Using ClassDojo Effectively

Technology Thursday is a weekly linky dedicated to all things technology related. Check out our Tech Thursday page for details on how to link up!

I happen to love ClassDojo! I adore my classroom’s Dojo Mojo, so to speak. I use the website for attendance, picking students for tasks, motivation, management, timing activities, and parent communication. But the uses of ClassDojo are not my focus in this blog. See the links below if you have questions about what ClassDojo is and what the site can do for you.

I have been a ClassDojo mentor for a couple of years now and have seen many teachers jump on the Dojo bandwagon. Most of the time, the teachers implement Dojo seamlessly into classroom routines.  But every once in a while, I see a teacher (or read about a teacher) not using Dojo as effectively as it should be used. Let me explain.  ClassDojo is a classroom management tool.  So for our purposes, let’s compare it to another tool- the hammer.  I could use the hammer handle to attach a nail to a board and it would work…eventually- it is just not as effective as using the head of the hammer. You get the job done but, boy, did you struggle along the way.

Here are my 6 tips for using ClassDojo effectively.

Set Expectations

For Students: Students need to know what behaviors you are targeting. Go through your list of Positive behaviors and Needs Work behaviors in a class meeting. Ask the students what they think each behavior would look like. Get their input on which behaviors need to be added and which should be worth more than 1 point.  This helps give them a “buy in” for the program. It’s their class. It’s their Dojo. But yes, this needs to be a guided process- teachers have a say too.

For Parents: Parents need to know how you are going to use this tool. They need to know how the communication is going to work, and, more importantly, what it means when their students lose a point. I always inform parents (and students) that everyone loses a point here and there; no one is perfect 100 percent of the time. You need to let parents know that if a real behavior issue arises; you will get in contact with them (besides just seeing points disappear).

Be Positive

When I became a teacher, our professors taught us to change the things we said from the negative, “Stop running!” to the positive, “Walk please!”   They also taught us newbie teachers that praising a child that is doing the right thing can be more effective than disciplining the student that is doing the wrong thing. I take this approach with ClassDojo. I have almost double the amount of Positive behaviors as I do Needs Work behaviors. I also give out quadruple the number of positive points than I do taking points away.  It is so much more rewarding for your classroom atmosphere to be positive rather than negative.

Here’s what happens if you only take points away or are overall negative- the students stop caring about Dojo. They can’t win or get ahead, so why try? Who can blame them?  I don’t like things I am unsuccessful at either.

I know what you are thinking…what about (insert name here)? They never are on task! Yes, they are. You just have to look a lot harder to find the Positive behaviors.

Try this: Joe is off task again and is playing in his desk.  I give 3 other students points for doing their work. Joe then starts doing his work.  I give Joe a point for “joining his friends”.

Or this: Catch Joe early in the morning. Joe hung his backpack up. Point. Joe put his folder in the correct place. Point. Joe put his name on his paper. Point.  Great answer to that question, Joe. Point.

Now Joe sees that he can get points; he can succeed. He likes Dojo points. So if I eventually have to take a point away, it is more effective.

Now Joe’s parents like ClassDojo. For the first time in little Joe’s life, they are getting some positive feedback about their child!

Give Points Often

Don’t be stingy! Give out points! Reward those good behaviors! Always be on the lookout for a behavior to give a point to.  I always tell my students that I LOVE giving out points. I also tell them, “I’m in a Dojo givin’ mood today!” I sometimes even relate to the students what behavior I am on the lookout for.

Try to give points to everyone. Spread the wealth! Look at your reports. Are there students you are overlooking?  Is there a particular student that is running away with all the points? Is there a student that you are only taking points away from? Has it been a long time since you rewarded a particular student?

Tip: I never let the kids ask for a point. Dojo begging is not allowed. They can, however, suggest a friend gets a point, but they have to explain to me why.

Let the Students Take Charge

I take the time to actually teach the students how to run ClassDojo. I show the kids how to use the attendance, random picker, the timer, giving (or taking) points, and resetting points. Believe me, this will make your life so much easier. The kiddos love, love, love to give themselves points. They actually love to do anything on the website.

Tip: I leave the website open all day on the computer. You can minimize the window if needed.

Start Each Day Fresh

If some students have dug themselves into a hole of negative Dojo points that never seem to go away, they will stop caring. Dojo becomes irrelevant for these children. They feel that they can’t crawl out of the hole, so why try? We want to avoid this. Reset the negative points at the end of the day. Tell the students that each day is new and you get a fresh start. Don’t leave them hangin’ out in Negative Land. Let them start with a clean slate each day!

Set a Limit to Points

I set a limit to the amount of points students can receive and let them go to the treasure box when they reach that goal. I, then, reset their points to 0, and they start the cycle all over again. Why? Well, if Sally has 230 points and I only have 56, I will never catch up. 

