Team Contracts
We can work together!
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
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Has this happened
to you before?

Teacher gives you a Major or
Big group project, assigns you
to your teams, and tells you to
begin to brainstorm ideas.

The team brainstorms
numerous good ideas, but no
one takes any notes.

At the end of class you all
leave thinking your are ready
to tackle and “A”ce this project
over the next few weeks.
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Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Over the next few days…

You begin to work on the project but it seems only one
or two people are working.

You become frustrated and
stop working and arguments
begin.

Teacher steps in to mediate, the team says they are
ready to work now and requests more time from the
teacher to work on their ideas but they really don’t get
anything accomplished.
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Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Towards the end…

One of the team members gets
frustrated and takes on the
whole project in order to pass
the class and tells the others to
just be quiet and let them get
it done.

Finally the other team members feel “guilty” and
finally they begin to work as a team. Everyone takes
on a part of it, some larger parts but at least they are
kind of working together now.
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Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Unfortunately……..
It’s often too little, too late.
 They missed the chance to form a real
team and the unequal work load causes
animosity and bad feelings towards each
other that just never go away.

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Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
In the end…

The final major project looks
like the last minute mess that
it is, because the team finally
started working together but
too late. The “Team” gets a
poor or low grade.

The team blames this on each
other - vows to NEVER
work with each other
EVER again.
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Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
How could this
“train wreck” of
a non
functioning team
have been
avoided???
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Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
It’s actually simple….

The answer is to come up with your own
team contract!
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
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Team Contracts…

Teams that don’t set up common guidelines or
“ground rules” from the very start almost always turn
into a “train wreck” blaming each other for the poor
work.

Creating a Team Contract BEFORE you begin the
actual project is the best way to get a team started off
on the right track.

Each team member must have input
into the contract and sign it so that
everyone has equal and individual
“ownership” of it.
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Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Team Contracts must…..
For them to be effective or to “work” they
must address such issues as:

Each person agreed to Responsibilities and Behavior Expectations

How you agree to Communicate as a Team

What is the expected Participation for each Team Member

How you will Make Decisions and Problem Solve things

What you will do when you have a Disagreement (its going to

What will you do if you need to meet and work outside of class

The Consequences for not following through on these
happen!)
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
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Team Roles…..
Agree to the assignment of certain specific
Team Roles:
These roles may/should rotate as needed.
Facilitator –


makes sure all members have an
opportunity to participate
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Team Roles (cont’d.)…..
Mediator –


keeps the discussion
directed
Recorder –


makes written records
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Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Do you think a role is missing?
Here is the most
commonly asked
question.
What assumed
Position or role may
be missing?
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Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
The team needs “leadership”,
not a designated leader!

In the Team Contract there is often NO need to
have just one person assigned as the team
leader.

Leadership should be something that shifts and
changes with each team member’s strength or
knowledge needed to complete a step in that
particular task or problem.

This can prevent many problems in the group
dynamics as everyone is given a chance for input
to the team as a whole.
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Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
So how do we do this?
In your groups you must first work together to
create and sign your Team Contract. It must
cover:







Communications = how you agree to speak to each other in and
out of class meetings as needed
Participation = responsibilities of the each individual team
member
Decision Making and Problem Solving
Responsibilities and Expectations = team goals, what you all agree
your strengths are and what each person should take the lead on
based on your strengths
Methods for Managing Disagreements (again they WILL
happen)
Conduct during Meetings = who is going to be: facilitator,
mediator, or recorder
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
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Sample Team Contract
Team A







We pledge to follow the Golden Rule.
We will work together to complete group work and labs.
When meetings are established, we will do our best to attend
and come prepared and on time.
When working together, we will help to establish a positive
work environment.
If problems arise, they will be discussed with any or all of the
team members.
Each team member must have input at every meeting.
No member will have a permanent job as jobs will be flexible
and go with each person’s strengths
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Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Sample Team Contract
Team B – Part 1

Group Organization

Two team meetings to be scheduled before the end of
class every Monday.

Check e-mail regularly and stay in contact with team
members

Minimize absences and inform team members prior to
absence.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
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Sample Team Contract
Team B – Part 2

Meeting Format

Focus on current task and work to accomplish it before
moving on to other business.

Work efficiently during team meetings and minimize
tangent conversations.

Major decisions always involve three or four team
members present.

Keep team members informed as to all important issues
and concerns - no surprises.

Any divisive issues are to be discussed thoroughly before
any voting is done.

Document all group discussions and collective ideas.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
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Sample Team Contract
Team B – Part 3

General Guidelines

Address personal or work problems as they arise.

Always turn in journals and remind other team members to
do so.

Divide work fairly and discuss any problems.

Arrive at class meetings on time and be prepared to work.

Be open to all new ideas.

Keep good documentation of your work and distribute it to
others.

This team agreement is open to modification and will be
reviewed regularly.
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Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Questions?
Share how this has
happened to you?
Do you think a Team Contract would
have helped you in past projects?
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Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Team Contract Planning
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Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
Planning and Rubric
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Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
References
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Team Agreements (PowerPoint), Gateway
Engineering Education Coalition, The Ohio
State University, 2010.
Project Management and Teamwork, Karl A.
Smith, McGraw-Hill, Boston, 2000.
Using Student Teams in the Classroom: A
Faculty Guide, Ruth Federman Stein and
Sandra Hurd, Anker Publishing Co., Bolton,
MA, 2000, p. 51-54
Tools and Tactics for Design, Peter G.
Dominick et al, John Wiley and Sons, Inc.,
New York, 2001.
Copyright © Texas Education Agency, 2012. All rights reserved.
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