What is a Behavior Contract?
According to Intervention Central, "the behavior contract is a simple positive-reinforcement intervention that is widely used by teachers to change student behavior." In a behavior contract the teacher, student, and sometimes parents, creates a contract that usually includes goals for the student, consequences if they do not meet the goals, and a type of reward if the student follows through with the goals. If a school has a PBIS system in place, a behavior contract can follow the guidelines of that system. By doing this, it would provide consistency among the student and the school. A goal might include participating throughout class (for students who do not have motivation), a consequence might be no fun Friday, and a reward might be a no homework coupon. Each part of the contract is specific to the student. The student might be more likely to following the contract especially if they have a say on what the expectations are for that student. Behavior contracts are most likely to be used for students who need reminders to stay on task. If a student is having a difficult time staying on task the teacher can pull out the contract and remind the student that they signed the contract and if they do not comply with the goals or expectations there will be consequences. When using a behavior contract, be sure to have the student, teacher, and sometimes the parents sign the contract so everyone know the student's expectations.
To read more about how to use a behavior chart in a classroom click on this link: http://www.interventioncentral.org/behavioral-interventions/challenging-students/behavior-contracts
To read more about how to use a behavior chart in a classroom click on this link: http://www.interventioncentral.org/behavioral-interventions/challenging-students/behavior-contracts
Visual Representations
The image to the left is a sample behavior contract that might be used for older students that can write in complete sentences. The student writes down their goals, a reward if they meet the expectations, and a consequence if they do not meet those expectations. There is space for three signatures: student, parent, and teacher.
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This is a behavior contract that parents can use with their children at home, and this contract can be adapted to meet the needs of the student in a classroom. Students write what they want to work on, rewards, and consequences if the meet or do not meet what they want to work on.
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In this video, Micheal Woods, an Autism and Inclusion specialist, teaches it's viewers how to use a behavior contract in a classroom. He goes step-by-step on how to effectively use the behavior contract. He also gives to helpful hints in determining the cause of certain behaviors.
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Student Profile
In my kindergarten field experience classroom, I have a student who needs frequent reminders to stay on task, do his job, and to be respectful to other students. If he were to use a behavior contract this would be reminded of what he needs to do. If there ever was a time when he was following the contract the teacher can take out the contract and remind the student of what he agreed to and then talk about the consequences that were on the contract. The hope is that with the behavior contract, the student will no longer need those reminders to stay on task, do his job, and to be respectful.
Content Area Examples
Behavior charts can be used in all content areas and can be adapted to meet the needs of a specific content area. For example, in a physical education class the contract might include: using equipment correctly, cleaning up quickly, and participating in warm-up routines.