Behavior Contract For Leaders Americorps (Page 2 of 2) in pdf

Behavior Contract For Leaders Americorps Page 2

Background on the Behavior Leader Contract

This contract was developed when a group of students in an elementary school choir were

being constantly disruptive and disrespectful during rehearsals. The discipline tactics in place

were inconsistent, time consuming and negative. The eight most problematic students were met

with outside of rehearsal, and were told that they were very important members of the choir

because they were the leaders of the group, and whatever behavior they exhibited would be

emulated by the other students. For this reason, they had great responsibility to behave well,

because the success of the choir depended on it. If they failed to behave, the potential

consequences were spelled out in the contract so that they would know what to expect.

The rehearsal following this meeting was undoubtedly smoother. The leaders were

behaving much better, and the younger students were following their example. I was much

rewarded when we presented the contracts to the leaders- they literally sat taller after they

realized that they were the leaders and therefore had a great responsibility!

The students that were causing this trouble had clearly received a great amount of

negative reinforcement and negative feedback in their short lives. This contract was devised to

make them feel important, instill them with a sense of responsibility, and to help them

understand how their actions and their behaviors affect those around them.

Lindsay White

Sound Youth Americorps*VISTA

2002-2003

Sound Youth AmeriCorps

Behavior Contract For Leaders Americorps Page 2