Behavior Contracts – A Great Way to Monitor Behavior

Behavior Contracts are a great way to monitor a child’s behavior both at school and at home.  The contract is simple:  A teacher/parent and a child both agree to 3 specific behaviors (i.e. keeping hands to myself, using nice words, doing what has been asked the first time) and then the child signs the bottom of the contract.

After both the morning and afternoon, the teacher/parent circles how the child’s behavior was:

Smiley Face = Great

Straight Face = So So

Sad Face = Not Good

Depending on how severe the child’s behavior is, the contract should reward kids for behaving at least slightly better than they were before.  For example, if a child has horrible behavior and gets a Straight Face during either the morning or afternoon, a reward is given.  As behavior improves,  rewards should become harder to earn.

For School Counselors:  This is a great way to help children behave better inside the classroom.  You can play a part in this by facilitating a Reward Time during the last 15 minutes of your day and allowing kids who have met their contract goals to come to your office (or outside) to play.  This not only encourages healthy competition but allows kids to feel proud of themselves in a setting where they haven’t felt much success.

Download a Behavior Contract here