A behavioral contract is a great way to modify behavior. They help students to understand what the expected behavior is.
A behavior contact student edition is usually tied to a behavior that is unexpected at school. This can range from shouting out when a lesson is being taught to poor interactions with peers during recess.
Read on for more information on these school agreements surrounding children’s actions.
What is a Behavior Contract?
So what is a behavioral contract? It is very much like a traditional contract, just for behavior.
It is a paper that lists the parties involved (in this case the student and teacher) along with what the expectation is.
The agreement then goes on to state what the expected action is during that time (such as during independent work time) or in that setting (such as outdoor recess or when on a field trip).
Also included is what will happen if the child upholds the contact along with what will happen if they don’t.
Then, both parties sign it just like a traditional contract.
Do Behavior Contracts Work?
You bet they do!
Everyone has clear expectations ahead of time. This often leads to wanted behavior being seen.
The consequences are also made clear upfront. These consequences are both good and negative.
If a student follows their contract, they usually get something good out of it. This doesn’t mean they always get a tangible item for extrinsic motivation (although with younger students this is often helpful). A positive consequence could be something as simple as a good grade, liked by peers, or a positive note/call home.
Having the consequences stated upfront leads to zero arguing with the student. They know what would happen either way (and they signed it saying they understood this before the event) and everything is in black and white. There just isn’t arguing with that. And if they try to argue, it’s generally pretty easy to shut it down quickly.
I’ve found behavior contracts to be a great piece to include in a behavior intervention plan (you can read all about BIPs here). If you are unsure where to start with developing a great behavior plan check out this free resource to get you started.
Behavioral Contract Example
Are you a visual learner who needs an example to put this all together?
Check out this example of a school recess agreement.
This contract starts off with the student putting their name first. Then they put the adult that the contract is with.
Next, goes the date. When a child is first starting off with contracts or their behavior *, I start off with filling out the contract daily. Usually, students will start to get the hang of what the expected behavior is and show it on a regular, consistent basis. Then I can start making the contract twice a week. After that is successful, it can be done on a weekly basis.
The next spots are all specifics about recess activity. What they are doing? With whom they are doing that? Where they are doing the activity? It is important to be specific!
This recess contract goes on to state the general rules of the playground. These are expected things of all students.
Following all the expectations is where it is stated what will happen if the student follows their recess plan. Also, include what will happen if they don’t. Setting this upfront is an important step so that everyone is clear on the consequence (good or bad).
Lastly, the contract is signed by the student and the teacher. Before signing it, I double-check that that student understands everything in the contract. I also always make sure to have the student sign it first.
Looking for a Behavior Change Contract?
Don’t have the time to commit to trying to figure out how to write a behavior contract? Use one of these pre-done resources to save yourself time so you can focus on other things on your to-do list.
If you are looking for some contracts to use in your classroom check these out.
Behavioral Contracts for Students
Here is a resource containing 6 different agreements. These behavioral contracts for students have 43 different versions so you can use the best one for the student/situation. Most versions are even fillable within Google Slides!
Simply select the best contract, print it out (or download the digital version), fill out the few blank parts, and sign it. Easy-peasy.
These behavior contracts for students are great for use inside the general education classroom to change unwanted behavior. Another great time to use these is part of a student’s behavior intervention plan (BIP) to help modify behavior. Find this 92-page resource here.
Behavior Contract School Recess Support
Have a student who is struggling to show wanted actions while at recess?
This unstructured time can be tough for students who have a lack of social skills or impulse control. Putting them on a “recess plan” as I call it helps them to understand the expectations during this less structured time.
This behavior contract school recess plan has the child select who they are playing with and what activity they are going to be doing. Also included are several expectations for all students while outside at recess. Having this plan allows students to know before recess time even starts what they are doing and with whom.
It also makes it easy to help figure out problem behaviors if they should happen because you know if the student is following their plan or not. If not, the contract also states what the consequence is so everyone is already on the same page (no arguing with this one). Find this recess contract here.
School Bus Behavior Contract
This agreement helps students while riding the school bus.
It can be used either on the regular route to/from school or for a special event like a field trip.
A bus riding social story is also included. It speaks to the importance of following the agreement and wanted behaviors on the bus. This would be great to use when pre-teaching the skill of riding the bus or when re-teaching bus riding expectations.
Plus you can reward students for expected behavior with some fun certificates. Find it here.
More On Behavioral Contracting Pros and Cons
Looking for more resources regarding these behavioral agreements? Check out these things:
Want to know how to write a behavior contract for kids? Check out this post for a simple 3 step process.
PBIS World gives some helpful information on the why, when, and how in a bulleted list format.
If you want more of the scientific viewpoint, check out this behavior contract pdf from Clayton R Cook on the evidence-based practice information behind them.
If you are struggling overall with student behavior and need some help writing a behavior plan, check out this free easy to follow 5 step guide. Just tell me where to send it to!
Hopefully, you have a better grasp of a behavior contract for elementary students (and those in upper grades too). Plus more on when and how to use them effectively.
Do you think you’ll try using a child behavior contract next time you have a student struggling to display unwanted behavior?
Happy Teaching!
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