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A behavior contract template is an agreement that defines the responsibilities of the individual and the organization like the school, for a specific behavior to change. This document can be beneficial for all grade levels students.
What is a behavior change contract?
A behavior change contract is a document that helps in improving self-monitoring skills of all grade levels students. Students are more like to abide by the terms when they play an important role in its creativity.
Furthermore, to make the contract effective, rewards have to motivate students sufficiently. It is usual that disagreements can occur when a behavior contract template is first introduced regarding the interpretation of the terms. If this occurs, teachers should ensure to clarify the language and meaning of the contract with students.
Keep in mind that the main purpose of this contract is to provide students the tools they need to manage their own behaviors. The students of small grade levels may have difficulty to understand how the contract works and what is expected of them. So, make a behavior contract more visual for these students.
A middle school behavior change contract:
This type of behavior contract outlines what is expected in order to positively reinforce good behavior in middle school. This contract is between a teacher, student, and parent as well as someone who may be involved in enforcing the plan. When children are beginning to assert their independence, behaviors are fairly common at this age like lying, skipping class, or being generally disruptive.
A high school behavior change contract:
Students face the issues of peer pressure in high school and are trying to fit in. Thus, this results in negative and disruptive behavior. The agreement defines the goals and agreements of all involved parties. In addition, students who sign the behavior change agreement indicates that they are encouraged to improve their behavior.
An adult behavior change contract:
Generally, employers create an adult behavior change contract to address negative behaviors of an employee like angry outbursts. In order to achieve a positive outcome all round, this is more of an agreement between management and employees.
How to write a behavioral contract?
Here are the steps that you can consider to make an effective behavioral contract;
- At first, you should consider which one or two behaviors you need to change and what to see in their place. You should also decide here who will monitor the behavior, who will provide the reward and when it will be received.
- Have a conversation with the student to decide on the behaviors, the expectations and the rewards. After that, start writing the behavioral contract by giving it a heading first so that everyone can easily understand what it is.
- Then, demonstrate the purpose of the agreement in a simple way.
- Outlines the behaviors that students have to change and then provide goals for changing these behaviors.
- You should provide measurable and attainable goals. They should be challenging but easy to observe and measure.
- Next, include a statement that states the conditions under which the students are able to receive rewards.
- Also, you will decide that before earning a preferred item or activity, how many stickers or tokens a student will need.
- There is no need to include bonus and penalties but they can provide students an extra incentive to follow the contract.
- At the end of the contract, leave spaces for teachers and students signatures.
- With the student, monitor and review the progress and if you may not succeed at first don’t worry, give the contract time to work.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, a behavior contract template is an effective tool for various reasons such as better communication, clear expectations, self-regulations, accountability for actions, and more.
