Early Childhood Special Education
marydyn
BehaviorContracts1.pptxBehavior Contracts
Let us look at a very successful and positive way to change behaviors.
Behavior contracts are an effective method to change behaviors…
IF implemented correctly.
If implemented incorrectly, they actually reinforce the behavior you are trying to change!
Behavior Contracts
Skinner talked about changing behavior through shaping.
Shaping is when you set a large goal, but break it down into little, manageable steps.
This is what a behavior contract does. It is a contract between a teacher and child to change a behavior.
Behavior Contracts
If you are still trying to get a handle on the child’s behaviors, why they occur, when they occur, or which behaviors to focus on, then before developing a behavior contract, complete a behavioral functional assessment.
This was discussed in the readings previously in this unit. You can go back and review this information if you need to.
Behavior Contracts
The functional behavioral assessment can be used as a tool to narrow down which behavior to focus on with the child, what might trigger the behavior, and give you ideas on appropriate rewards for demonstrating a new, positive behavior.
Behavior Contracts Choosing a Target Behavior
Once you conduct the functional behavioral assessment and assess the results, you are now ready to begin to develop a behavior contract to aid the child in changing the negative behavior to a new, positive behavior.
It’s important to remember that you are extinguishing the negative behavior and REPLACING it with a new, positive behavior.
Choose ONE behavior to focus on-none of us can focus on more than one behavior at a time (think of your New Year’s resolutions…”I will lose 20 lbs and work out every day.”) Not realistic. It’s not realistic to ask children to focus on multiple behaviors either.
Behavior Contracts Targeted Behavior
Choose a behavior that needs changing. Choose the one that is either the most dangerous (hitting others) or the most annoying for you (interrupting the teacher), but only choose one behavior.
Make sure the behavior is something that occurs often enough to be able to be rewarded.
Choose one that can be measured and is not subjective.
For example, “stop being annoying” or “act appropriately” are not measurable.
“Follow directions without prompting” or “use words instead of hands” are measurable.
Behavior Contracts Writing a Goal
Once you have decided on the one measurable behavior to target, you now have to structure the goal for the contract (for the child) so that it is clear, specific, and measurable.
And so it is realistic and understandable for the child.
Setting up a Behavior Contract: Goals
Because you are only focusing on one behavior at a time you will need to ignore other behaviors if at all possible.
This means that your targeted behavior and the goal need to focus on the same behavior.
Setting up a Behavior Contract: Goals
When writing the goal, state it in positive terms.
For example, don’t say, “No hitting.” Say, “You will keep your hands to yourself.” Or better yet, replace the negative reaction with a positive.
Let’s say the child hits when they get frustrated. A goal could be, “When you are feeling bad, use words instead of hitting.” Then give the child the words to use. “I feel mad that I can’t do it.” “I feel sad.” etc.
Make sure the goal is stated simply so the child understands it.
Setting up a Behavior Contract Making the Contract Successful
As an example, let’s use the following:
The targeted behavior could be, “Following one step directions the first time they are asked.”
The goal might be, “Josie will follow the direction the first time the teacher asks her.”
See how these go together?
Now that you have your targeted behavior and the goal, you need to decide how and when the child will be rewarded for showing that behavior.
Setting up a Behavior Contract: Time Frame for Rewards
The contract is set up so it can be successful for the child.
That means don’t ask for too much and be realistic. For example, don’t say, “If you keep your hands to yourself all week, you can have a treat at the end of the week.” For most children that is way too much time. You might need to say, “If you keep your hands to yourself for the next half hour, you can have a sticker. If you get 3 stickers in the morning, you can have a treat with lunch.” See the difference?
A rule of thumb is to ask for half of what you want. So, in looking at the example above, 3 stickers for the morning, might be half of the whole morning. (3 hours total for their morning time). This way the child has a chance to taste success. If you required 5 or 6 stickers for the morning, the chances of the child succeeding (2 ½ hours to 3 hours) would be small.
As the child does better, over time, you can up the amount needed for the reward.
Setting up a Behavior Contract: Rewards
For young children (preschool through K or 1),many will just want a tangible reward each time they have engaged in the new behavior.
You may want to reward them for the absence of the old behavior too.
For example, if a child is working on using words instead of hitting, give them a reward for not hitting, but also reward them for using the words.
This requires that the teacher “catch the child being good” which is a lot harder and more work, then just rewarding them for seeing a behavior.
Behavior contracts ONLY reward positive-showing the behavior. There are NO consequences in a behavior contract.
Setting up a Behavior Contract: Rewards and Charts
Give children an age appropriate way to keep track of their progress. This ranges from nothing (tangible reward given each time and that is all) to smiley faces, to counting stickers, to time. Depending on age, the use of intangible rewards can also be used.
Give children choices in rewards. If I told you I’d give you a bag of carrot sticks if you get an “A” on this learning unit, would that keep you motivated? Probably not, since most of us would rather have a lot of other things than carrot sticks, So let children choose from a few different incentives. That way you are choosing something they will actually work for.
Setting up a Behavior Contract: Recording
Just as you must choose a reward that is age appropriate, choose a way of recording the reward that makes sense for the child and their developmental stage/age.
For example, most children through elementary school cannot wait a whole day for a reward, esp. if the behavior you are trying to change is habitual or frequent.
Fourth grade and up may be able to wait a whole day, but it really depends on the child.
Setting up a Behavior Contract: Recording
Again, if the child is young, you may not want to record at all for the child-just use a tangible reward and that is it for them. You can keep a chart so that you can see progress (or lack of it) and modify if and when needed.
