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 for them when they’re ready to return to class.
In other words, the teacher will refer the clock and then say something like, “Okay, Karla, time’s up. You can go back to your seat now.”
But for time-out to really work, for it to discourage future misbehavior, it’s best to allow your students to decide when they’re ready to leave time-out. This doesn’t mean, however, that they can simply get up and return to their desk or table group whenever they like.
What it means is that instead of releasing them after fifteen minutes, you’d cruise by their time-out desk and whisper, “Let me know when you’re ready to join us.”
And then only when the student raises her hand, motions you over, and informs you that she’s ready to rejoin her classmates would you allow her to leave time-out.
By requiring your students to notify you when they’re ready to return (after the initial fifteen minutes), time-out becomes a much more effective consequence.
Here’s why:
1. It’s an offer of trust.
When you give your students the responsibility to let you know when they’re ready to leave time-out, it causes them take ownership of their misbehavior and stirs in them the desire to care and to want to follow your rules.
It also sends a subtle message that you believe in them, that you have confidence they can make the right decisions for themselves, learn from their mistakes, and do better next time.
2. It’s a greater level of accountability.
Giving students the power to decide when to return to class burdens them with a greater level of accountability—making them active rather than passive participants in their improvement.
For they must raise their hand, acknowledge their misbehavior, and convince you with an earnest heart that they’ve indeed learned a lesson before being welcomed back with open arms.
3. It’s an act of contrition.
When a student informs you that they’re ready to leave time-out, you must assess their body language, tone of voice, and sincerity before giving the okay to rejoin their classmates.
After having been taught—through modeling and practice—how to go to time-out, sit in time-out, and get out of time-out, few students will ask to leave before they’re ready. But if they do, simply let them stew awhile longer.
4. It removes the guesswork from time-out.
When you use a specific time period, or your best hunch, to determine when to remove students from time-out, you don’t have any idea if the consequence was effective. It’s a guessing game.
But by giving your students the power to decide, under the condition that they show you, prove to you, that they’re ready to return to class, then you can be sure that the consequence accomplished what was intended.
Student-Centered Time-Out
This student-centered form of time-out will empower your students to take an active role in improving their behavior.
It will encourage them to buy-in, jump on your classroom culture bandwagon, and choose to be a contributing member of your class.
By asking them to motion you over, look you in the eye, and proclaim that they’re ready to rejoin their classmates, you’re encouraging self-reflection and self-responsibility and a greater desire to follow your rules.
It also underscores the notion that your classroom is a special place, a privilege to be a part of.
And when you can widen this gap between the experience of being in time-out, and its personal, active accountability, and the enjoyment of being a full-fledged member of your class…
Then you have the kind of leverage that changes behavior, builds strong community, and creates a learning experience your students will treasure.
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Hi Michael, I love your newsletters, they are very helpful! I have a student who NEVER takes responsibility. Every time I dish out a consequence, he says, “what did I do?” Then I dish out another, and he complains again. His mom says that he does the same thing at home. If I gave him the option of returning to class from a time out, on his own, he would take full advantage of it, and either come back to class to cause more disruption, or stay in time out to try to get out of participating in class. Even if I dish out the consequence immediately after the infraction, he says that he didn’t do what I saw him do. Any further suggestions? By the way, I am going to purchase your book. I have really seen great improvement in my class and teaching as a result of your website. Thanks! Marcie
Hi Marcie,
If you simply follow your plan, and turn and walk away after giving a consequence, this will stop. As far as giving him the option of when to leave time-out, it’s only after he’s proven to you he is ready.
Michael
What do you do with a student who wants to stay in the discipline table all day or for several hours?
Hi James,
It’s not what you do per se—because other than coaxing the student back to class, there isn’t much you can do in the moment. It’s the environment you create. If a student is uninterested in being part of the class, then time-out won’t have any meaning. It just won’t matter one way or the other. Effective classroom management entails making it matter so they won’t want to waste a moment of their time separated from the class—which is what much of this website is about. I’ll be sure and cover this topic a lot more in the future.
Michael
While they are in time out, do something so fun or playful they will want to come back and you say, “Sorry, I will let you know when you are welcome to join us”. This works well for younger children who want to get out of timeout just because they see something fun to do. It makes them wish they never got into timeout in the first place if they have to wait for you to let them join. Plus, it shows that you are in charge, not them.
Hello Michael,
What would you do when you already have a student in time-out and another student breaks a rule for a third time but there is only room for one student at the time-out table?
