More on Behavioral Contracting!

As a teacher, one is always arranging and rearranging the environment in order to help students be successful in the classroom. However, there are times when informal approaches of delivering rewards and other consequence to manage student behavior are not effective. In situations where clearly defined alternative behaviors need to be monitored and reinforced, behavior contracts are a very effective means for behavior change.

Behavior contracts help the student and the teacher to focus on the desired behavior and receive reinforcement for that desired behavior. According to Hall and Hall (1998), a behavior contract is an agreement between two or more persons that lists specific behaviors the parties will perform and the consequences that will result. Clearly specified behaviors and rewards are the keys to an effective behavior contract.

Behavior contracts are useful in the home setting as well. Parents can set up behavior contracts to make the morning routine run more smoothly. Many parents find behavior contracting very effective with adolescents. According to Hall and Hall (1998), planned ignoring and time out lose their effectiveness after the age of 12. Behavior contracts tend to continue to be very successful for adolescents and adults. The parent and child identified what behaviors that are expected and together they come to a mutual agreement regarding the reward. For example: 3 stickers per day earns 15 minute cartoon or a pack of fruit snacks


Hall, R., & Hall, M. (1998). How to Negotiate a Behavior Contract (2nd edition). ProEd: TX
If you have had success with behavior contracting and would like to share your experience please add to this blog. If you have questions and need help troubleshooting, add it to the blog. Your input is valued.


http://www.interventioncentral.org/htmdocs/interventions/behavior/behcontr.php
This a wonderful site for teachers to find answers to frequently asked questions when implementing a behavior contract. Additionally, sample contracts are provided

http://www.goalforit.com/
This is a great site to recommend to parents. This website provides web based charts to assist parents organize tasks at home.

Behavioral Contracting

Behavior Contracting is an excellent strategy used by teachers for reducing an individual student's disruptive behavior. A behavioral contract is a written contract that specifies a student's behavioral obligations. The contract also details the expectations of the teacher in carrying out the intervention plan. Because the student is an active participant in developing the contract, the student is more likely to be motivated to abide by the terms of the contract. During this video, Dr. Tim Knoster of Bloomsburg University will discuss the components of a behavioral contract and demonstrate how to write a contract with a student.

Handouts for Dr. Knoster's session can be found on the PaTTAN website at: http://www.pattan.net/resources/request.aspx?UniqueID=05148

Please note that the video is in two parts. Part 1 represents the first 1/2 hour of the presentation and part 2 the last.

Additional information on behavioral contracting will be in our next post!

Behavioral Contracting Video Part 1

Behavioral Contracting Video Part 2

Teachers' Desk Reference: Classroom Management

Welcome to Behavior Support in PA! This blog contains tips and resources to support the implementation of positive behavior support in the classroom.

A difficult aspect of teaching is effectively managing a class full of diverse students. This first post will provide you with some pointers on how to address the various behaviors your students might be presenting.

• Teaching and managing social behaviors directly and proactively (positively and preventively) is a critical step in the process.
  
• One way to manage social behaviors is by teaching your classroom expectations just like you would teach reading, math, physics, music, etc.
  
• Be sure to explicitly state what students are expected to do - show them how they are to do it - and then reinforce the behavior when it's done correctly.
• Consider designing the structure and functions of your classroom to increase predictability and to accommodate individual and collective needs of students.

Research shows that teachers who organize space, manage time, materials and paperwork efficiently increase the amount of instructional time in the classroom. Teacher’s Desk Reference on Classroom Management will guide you through teaching expectations, creating the routines and structure necessary to effectively manage a classroom as well as the A, B, C’s of behavior and understanding the power of reinforcement.

The Teachers Desk Reference can be found at:
http://www.pattan.net/files/effInstruct/TDR-ClassrmMgmt080609.pdf

Please provide comments related to our resource, questions regarding classroom management and feedback in the blog comments. We will answer questions and post comments so that we may all benefit from the lively discussion that inevitably occurs as teachers and classroom staff share ideas and suggestions!