Rocketoons as a Detention Tool

As common as detention is, we know very little about its effectiveness to change behaviors.

Opinions are mixed on the best way to utilize detention time, or to practice the use of detention at all.  A study done by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the Nebraska Department of Education points out that very little research has been done on the effectiveness of using detention to correct student behavior. This study also found that despite the lack of evidence “detentions are one of the most common disciplinary actions utilized by schools with varying ages of students.” 

​What little research there is about after school detentions reveals that detention alone is ineffective with repeat offenders. Kids who frequently find themselves in after school detention quickly perceive it as a part of their normal school routine. Think Judd Nelson’s character John Bender from Breakfast Club. 

However, detention can be an effective form of discipline to those students that rarely misbehave or cause trouble. “[Because] these students are not used to being disciplined by staying after hours, [it has] more of an effect on these students instead of the students who grow accustomed.” https://blogs.edweek.org/topschooljobs/careers/2017/07/classroom_management_and_disci.html

Because detention is widely used, the question becomes: How can teachers, counselors, and administrators make this common form of discipline more effective?

Fundamentally, detention is a punishment. EducationWorld.com asked Deborah Sisco, principal of the Colgan Alternative Resource Center in Saint Joseph, MO, how to use detention to improve student behavior. She suggested engaging in active dialogue with the student. 
     “Detention has negative connotations associated with it,” Sisco said. “It is a punishment, so you're not going to completely remove that, but you can lessen it. We don't even call it detention. We just say, 'You're going to have to stay after.' That is also why I don't like quiet reading in detention. That negative association to detention attaches itself to the act of reading. You have to take advantage of this time to teach the student. Be involved.”

There are several methods for using detention time in a positive way. Consider these two:

Workshops

Weareteachers.com recommends a lunch workshop instead of a sit-in-silence lunch detention:

"Our counselor runs the miniworkshop, focusing on a particular character-development issue such as overcoming adversity, surrounding yourself with positive people, or developing a growth mindset. It’s important to note that for this to work, the topics need to be genuine. She talks to the students for roughly 15 minutes while they eat and listen. They then discuss or write about the takeaways they have. Lunch workshops often lead to deep discussions about issues these students are actually struggling with. They also help students build a connection with our counselor. Lastly, they cause students to miss their free time at lunch, which no student wants to do. So, while still having an aspect of detention, the time is at least constructive."

Using Rocketoons to start these character-development discussions, helps gain the attention of the students – particularly the 1st – 5th graders – and sets a comfortable, non-threatening tone for the workshop. After sharing a laugh, and watching the entertaining animated video, the counselor or teacher may pull up questions or factoids from the Cartoonversation Card. These questions help to get the discussion started when students are reluctant to open up initially. Rocketoons and their corresponding Cartoonversation Cards were created by experts in their subject matter, to encourage deep thinking and discussion.

Watch a Rocketoons Cartoon

Download a Cartoonversation Card

Reflection Sheets

Many schools still employ and prefer the no-talking, “sit-in-silence” detention.  An article on Study.com brings up the common practice of using “Reflection Sheets” that encourage students to reflect on the negative behavior that landed them in detention, and asks them to write about it. The article reminds us:

"One caveat, however, when devising these tasks: be very careful with the tone of your assignments. Asking a student to write an essay about what he or she did wrong can come off as overly condescending or punitive, which may hinder behavior improvement. For maximum effectiveness, make sure that your reflection sheets stress the importance of good behavior without excessively lowering your students' self-esteem."

Some teachers have opted to use the Rocketoons Cartoonversation card in place of a Reflection Sheet. The use of a Rocketoons Cartoonversation Card to provide positively phrased, non-judgemental questions helps alleviate obstacles like condescension and punishment. And there are 15 topics to choose from including bullying, inappropriate cell phone use, resilience, mindfulness, and cyberbullying. 

Whether your school employs detention or not, Rocketoons can be an excellent tool in helping students recognize troublesome behaviors and to encourage deep thinking and discussions on better ways to handle the stress which causes kids to misbehave.

Other resources for this article:
Spaulding, S. A., Irvin, L. K., Horner, R. H., May, S. L., Emeldi, M., Tobin, T. J., & Sugai, G. (2010). School-wide social-behavioral climate, student problem behavior, and related administrative decisions: Empirical patterns from 1,510 schools nationwide. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 12, 69-85. Doi: 10.1177/1098300708329011

Cartoonversation Card for Episode 4