Would it be appropriate to send the second student to the classroom next door or outside? or would this be unfair?
Hi Rebecca,
You should always have an additional place or two in your classroom to account for this eventuality, even if it’s a side table, rotation area, library, etc. Time-out in the classroom is generally more effective.
Michael
Above, James asked a similar question to the one I have. The difference for me is that the child doesn’t want to stay in time out, but appears to lack the humility necessary to ask to come back. Instead she spends the time being dramatically depressed/upset. Seeing the class having a good time only is another excuse to be sad. (I have worked with siblings from this family who had the same problem.) She would stay in time out the rest of the day if I didn’t at a certain point tell her it was time to rejoin the class. What would you do in a case like this?
Also, since the children are supposed to be doing the class work while in time out, if a new class starts while they are there, do you have them get up to get the books, paper, etc. that they need or do you bring it to them?
Finally, if it is time for recess and they still haven’t asked to come out of time out or there time is not up yet, do you have them continue after recess or stay in time out during recess? (I have to monitor the playground, so I would not be able to have the child stay at the time out desk during recess. She would have to come out with me and just sit on the sidelines and watch the others play.)
Hi Sister Mary Peter,
If the student isn’t ready to begin requesting leave of time-out, as long as they’re doing what you require (in time-out), then after fifteen minutes walk over and invite her to join the class. Stay the course, work on creating an environment all students enjoy, and she’ll get there. As for your second question, let them get up. And third, have the student stay at your side until the time is up.
Michael
Thank you very much! I have been getting a lot out of your articles, and have found your advice very helpful in the classroom.
You’re welcome!
Michael
The main problem that I’m having with timeout, like James said, is that students like being over there. They know they have hard time behaving with their classmates, and they likely feel more successful when they’re working in their own space. I have two boys in my classroom who are consistently getting to consequence two, which is time out. I don’t think they’re doing it on purpose, but they just don’t have the self control to not talk out when they’re around others. They go to time out, and they’re fine there. However, this is a problem then, because my classroom is tiny and the boys are in my only two time out places for the majority of class. Any suggestions?
Hi Haley,
This is a clear sign that there are other areas in need of addressing. In other words, the problem isn’t time-out. I’ve covered this extensively here on the website. The best place to start is in the Time-Out category of the archive.
Michael
Hi Michael,
What do you do if the student says they’re ready to come back to class, but break the rules again when they do?
I teach Prep (Australian equivalent of kindergarten) and I’ve been resetting the behaviour charts at recess and lunchtime. I think I read somewhere on your site that that’s a good idea for younger children. Is that right?
Thanks 🙂
Liz
Hi Liz,
You send them back to time-out.
It’s okay to restart your plan midday for kindergarten-age students in the beginning of the year, but by month two or three you should transition to all day. By this time, they should be ready for it. Doing so will only make your classroom management even stronger.
Michael
Thanks Michael. Would you give them the warning first, or send them straight back to time out?
Straight back to time-out. 🙂
Hi Michael,
Your articles have been a lifesaver. I feel like I can finally teach at peace and I love it!
I was wondering if yoi could give an example with words on what do you ask when a child is in time out. A detailed sample of a child and teacher. This way I know ig I’m doing it correctly.
Thx in advance
Hi Jessica,
I’m not sure I’d add anything to the dialogue within the article, but I’ll think about it and try working it into a future article.
Michael
Hi Michael,
Ok so I’ve kept reading your articles. I think Im doing the time out incorrectly. When time is up I let them know when time is up. They raise their hand afterwards. I approach the child. Then I ask them if they are ready to join the class. They say yes and then I ask them what they have done. Is this right or should they immediately let me know or ask permission to join the class and tell me what they did wrong without being asked?
Hi Jessica,
When they say yes, you welcome them back. Simple as that.
Michael
Hi Michael,
I just want to thank you for all of your advice and for putting it here so that all of us can find it quickly! I am a first time teacher who is teaching English in an Asian country and I was so unhappy the first two weeks of school until I found your website. I love that you have detailed so many areas of the classroom management plan. I don’t like yelling so this method is my cup of tea! I just realized I have been giving time-outs the wrong way, but even my wrong way worked with most children. I will try it the right way with my tougher ones now!
One question- I have one child who has ADD. Will a fifteen minute time-out work for him? So far he has done well with four minutes.
Hi Heather,
I believe so. However, if something is working well, then stick with it. 🙂
Michael
Thanks so much!
You’re welcome, Heather.
Michael