Good Behavior Contract

Taylor Klehm
September 2015

Emotional/Behavior Disorders

Learning Disabilities

ADHD

High-functioning Autism
When deciding whether or not to implement a behavior
contract for a student, some behaviors to look for that
would benefit from the help of a social skill interaction
include refusal to comply with teacher, physical or verbal
aggression, inappropriate physical contact, violating
basic rules, and running away from peers and teachers.
Some students may not exhibit bad behavior and may
just have difficulty paying attention in class, trouble finishing or starting their work, and engage in excessive
talking. If nothing else seems to be working with this student then a social skill interaction may need to be implemented and tested. Find a specific contract that makes
sense to you and the student, you can find many different printable contracts on the web via Google, Pinterest,
etc. Sit the child down and explain the behavior contract
to them and why you are choosing to put them on it. This
is a great opportunity to have the child explain their behavior to you so they can take ownership of their actions
and maybe come to an understanding of why their behavior isn't safe for them or for their fellow peers, or
maybe help you as a teacher understand what causes
them to act this way.

Once you and the student have come to an understanding of the contract, come up with a reward system together so the student has something they can work towards that motivates their good behavior; extra computer time, extra recess time, using markers, take shoes off,
etc. Make sure the reward is something the kid chooses
and is something he/she will really look forward to. Last,
have the student sign the contract so they feel more obligated to stick with it because by signing it they are agreeing to it. You, the teacher, should also sign the contract in
front of the student to show them that you are agreeing
to give them their reward if they earn it through good
behavior.
The students behavior should be assessed regularly
throughout the day and not just an overall daily assessment. Contracts that break the day down into your daily
schedule, usually works best. Ex. How did the student do
during reading time? How did they do during lunch? How
was their behavior during recess or specials? No one is
perfect so the overall goal is to have more good behavior
than bad, do not expect the student to only have good
behavior.

Research has shown that students with mild disabilities such as behavioral disorders that have trouble
with social interaction amongst their peers can obtain
adequate social skills and reduce their display of behavior with the help of social skill interventions such as
behavior contracts. Researcher notice a decrease in
aggression levels in students after implementing behavior contracts. The contracts give students something to work for throughout their day. By signing a
contract they feel more responsible to stand by their
agreement and work hard to earn their prize. This
teaches students about responsibility, ownership, and
to become mindful of the actions because there are
consequences.

References
McMahon, C. M., Wacker, D. 1., & Sasso, G. M.
(1994). Evaluation of the multiple effects of a
social skill intervention. Behavioral Disorders,
2035-50.
Thompson, C. L. (1974). One more time: how do
you motivate students?. Elementary School
Guidance & Counseling, 930-34.
Saxon, W. (1979). Behavioral contracting: theory
and design. Child Welfare, 58523-529.
Google images