I asked my students about this one. I asked them how they would feel if someone had a lot more points than them. Here are some things they said:

• I would be disappointed because I wouldn’t have points.
• If everybody else has more points, they might make fun of me.
• I’m trying to get there, but he’s always ahead of me.
• I would be sad because I am working hard and not getting points.
• They also said they would be happy for their friend with lots of points. AWWWWHHHH!

I usually start out with an easy goal of 10 points. I am trying to get everyone to LOVE ClassDojo. I want them to love going to the treasure box. I need my students to WANT points. I do this for about a week, which is just enough time for everyone to experience the success of going to the treasure box. Then I raise the goal to 15 points, and then, ultimately, to 20 points for my 3^rd graders.  

A good thing happens with this system of resetting points. My Joe (from above) will have more points than the best behaved kids in the class on some days because those well-behaved kiddos just reset their points back to 0. They have 0 and he has 8. Rock on, Joe! On any given day, the gap for student points can be 0-20- which is an entirely attainable goal. There is not a signaling out of kids this way, and all students appear to be just as successful as the others.

Tip: You can still see how many points each student has for the week, month, or year in your reports.

Tip: I use certificates for treasure: chew gum in class, sit in the teacher’s chair, bring a furry friend, 

wear a hat…etc.

Tip: Use only your students' first names, initials, or class numbers to keep anonymity.

There you have it…my tips for being a successful Dojoer.  You are now ready to get started Dojoing! Let us know if you have any questions!

If you need more information about ClassDojo, check out our other Dojo blog posts.

                

Link up below with your own Website or App recommendations, Tech Tips, Tutorials, or anything else tech-related! We can't wait to learn from you!

An InLinkz Link-up

Favorite Spots in our Classroom

All of the Teaching Trio is officially back to school now, so this month, Juliet and I teamed up to share some of our favorite spots in our classrooms...

My USA carpet might be old & dirty, but it's where some of the best times happen in my class. It's where we share in morning meetings. It's where we read at the end of each day (Currently: Wonder). It's where my class chooses to work almost every chance they get. 

Juliet's rocking chair is her favorite spot because it's where she reads with her class. (I'm sensing a theme here!)

My small group table is another favorite spot. This is where some of the best learning happens - one on one with my students. It's where I hear the most "ohhh"s and see the most aha moments. (And my class LOVES the whiteboard circles!)

What are your favorites this month? Grab the template and button and link up below! If this is your first time linking up, check out our Favorite Things page for more details!

   

    An InLinkz Link-up
   

5 Favorite Harry Wongisms for Classroom Management

It's 5 for Friday Time!  Yay! I am linking up with Doodle Bugs for their popular Friday linky.

I am keeping with the Back to School theme again this week.  I feel like my year is still at the beginning stages, and I am in need of some encouragement.  

Who better to look to at the beginning of the year but Harry Wong and his iconic book "The First Days of School".  

If this is the first time you are hearing about this book, STOP reading my blog!  GO order it RIGHT NOW from the link above!  I bet that is the first (and last) time a blogger will tell you to stop reading her blog...

Seriously teachers, it is the ULTIMATE book on how to start a school year.  It doesn't matter if you are a veteran teacher or fresh out of student teaching- it's a book you need to read.  More than read it- you need to embrace it! You can't go wrong with Harry Wong!  (Sorry...I just had to. ;)

(I hope Mr. and Mrs. Wong will not be insulted by my blog title.  I mean it with all due respect since I try to read their book every year before starting school.)

Okay...first off, I have to try to limit this to just 5 things....ummm....how to do that.......still thinking.......

Right here is where I went back and changed my graphic and added the "classroom management" subtitle.  This is what I need a refresher on in my jungle ummm classroom, so this is going to be my focus.

"The number one problem in the classroom is not discipline; it is the lack of procedures and routines."

This one statement changed my teaching life.  You have to actually TEACH students procedures and routines.  Now why didn't my professors teach me THAT in college?  You have to teach them how to get a sharpened pencil, hang up their backpacks, line up, get out a reading book, go to the library, come to the carpet, use the bathroom, get a drink, and all the other hundred things that happen during the school day.

An effective teacher HAS to have a PLAN for each of these instances AND has to teach the plan to the students.

Here's the thing, students want procedures. They want to KNOW how to go about doing something.  Be careful though and don't confuse procedures with discipline.  Discipline concerns how students behave while procedures involve how students will DO something.

I have to stay here for just a moment and continue with procedures on to number 2.    You have a plan and now you have told the plan to the students.  You have told them how to line up, get a sharpened pencil, go to the library, and so on.  This is NOT enough.  It's not enough to just have a plan.  It's not enough to tell the students how to do something or even to model it for them.

