s a rare … Read more
A typical time-out consists of 5 to 10 minutes of sitting at a desk separated from classmates. But for many students, this isn’t a strong enough consequence. For time-out to be most effective, your students need to feel the full weight of accountability. They … Read more
A reader posted a question this week asking what to do if a student, in this case a kindergartner, crawled on the floor and under tables after being sent to time-out. Playing, straying, and not sitting quietly in time-out can happen regardless of grade … Read more