IV. Reading Comprehension and Response- Short Answer.

Many schools have started to create “quiet corners” in their classrooms. A quiet corner is a small space where students can sit for a few minutes when they feel worried, angry, or overwhelmed. The space may include cushions, books, drawing materials, or cards that teach breathing exercises.

Some people argue that quiet corners make children avoid problems instead of solving them. They believe students should learn to stay in class and control their emotions without leaving their seats. However, teachers who support quiet corners point out that children cannot learn effectively when they are upset. They argue that giving students a short break may help them return to class more calmly and participate more successfully.

One elementary school introduced quiet corners in every classroom for a semester. At the beginning, several teachers worried that students would use the space simply to avoid difficult tasks. Surprisingly, this did not happen often. Instead, teachers found that students gradually learned to recognize their own feelings and ask for help appropriately.

 The most successful classrooms were not those in which students used the quiet corner most often. Rather, they were the classrooms in which teachers clearly explained when and how the quiet corner should be used. In these classrooms, students learned that the quiet corner was not a place to escape responsibility, but a strategy to help them return to learning.