Time-Out

- “Time-out practices have been used in classrooms, especially elementary classrooms, for many years as a behavior change intervention support” (Hamlett, 2018, p. 1). 

 - We have all seen the time-out being used within a classroom. Whether, it was used for us, our classmates, our children, or our students, we have all seen it. 

- We may also have some negative feelings about the time-out process, depending on how we saw it being implemented

- “Time-out, when used correctly in the classroom, is a powerful, strategic, scientifically based educative intervention” (Hamlett, 2018, p.1). 

- If the teacher is using the time-out process correctly, the time-out has a purpose and is meaningful to helping the student improve. 

- It is planned and specific to be able to be able to intervene effectively and efficiently.

- “The goal is to decrease and eliminate inappropriate behavior, while at the same time to increase and hopefully move to self-management of the appropriate behavior” (Hamlett, 2018, p. 1). 

-  Any time a time-out is used, it should be used with the purpose of not only eliminating the inappropriate behaviors, but also increasing the correct prosocial behaviors.

- Self-management is an important aspect of this process, because we are hoping students will be able to manage their own behaviors eventually, and this will avoid the misbehaviors leading to the time-outs.

- “The Time-Out process is an educative process-- it is about delivering appropriate consequences for inappropriate behavior, not about imparting punishment” (Knoff, 2007, p. 7). 

- The point of a time-out should never be to punish a student.

- The time-out process should always look to educate the student on how to perform the correct behaviors in the future. 

- Students should be taught during their time-out the correct behaviors they should have used instead of the inappropriate behaviors they did use.

- Providing the student with the opportunity to practice the correct skill, will lead to them being more likely to use it in the future.  

 

 

 

References:

Hamlett, T. (Course lecturer). (2018).  Interventions for students with challenging behaviors, Module 4: Incentives, peers, and the educative time-out process. Part 3 Transcript: Time-out. [Transcript]. American College of Education.

 

Knoff, H. M. (2007). Time-Out in the classroom: A step-by-step guide for consistent, educative, and effective implementation. Little Rock, AR: Project ACHIEVE Press.