Creating a Classroom Contract
This year, I decided not to post my classroom rules or consequences. I know, it sounds counter productive, but stay with me here. My initial assumption about the students’ other classes was confirmed: it was the rules and consequences “pony show”.
I asked my students to help me create the way our classroom operates using our school’s four keys to success. Be Safe, Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Involved.
I started by asking them to respond to the following prompts on color coded sticky notes. Students in each of my classes placed the sticky notes under the proper header and then the next class we sorted them all as a group and labeled them.
All of the students will sign the final document which I call the “Classroom Contract”. I considered the terms “Classroom Code” or “Code of Conduct” but since our process delineated a set of terms for each role I felt it was most like a contract. Here is the document version (before the signatures).
My plan is to create a survey where students can check in on how we are keeping up with our agreed upon norms. I will have students periodically rate me, themselves and each other against the classroom contract.
