Here's the thinking spot in my old classroom. Note that it's surrounded by many people who have mastered the art of writing. (Oh, and there's James Dean as a tribute to teenhood.) Kris Kristofferson is a Rhodes Scholar, y'all. This is a power desk. Behind it is a big, wooden podium that provided some additional privacy. There's not a "think about what you did" poster in front of the child. It's Joe Perry being calm and cool while Steven Tyler breaks out into some kind of wacky musical scat-- I'm guessing here.
I would sometimes ask a child to try out this location after several attempts to redirect his/her focus on the task at hand, but there was also the option of a child choosing to sit there if he/she wanted a cozy place to create. At first, there was some hesitance about the corner, but for some students, it was the most coveted place in the room--and they knew they didn't have to act up to use it.
This isn't a sleeping corner or a quarantine corner. This is a tool for you and the child. I have one in my new classroom, but I haven't gotten the corner vibe just right yet. When the moon is in the seventh house and Jupiter finally aligns with Mars, I'll let you know.
Sometimes when I write, I vant to be alone. It's nice to be able to provide teen writers that option as well.
My desk was at the back corner, directly behind this row of students. I also had a magnetic mirror that I could place on the white board, so I could check up on the lone writer and wave hello at welcome intervals.
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