Thinking Chair

The thinking chair is a place where students are sent by teachers when they are misbehaving.It is a chair set up someone in the room that is private. It allows students to go there are think about their actions. They should reflect on their actions and think of a solution to maybe behave in a more appropriate manner. The thinking chair environment needs to be an inviting place. The students shouldn’t think of it as a punishment but a private place to reflect and manage their actions.

PRO:

• Teaches students to manage own behavior
• Students don’t see it as a punishment
• Students can work through the emotions in private
• It is a temporary place, students are there no longer than three minutes

CON:

• May not affect student enough
• Student may use problem behaviors as tactics to get out of work/situations
• If explained wrong, students may feel that it is a time-out chair

Ratings for Thinking Chair:

• Reduce Public Humiliation: Students should think of the thinking chair as a personal place where they can go and think about their behavior and emotions. The teacher needs to explain to the students that it isn’t a punishment but a place where they can go and think. If explained right, it shouldn’t be embarrassing at all... 1 star
• Effectiveness: The effectiveness of the thinking chair depends on the student. If students don’t respect the process they might go back to the poor behavior. However, if the student really thinks about what happened to get them sent there and tries to make a plan for the rest of the day, they can go back to the class with a new attitude... half star
• Student Acceptance: Students need to know that this is not a punishment. It needs to be a safe and welcoming environment where they can really think. If that is present, the students will accept it and use it wisely...1 star
• Minimal Class Disruption: The act of saying go to the thinking chair is a little bit of a class disruption. However, if you say it quick in the middle of the lesson everyone can move right along. Another way is for teachers to have non-verbal cues to send students to the thinking chair. If there isn’t talking it would be almost no distraction. When you tell a student to go to the thinking chair it should be with a loving tone. If it shows that you are upset the student might get upset as well and that can create quite the class disruption... 1 star