• The Think Time Strategy

     

    The Think Time Strategy strives to catch disruptive behaviors early, and is intended to teach students self-control skills, not to be a punishment technique. Teachers send disruptive students to a Think Time desk located in a cooperating teacher’s room – to an area free from distractions. That teacher initiates a debriefing process after the student has had "thinking time." The process includes a number of steps that include having the student fill out a form, having the teacher check the form, and returning the student to the original classroom.

     

    Classroom Think Time
     

     When student misbehavior occurs, the student is given the precision request: “I need to see  your learner skills.”  This will be the student’s one and only reminder to gain self-control.

     

     If misbehavior continues, student is assigned Think Time.  Student is given the opportunity to calm down and think about their behavior, what to do instead, and if they can successfully do it or not.

     

     If successfully completed, student is warmly welcomed back to class and gets right back to work.

     

     If student refuses to go to Think Time or can’t follow the two rules (silence and only respond to adult), then assigned Administrative Think Time.

     

            o   In Administrative Think Time, student is given further opportunity to calm down and reflect on their behavior.   Student always returns to the originally assigned Think Time.

     

    Lunch Detention

     If student receives 3 Think Times in a week, they are assigned a Lunch Detention, and parents are notified.

     

     Two rules while at lunch detention: silent and respond only to the adult.  If these rules are followed, the student’s request to attend recess the next day is honored.  If these rules are not followed, the student’s request to attend lunch detention again the next day is honored.

     

     Student continues to attend lunch detention until student follows the two rules.

     

    In-School Performance-Based Detention
     

     Occurs when student’s misbehavior is severe, student misbehavior is chronic, student has received multiple Lunch Detentions, or principal deems necessary.

     

     Student returns to class upon completion of 3-4 work packets and a Goal-Setting Capstone Experience with the administrator, in which the administrator and student work together to brainstorm and implement solutions to the problems the student is experiencing.

     

    Individualized Think Time Goals
     

     Think Time Goal-Setting forms can be used throughout the Think Time process at any time. These can be recommended to be implemented by the teacher, parent, administrator, or even the student, and are designed to teach students self-control skills through self-evaluation.

     

     Forms available include: Academic Work Completion Form, Think Time Tracking Form, Think Time Matching Form, and Think Time Critical Events Form.