Effective teachers know that all procedures have to be rehearsed!  Mr. Wong states that the first weeks of school are filled with the practicing and rehearsing of all the classroom procedures.  Students cannot be expected to get every procedure right all in one day.  (I needed to be reminded of this one.)  Students need to practice the procedures step by step until it becomes routine and automatic.

The 3 steps to teaching classroom procedures are
1. Explain, model, or demonstrate the procedure.
2. Rehearse and practice the procedure with your class.
3. Reinforce your students with praise and more practice until it becomes routine.

Harry Wong believes that schools must have rules.  These rules provide students with a safe environment to learn without fear.  Classroom teachers need to have rules posted before students come to class.  He feels that there should be no more than 3-5 rules.  He also feels that changes can be made if a situation arises that calls for it.  Consequences can be positive or negative but should be plainly stated.

Mr. Wong's Cardinal Principle of Consequences: Do NOT stop teaching to give out a consequence!

Wow, it that hard to do or what?  Sometimes it is almost impossible.  I have found that this is really a challenge for me.  I am going to have rethink a few things.  What about you?

I must say the most fun Wongism is this one: greet your students at the door.  This is not a huge chapter in his book but almost a small aside.  He mentions it and there is a great picture of him smiling at the classroom door and holding out his hand in greeting.  He does say this, "What you do the instant the student enters the...classroom communicates immediately if the student is welcome there."  I love this.  I believe it sets the tone for the day.

I actually delay opening my door a few minutes so that I can have most of my students outside when I open my door.  I love, love, love looking them in the eyes and saying, "Good Morning!"  I am the master at a sideways, one-armed hug!  A few students prefer a touch on the shoulder or a handshake and that is fine too.

The other day I got a note from a student.  I know it is hard to read but the bottom says that "you greet us in the morning and we say it back."  Love!

I think that for some of my students it may be the only smile, welcome, and hug that they get in a day.  Here is a quote my friend found and posted on Facebook the other day.  I think it sums it up quite nicely.

In all of procedures and rules, consequences and rewards, an effective teacher has to be consistent.

Day in, day out, Monday through Friday, August through June, we teachers have to maintain our stance.  We cannot waver. We have to diligently plan,  be persistent in our procedures, and unfailing in our devotion to our job and our students.  We cannot give in to aching feet, soccer mom-itus, or baby-stayed-up-all-night-blues.  We have to perform every day at optimum ability or close to it.  Because our students need us- day in, day out, Monday through Friday, August through June.

I am trying my best not to fail them.

Classroom Must-Have: a Teacher Toolbox (or 2!)

As we begin a new school year, many of us are looking for something new that makes our teaching lives easier. A few of my fellow Tennessee bloggers have joined together to bring you some of our classroom must haves, just in time for Back to School! For a little added bonus, we are also offering one lucky reader a Winner's Choice item from each of our TPT stores, so don't forget to enter the Rafflecopter at the end of this post!

My Classroom Must-Have is defintely a Teacher Toolbox... or 2 of them! I first ran across the teacher toolbox idea on Pinterest a little over two years ago. I made my first one that summer, and have added a second this year.

If you aren't familiar with them, the teacher toolbox is just a hardware organizer that you can buy at Lowes, Home Depot, or even order on Amazon. We teachers are using them to store all kinds of things... most commonly those office supplies that clutter up your desk!

Of course, being teachers, we can't leave them ugly plain, so we all pretty them up in our own way! I spray painted this one turquoise, and used my Chevron label kit in it last year, but this year I changed it to my Perfect Patterns labels. (More about changing them in a minute.)

This one holds all of my brag tags for my fifth graders. I found it on Amazon, and it was already black, so I just went with it! You can find lots of different sizes & combinations of drawer types on Amazon now...woohoo!

In my opinion, the trick is to Mod Podge the labels onto the inside of the drawers. I did this last year with my Chevron labels, and when I wanted to switch them to match my Perfect Patterns classroom, they peeled right off! It was perfect! 

A little tip for you...if you have an inkjet printer, mod podge will smudge the ink. BUT... you can eliminate this problem by spraying the entire page with cheap aerosol hairspray before you mod podge!

I now have 20 different patterns in my TPT store, and they continue to be best sellers. Just for fun, I'm making my latest Teacher Toolbox Label Kit a flash freebie now through Wednesday, August 20th! Click the link below to see all of the options and download the freebie!

Hop over to my friends' pages to check out their Classroom Must-Haves! Then, be sure to enter our giveaway for a chance to win your choice of items from each of our stores!

           

Since this is a Made-It, I'm also linking up for Monday Made-It at 4th Grade Frolics!

a Rafflecopter giveaway