Contracts

In reading the posts of my classmates I find myself torn with half of my support going to informal contracts while the other half goes to formal contracts. There are many arguments circulating some in support of each, and while the consensus seems to prefer the use of informal contracts between a teacher and a student there are also some strong arguments in support of formal contracts. Many of the previous posts have pointed out that the use of informal contracts can be useful as a means of demonstrating to a child that the teacher cares. They allow them the opportunity to correct their behaviour gradually by alloting a certain number of slips in behaviour before a consequence is issued, taking a degree of pressure off of the student. This policy encourages a child to pay attention to their behaviour but it does not force them to be on constant guard in the classroom. Letting the child relax in the classroom is important because a child that feels a great deal of tension will be more likely to misbehave not less. I also really like the part of these contracts that lets the students choose from a set of consequences for their behaviour. This places the responsibilty for the behaviour squarely on the student and doesn't leave room for the child to write off the experience as the teacher being unfair, or to complain about the consequences of their actions because it was their choice. However, I also liked the point made by Rita in her blog post about the importance of the student taking the contracts seriously. This point resonated with me because from my own experience as a student and through some volunteer opportunities I have seen children using the use of an informal contract as a temporary measure to get out of trouble. They see making the contract as getting off the hook for their misbehaviour this once, and then proceed to forget that they ever made it. For these students I agree with Rita's assertion that an informal contract will not work. The foundation for the contract must be a mutual respect and commitment to its efforts. This is not to say that there will never be mistakes or backsteps but these are manageable so long as the end goal of the teacher and student are the same. Therefore I think that the question is not necessarily between an informal versus a formal contract, but rather a question of who and when. Whenever possible I would prefer the use of informal contracts, and I believe that in the majority of cases they are all that is needed, but in those special circumstances where they will not suffice I think that a formal contract is an excellent means of controlling and redirecting behaviour before resorting to harsher consequences.