Learning Contracts - Notes

A learning contract is a negotiated agreement between teacher and student that gives students some freedom in acquiring designated knowledge, skills, and understandings that a teacher deems important at a given time. Many learning contracts and other contract-like strategies also provide opportunities for student choice regarding some of what is to be learned, working conditions, and/or how essential content will be applied or expressed.

Contracts may take the form of learning contracts, Think-Tac-Toe, learning tickets, Bingos (in which students much complete a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal set of tasks from a grid), learning menus, learning agendas, or other formats.

Regardless of format, a contract or contract-like strategy generally:

• Assumes it is the teacher's responsibility to specify important content and goals and make sure students work with them in a way that moves the student forward.
• Assumes students can take on some of the responsibility for guiding their own learning.
• Delineates knowledge or skills that need to be practices and mastered.
• Ensures students will apply or use those skills in context.
• Specifies the working conditions students must adhere to during the contract time.
• Sets positive consequences when students adhere to working conditions and establishes negative consequences if students do not adhere to working conditions.
• Establishes criteria for the completion and quality of work.
• Includes both teacher and student signatures of agreement to the contract's terms.