You might know a bit about them, but what is the usefulness of a behavior contract elementary school edition? You’ll find a bit about what these contracts are, when they are appropriate to use, why they are helpful, and see some examples of behavior contracts for elementary students. So keep reading!
What is a Behavior Contract
Let’s start with the basics of what is a behavior contract for students.
It is pretty much just like a traditional contract where something is agreed on by two or more people/parties. With one revolving behavior, the behavior is what is being agreed upon.
There are a few main parts to these contracts, just like typical ones.
It states what the expected action is during that time. This could be what actions take place when working on a group project. This might include who does what of the share of work. It might also state common ground rules for how the members will act towards one another. The contract is specific with times (this could include specific dates or class periods).
Next is what will happen if the child upholds the contract. Additionally, it says what will happen if they don’t.
Lastly, both parties have their signature on it just like a traditional contract.
When Are Behavior Contracts Appropriate
So when are behavior contracts appropriate to put into place?
The sole intention of them is to modify unwanted behavior. If there has been direct teaching and some re-teaching done on the subject, a contract is another intervention to put into place.
In some schools, it may be the sole decision of the classroom teacher. In others, it may be something that is decided upon by a behavior support team. Other times it may come from an elementary behavior specialist who has observed the child and is brainstorming ways to help the student be successful.
A behavior contract may also be part of a behavior intervention plan. (If you aren’t sure what a BIP is, read all about it here.) Many times this might come out of having a functional behavioral assessment done. Not sure where to start with unwanted behavior? Then grab this free 5-step process to writing an amazing behavior plan. It even comes with some data tracking forms. Just tell me where to send it to.
Is a Behavior Contract for Elementary Students Helpful?
A behavior contract for elementary students is useful for many reasons. Here are 6 great ways they are helpful.
Provide Clarity
Contracts are meant to be crystal clear. The same goes with those about behavior. This makes it very clear to everyone on what the expectation is and what the outcome will be depending on the actions of the child. There is no arguing with them because it is all written down in black and white.
Motivating
Many students, especially upper elementary ones, are motivated by behavior contracts. This is because they can see what they can earn. In some cases, they want to steer clear of the consequence/reteaching so much that they will do just about anything. This helps them to become motivated in changing their own behavior.
Accountability
Using a contract can help students become more accountable for their own actions. Because contracts are so specific, students can clearly reflect on if their behavior followed the contract or not. They can see easily if they followed the expected behavior. And if they did, they get rewarded for it. If not, there is usually some type of consequence/re-teaching.
Data Collection
Contracts make data collection easy. Use them, hole punch them, and store them in a 3 ring binder. You can get fancy and use a paper calendar or a spreadsheet to document how often they are meeting the agreed-upon goal. This is especially great for a student who may need additional support down the road because you will have past data to guide your decisions.
Communication Tool
Another great aspect of using a behavior contract is communication between school and home. These papers can be copied off and sent home or sent digitally. This allows everyone to be on the same page regarding a child’s actions.
Flexibility
The last reason behavior contracts are helpful is that they can be flexible and change over time as needed. If a student continues to reach, or fall short, of their goal routinely, it is super easy to change the goal. This is helpful in making the student feel successful while still changing behavior.
Behavior Contract Examples
Take a look at this example of a school bus riding contract.
This contract starts off with the student putting their name first. Then they put the adult(s) that the contract is with.
Next, goes the date. Many people like to start off with daily contracts until the student gets the hang of things and understands what is expected. Then you can cut back to two contracts per week. Once this is going well, using one contract for the full week is fine.
The next spots are all specifics about bus riding expectations. These general rules of the bus are explicitly spelled out so everyone is on the same page. It is important to be specific!
Following all the expectations comes the end consequence (both good and poor). It states what will happen if the student follows their bus riding 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. Also, it is good practice to make sure to have the student sign it first as it gives them a bit more of a feeling of accountability.
Elementary Behavior Contract Template
If you aren’t sure where to start with writing your own, check out this behavior contract for elementary students template resource. You’ll get a whopping 97 pages of contracts. There are 6 different behavior contracts to suit the goal/situation needs and 43 different versions of the contracts to meet students’ interests.
This behavior contract elementary students printable version also comes with most in a digital format to use in Google Drive. Simply type into the provided text boxes to fill out. There is even a teacher resource page giving steps to using a behavior contract and helpful tips. Grab this valuable time-saving resource here.
More Ideas About the Elementary Behavior Contract
What is a Behavioral Contract? – shares some great background information & has step-by-step directions on how to write your own student contract.
Behavioral Contract for Students 101 – there are even more school behavior contract examples in this post. Check them out for some great ideas!
Happy Teaching!
