Creating a Social Contract

A few summers ago I attended a training for a program called Capturing Kids' Hearts!

Let me tell you it was hands down the absolute best professional development I have ever had.

I am such a believer in what they are doing and promoting. 

It is all about building relationships and capturing kids' hearts as the name suggest.

There are many different pieces to it and I couldn't possibly share all of them.  

It really is something you need to attend their training to receive the full benefits.

But I do want to share one aspect with you today.

It's something I would venture to guess you are probably doing or have seen on Pinterest.

Let's talk Social Contracts.

This is very similar to Classroom Norms or Expectations.

I start by asking my students to think about and respond to four questions.

1.  How do you want to be treated by me (the teacher)?

2. How do you want to be treated by each other?

3. How do you think I (the teacher) want to be treated by you?

4. How do you want to treat each other when there is conflict?

After students have plenty of individual think time, I then put them in groups of four giving each student a role.

The Manager keeps the group on task.

The Recorder records a final answer/list for the group.

The Speaker will share the group's final answer with the class.

And my favorite role - The Encourager.  I love hearing my students cheer their classmates on for sharing their answers.

After group time, we begin sharing and discussing as an entire class.

During this time I have a student volunteer to be the Class Recorder.  

Their job is to record the answers as we discuss them.

If an answer comes up multiple times, the Class Record will put a check mark by that word every time it comes up.

Everything is student led.  I am simply facilitating the conversation.  I do manipulate the conversation in order to add No Put Downs on our social contract.

Once the class discussion is over, students are given the opportunity to sign the contract before you display it in the classroom.

I chose to create WordArt with the list this year.

Each class was done in a different color.

This is 2nd period's Social Contract.

We are in the process of having everyone sign it and then I will hang it at the front of the room.

I will remind students of what they agreed to, but more so I will teach students to remind each other.

Do you do anything like this in your classroom?