For older children (k and up), you need to keep a tracking system which both of you can view.
This can be used with or without tangible rewards.
Let’s look at an example of each.
Setting up a Behavior Contract: Recording
For example, in using a tangible reward, the child could get a sticker and if they accumulate a certain number over a certain period of time, they get something bigger. (3 stickers over the morning, and they get to be the helper with lunch). This is a time based contract.
Or, count the tangibles until a certain number, no matter how long it takes. (every time you use words instead of hitting, you get a sticker. After you get 3 stickers, you get to choose a prize from the treasure box.) This is called frequency counting since it is not time specific. Some children may reach it in one hour and others may reach it in 3 days. No matter the time frame once they reach that number, they earn the reward. This is a frequency based contract.
Setting up a Behavior Contract: Recording
There are many appropriate ways to set up contracts.
How do you decide what to use?
Look at:
the age and stage of the child,
the type of behavior-some lend themselves to time based (turning in work, participation, etc.) Others lend themselves to frequency based (keeping hands to self, following directions, etc)
What is easy for you and the child to use and keep track of.
If the child is moving from room to room vs. with the same teacher all day, a chart is needed which can reflect this.
Setting up a Behavior Contract: Recording
How will the information be recorded?
If the child is young (under kindergarten), they just get a tangible (sticker, M & M, etc) and you mark it on the chart for data collection.
If the child gets no tangible for each instance of displaying the behavior (older than 5), you may just use a tally mark, or a check mark, or a hand written smiley face. This can be done for time based and for frequency based contracts.
You can make it a certain number of marks in a certain time period equals something (time based) or use frequency marks and just have them count marks until they reach the amount needed (frequency based).
Just be sure to provide a tangible reward after they reach this mark. (Every 3 tally marks equals 5 extra minutes of recess or getting 3 smiley faces in the morning, give you a treat at lunch).
Setting up a Behavior Contract: Recording
The most important thing to keep in mind, is to KEEP IT SIMPLE!
Remember, both you and the child need to be able to follow and understand this.
You also need to keep track of it, and the more complicated it is, the harder it is to keep track of.
Setting up a Behavior Contract: Parental Involvement
Should parents be involved in the behavior contract?
A lot depends on the parents. If the parents are already overwhelmed, tend to not sign papers, or follow their child’s homework daily, then do not involve the parents.
By requiring the parents to sign the behavior contract daily, you must then not reward the child if that doesn’t occur. If it’s not the child’s fault it is not signed, this makes it unfair.
If the parents want to reward at home, are consistent with signing papers and truly want to be involved, then it can be a powerful tool to use in the behavior contract.
Setting up a Behavior Contract
A behavior contract should not be the same continually throughout the school year.
As a child meets their goals on a regular basis, that means it’s time to increase the level needed to gain a reward. So if you started with needing ½ of the possibilities and the child meets it consistently over a few weeks, then make it one or two more than that, and again, monitor for progress. Don’t go higher than 80% unless it’s a safety issue (biting, running away, etc.)
After a child can consistently (not 100%, as no one can be perfect), then either discontinue the behavior contract or change the goal to another behavior that needs managing.
Setting up a Behavior Contract
When you decide that a child needs a behavior contract, you do all the pre-work you can.
Decide on the goal, state it in positive terms, choose time frames and amounts needed for rewards, and choose a few rewards for the child to choose from.
Also, find out if your child care center or school has any policies about behavior contracts, and decide if you want the parents involved. If so, you need to include them when you meet with the child.
Setting up a Behavior Contract
Then set up a meeting with the child (and parents if you are including them), and explain why you think this is necessary.
Be sure to explain that this is something that will help them do better in school or in the group, and that you know they want to do better, and this will provide a way for them to learn how to do it.
With young children, little explanation is needed.
With older children, more is necessary. Be honest, but kind, respectful, and positive.
This helps to set the tone for the contract.
Setting up a Behavior Contract
Usually after an initial bumpy period, most children settle into contracts well for a few weeks.
Then, they usually regress. Be aware that this almost always happens.
Why do you think this happens?
Setting up a Behavior Contract
Change is scary for all of us and habits are hard to break.
Once they begin to master the skills, they realize (consciously or unconsciously), that now people expect new behaviors from them. The novelty has worn off, and now there are new standards to meet.
This is scary stuff, and out of their comfort zones, so they try to regress.
Setting up a Behavior Contract
When this happens, don’t take it personally or that a sign the contract isn’t working.
This is a good sign, because it almost always means that once you can get over this one rough period, you are home free, and will see steady progress.
However, it will be rough as you go through it.
Setting up a Behavior Contract
You need to stay positive, commiserate with the child and let them know that you know how hard it is to meet their goal, let them know that you are sorry they haven’t met their goal since you know that they can do it, and give extra praise and attention during this time.
Sometimes this is a very short period, and sometimes it lasts a few weeks. Just be patient, positive, and loving, and it will pass.
When I worked with ED children, I often wondered if this was a test- would I still like them when they had poor behaviors or would I only like them when they were appropriate. It is important to show children that we will like them no matter what.
Behavior Contracts
Behavior contracts will not be used often or continually in your classroom, but they are a valuable tool to use when positive reinforcement does not work.
They are really designed for the worst of behaviors where all other positive methods have not worked.
We have not really talked about negative consequences, as most of us have experience giving negative consequences, and need more assistance with positive behaviors.
Be careful about using consequences, as punishments only work in the short term if used frequently and/or harshly.
That is why behavior contracts, when set up appropriately, can be such an effective tool. You are focusing on a single behavior with positive rewards.
