Social Norms Contract
Description
What is it?
Social norms are ideals and standards of behavior shared by a group. They can be used with students in the classroom and with adults during meetings.
Why Use It?
Establishing norms enables learning to happen more respectfully and efficiently. Allowing involvement in determining the norms gives students and/ or adults a sense of ownership that leads to enhanced adherence to the norms. It is recommended that social norms be developed collaboratively with the class at the beginning of each school year, posted visibly in the room and revisited as needed throughout the year.
The following social norms are an example from Learning Forward (www.learningforward.org; used with permission, all rights reserved):
• Ask questions.
• Engage fully.
• Integrate new information.
• Open your mind to diverse views.
• Utilize what you learn.
Quick Tips
Define norms and give some examples from within the school (e.g., fire alarm procedure, attendance process, lunch line instructions) that will help to build background knowledge of what norms are before the lesson.
Discuss with students the importance and purpose of setting social norms that everyone can agree upon in order to promote positive learning experiences.
Including general academic norms in the contract (such as, attempt every task, ask for help when you are confused or need additional support, etc.) is a great way to set up and include students in the creation of high academic expectations for the school year.
Use collaboration to have your class come up with what is most important to them as a social norm. This could look like having students create their own list, then share their list with their table and decide on the top 3.
Post the norms in the classroom and have all students sign it to show their commitment to the class contract.
Did you know?
Social Norms Contracts help build a collectivist culture in your classroom as explained by Zaretta Hammond below:
“Most schools are centered around an individualistic orientation,” Hammond explains. “Keep your eyes in your own work. Pull yourself up by the bootstraps. Whereas collectivism is, I am because we are. It’s interdependency.” If teachers understand what motivates students who come from collectivist cultures, they will be able to reach these students more effectively.