Class Dojo Winter Break Challenge

Here's a fun, optional way to keep the kids engaged over breaks. Post a quick challenge question every few days on Class Dojo through Class Story. I am using a google form to make it very quick and easy to see who is participating and award "Challenge Accepted" points.

I used Google Drawing to make an image with the question to use as the photo. Images will get more attention and quickly show the question. You can download the drawing as a png or jpg file to use as the photo and as the header for your form if you'd like. I used the frame and images from Creative Clips on TPT but anything will do.

I'm keeping each challenge to one question to keep it simple. Here is a copy of my Google Form if you'd like to make something similar. https://goo.gl/HLdlUd

It might also be fun to keep the challenges going when break is over. Think about having the students submit challenge questions for the class. They would love to see their challenge be sent out over Class Story!

Class Dojo adds Groups!

Just after I wrote my last post about Class Dojo they announced a major update, you now can make groups! Introducing Class Dojo Groups :)

This is a feature that we have been wanting for quite awhile. I even tried to do a work around last year by just making up new student monsters and calling them Group 1, Group 2, etc. It was not the same.

The great feature that Class Dojo has created is that you can create groups in many different ways, Kids can be in more than one group. When you give a group a point, each student in the group gets a point, but get this, you can still track how the group is doing as a whole!

The other thing I've been prepping to use for Class Dojo has been some badges for my class. I'm looking at using BadgeList this year but badges can be used in a lot of ways. I got the idea for badges from Alice Keeler (are you following her yet? because you should!)

Here is a link to the badges I'm working on to use with Class Dojo. Feel free to make a copy and modify as you'd like. The images of the belts are from www.clker.com and the images of monsters are from Class Dojo's Teacher Resources. I'd appreciate a link back to my blog if you share them on a blog yourself.

Click below on individual images to download your own copies to your google drive.

Click below for your copies

Class Dojo + Class Economy

I love Class Dojo!

I started using it within the first couple of months it was released. My second graders love the monster avatars and I love the ease of tracking behaviors.

I love the ability to add behaviors easily and have the kids suggest things that are important to them. They really love the weighted behaviors so that when they get a "5" in PE, the whole class gets 5 points! And good behavior for a substitute means multiple points too!

It's very easy for me to have my phone or ipad open to Dojo while working with a small group and noticing some great on task behavior across the room. A quick point with a "ding" is a positive reminder for the whole class.

In second grade, we work very hard to have the kids understand addition and subtraction. So using a class economy is something that helps the kids practice those skills in something meaningful to them. So about every other week Class Dojo points are tallied up, and the kids get a paycheck with their total.

They can use that to buy things at our student store. But, as a teacher, I don't want to be spending any more than I already am - so the store is stocked with printed passes for things the kids love but are free to me. Front of the Line, 10 Minutes Computer Free Time, Homework Pass, Sit in a Special Chair, etc.

Even the regular pencils and erasers kids use need to be purchased at the store (we write their names on the pencils.) We do have a treasure box, but it's stocked with whatever small toys the kids want to donate from their toy boxes. My kids even loved to purchase sheets of colored paper for drawing ;)

The thing is, they need to fill out their shopping list, total it up, and make sure they have enough to cover it. As we move in to subtraction, they need to figure out their change also.

I've just redesigned my Dojo Paychecks and Dojo money. I plan to probably print it in black and white to save money on color but we'll see how it goes. Feel free to download and use. The images are from the Class Dojo image pack.

Dojo Paycheck File

Dojo Paycheck Image File (in case you want to add your name before printing.)

Dojo Bucks File

A couple tips: I plan to add my students names to the paycheck file so I don't have to write all of the names each time. Also, I just look at the Dojo screen and write the total of points on the checks. Then I reset the points till the next payday. Super easy.

Reading Challenges

Some kids love to read and will read whether you ask them to or not. Some kids avoid reading unless you make them. My goal, as a teacher, is to help kids find a love and purpose for reading. I try to keep the "have tos" about reading homework to minimum and encourage the "want tos".

A couple weeks ago I came across a reading bingo sheet on Pinterest and decided to make one for my class. I offered extra Class Dojo Challenge Accepted points for reading books from a variety of genres. It was fun to help kids go on a hunt through our class and school libraries to find a science fiction or historical fiction because that's the last box they needed to check off.

This week I'll be offering a new Bingo option. Inspired by this blog on Fun Places to Read, I remembered all the fun places I loved to read with my boys. Here are the links to my Bingo pages that you can use for your class. Hopefully, our kids will read something that sparks a fire and love for reading that will last a lifetime!

Book Genre Bingo

Fun Places to Read Bingo

Using Class Dojo to Encourage Students to Go Beyond!

I've been a fan of Class Dojo since almost the very beginning. I think the program was released in August, 2011 and my friend and teaching buddy, Marla, got me started in November of that year. Since then, my students have enjoyed seeing their little monsters every day. Some years we have changed them to our own characters like princesses, pirates, and jungle animals. Other years we just see which are assigned randomly.

We've grown along with Dojo, by adding behaviors that are important to us and bringing this little window into our day to the parents through the parent sign up. Our class focuses mostly on the positives - I think this year we've issued one negative. It's nice to work on what we are doing right and try to make that happen more often.

One new behavior we've added this year is Challenge Accepted. When we have something beyond our daily lesson that would be interesting to research, learn, or do - then students can earn Challenge Accepted Class Dojo points. We have several levels of points based on what we think the challenge may be worth.

Over winter break, I asked students to write about their break activities to add to My Maps (something new I learned over break from Molly Schroeder). Their writing needed to be in complete sentences, checking punctuation and capitalization. As an optional task to keep them writing on their break, they earned +3 Challenge Accepted points.

