The concept of a contract to change a behavior and receive desired outcomes is a concept many are familiar with. Today I am interviewing Dr. William Heward and Dr. Jill Dardig to discuss their new book, Let’s Make a Contract, available in May 2022. Dr. Heward and Dr. Dardig have an incredible professional background and the origin story of this book began with their first book Sign Here in 1973. We are talking about the transformation that book has made over the decades and just how important a lesson in behavior contracts can be for positively impacting families.
Dr. Heward and Dr. Dardig do an exceptional job in this book providing clear examples and scenarios to simulate common family and school situations. Behavior Contracts are a research based tool that can change behavior, but they are not a quick fix to solve any problem. When a child and adult enter into a contract, there is work to be done on both sides. It is perfectly okay, and common to have to revisit a contract and make changes if it does not work the first time. Additionally, adults who want to see a goal met or problem solved can fall into the habit of nagging and reminding them about contractual tasks. This is not the answer. Positivity and praise are the key to successful change through behavior contracts.
Let’s Make a Contract is available for preorder on Amazon before its official May release. You can also expect their website with free book resources, contractingwithkids.com to go live at the end of April. This book is full of real life, kid friendly, accessible information and Dr. Heward and Dr. Dardig are truly making the world a better place with their work.
Dr. Jill Dardig is Professor Emerita of Education at Ohio Dominican University where she trained special education teachers for 30 years. She has been a visiting professor at Keio University in Japan, an on-site consultant for a program in Portugal that taught independent living and vocational skills to teenagers and young adults with developmental disabilities, and has presented workshops for teachers and parents in Europe, South America, and Asia. Dr. Dardig has written several books and other publications about and for parents including Involving Parents of Students with Special Needs: 25 Ready-to-Use Strategies (2008). Jill has an A.B. from Mount Holyoke College and an M.Ed. and an Ed.D. from the University of Massachusetts.
Dr. William Heward is Professor Emeritus in the College of Education and Human Ecology at Ohio State University. He has taught at universities in Brazil, Japan, Portugal, and Singapore and given lectures and workshops in 22 other countries. A Board Certified Behavior Analyst and Past President of the Association for Behavior Analysis International, Dr. Heward’s publications include co-authoring the books, Applied Behavior Analysis (3rd ed., 2020) and Exceptional Children: An Introduction to Special Education (12th ed., 2022). Combined sales for these two titles total more than a million copies. Bill has a B.A. from Western Michigan University and an Ed.D. from the University of Massachusetts.
Early in their careers, Jill and Bill helped found an early intervention program for children with autism and other disabilities in western Massachusetts. Their 1979 book, Working with Parents of Handicapped Children, was the first textbook designed to facilitate collaboration between teachers and parents with children with disabilities.
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