Think Time Strategy
Grades: K-9-seriously emotionally disturbed (SED) students, Cost: $49.00
Contact: J. Ron Nelson, University of Nebraska, Lincoln
Center for At Risk Student Services, Barklay Center
Lincoln, NE 68583-0738
Phone: 402/472-0283
FAX: 402/472-7697
To Order: Sopris West
Phone: 800/547-6747
The Think Time Strategy addresses disruptive behaviors in a manner that alleviates many of the problems associated with traditional classroom management approaches used in elementary school classrooms. Although Think Time Strategy was designed as a universal prevention intervention for Kindergarten to Grade 9 populations, adequate evidence of efficacy was presented only for seriously emotionally disturbed (SED) populations. The Think Time Strategy requires that two or more teachers work together and helps teachers catch disruptive behavior early. Teachers send disruptive students to a Think Time desk located in 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.
Evaluation results showed that the average number of critical events (e.g., verbal and physical aggression) decreased by 77% weekly across all three classrooms and that two of the three classrooms continued to show decreases in the number of critical events during follow-up. In addition, the average duration of estimated on-task time spent by the students increased by 34% weekly across all three classrooms and that all three classrooms continued to demonstrate increases in on-task performance during follow-up.
US DOE Expert Panel,
Promising Program, 2001