Whenever we come across an interesting question, like "What does am or pm stand for?" Students who take the opportunity to look it up and report back earn a Challenge Accepted point.

A student decided to practice addition and subtraction 2 and 3 digit problems over break without being asked. She was so excited to show me. She didn't even think to ask about Challenge Accepted points but definitely deserved the points!

To encourage kids to try new genre in their independent reading, we currently have a Reading Bingo Challenge. When they read titles from different genre across the bingo row and pass AR tests on the books they earn a whopping +15 Challenge Accepted points!

Check out more about Class Dojo and their new app in this article by Richard Byrne.
ClassDojo Releases a Streamlined New App - Now You Can Send Pictures Too

Give it a try! Challenge Accepted!

Tips for Class Dojo

For those of you using Class Dojo, here are a few tips for organizing the behaviors.

First, the behaviors come up in alphabetical order. There are certain behaviors that I want to see first on my mobile app or on screen so I don't have to scroll through them all. To organize them the way you want to, start each behavior with a number. I just changed to a 2 digit numbering system to accommodate for some extra behaviors. If I numbered them 1, 2, 3 ...up to 10, 11, etc then the way computers number it would go 1, 11, 12, ... So I start with 01, 02, 03...

My kids earn extra points for behavior as a class or individuals in special classes like Music, Library, PE, etc. Those come up less frequently so I bunched them together in the 20s. I also weight those behaviors. If the class gets "5" top behavior from the PE teacher, then they get 5 points from me in Dojo.

Sub Days - if I have a sub prescheduled that I know, I might have them use Class Dojo with the class. I did have one sub a few years back give a kiddo 9 negative points in one day. Granted, he was having a bad day, but I wouldn't give a kiddo that many negative dojos and that was a big hole to climb out of for both of us (parent feedback, etc.) So now I have Substitute teachers use a clipboard and notes to let me know about behaviors and I do the Dojo points when I return. If the whole class had a good day +2. Awesome day or specifically noted as extra special could earn a +5.

My system is mainly based on positive feedback. I do have behaviors listed for negative Dojo points but use them very rarely. And none of my negative behaviors are weighted. If someone needs a reminder to get back on task, I would give a + point to someone near them who is on task to model what I'm looking for. Also, I am more likely to discuss a behavior privately before using the negative point. 

Thanks Class Dojo! 

Class Dojo Continued :)

Here's a little more about Class Dojo. In Dojo, you can set up your class with all of your students and it will assign a random monster avatar. You or students can change the avatar. You can change them under "Edit Class" and students can change them when they create their own account. To create a student account, go to "Reports", click "Student Accounts", print and send home the Student Codes. While there, you can click on "Parent Accounts", print and send home Parent Codes. Parent accounts let parents check the status of their student and you can message them individually or as a group.
One thing I decided to try this upcoming year, is to set up Team Points. I added my five table groups and gave them unique avatars. Changing avatars is done under "Edit Class". You can choose a new monster or upload your own images to use. See below.

Then you can also create your own behaviors based on your class. I've added behaviors that work for us and added character traits. Part of our day will be recognizing peers for showing positive character traits. Those nominations and my own observations will be noted here with the character traits also.  You can organize the behaviors in the order that makes it easy for you by numbering them.

Using Class Dojo, it is easy to watch for trends in behaviors. Are there certain times during the day or subjects that are difficult for a student? Am I making sure I'm noticing positive behaviors from every student? Is there anyone who is quietly slipping through the cracks? I'll make a special attempt to spend more time making a connection and noticing positive behaviors.

At the end of each week, we'll note the total points to pay out in the class money and reset the points for the following week. The reset just clears the points from the screen but the student's history of points will still be there.

Class Dojo can be accessed by all devices. I use my laptop when I want to display it on the projector. I have student leaders note good listening behavior on the ipad while I do a read aloud, students also use the ipad to give themselves points for good work. I can also use my phone to give points while leading reading group, or at library, or wherever. This is an amazing, powerful, free app! Give it a try!

Class Dojo Announcement - Going School Wide!

Many of my teacher friends know how much I love Class Dojo! I was even lucky enough to meet Sam, one of the creators of Class Dojo, at ISTE San Diego in 2012. I'm such a fan I asked if I could take a pic with him.

We had a great chat that day and he asked a lot of questions about how Class Dojo could make things better in the classroom. I think that's one of the things that makes this program so good, they go out and find teachers and listen to what we're saying.

For those of you who haven't heard of it, "ClassDojo is a classroom tool that helps teachers improve behavior in their classrooms quickly and easily. It also captures and generates data on behavior that teachers can share with parents and administrators. Better learning behaviors, smoother lessons and hassle-free data - and its free!" Kids love the monster avatars, and love seeing their points grow. One of their favorite jobs is to be the Class Dojo checker during a read aloud. One person gets to hold the ipad and watch for great listening behavior while I read. They also love giving themselves points for good work.

Now on to the big announcement. Class Dojo just announced the ability to go School Wide! What does that mean? It means that now teachers who team can connect and share their students! You'll be able to use Class Dojo with other teachers who share your students at your school, share rosters, and track student progress across classes. If you Job Share, it will be easier than ever to share the class. When students go to a special class, that teacher can give points that you will be able to see. Team teaching, student teacher, teacher's aide, all areas where this might be a great tool to have!

There are two ways - Shared Classes and Shared Students. Read all about it here on the Class Dojo Blog and get the specific details and how to right here > How do Class Dojo school wide features work?