Monday, November 7, 2011

ClassDojo part two

I have been using ClassDojo for about a month now.  I am very impressed with the results I have seen in my classroom.


For those of you unfamiliar with ClassDojo, it is a behavior management tool that keep even the most difficult students on task when used frequently. I am a reading teacher for 5th grade at a school sometimes known for its challenging student behavior. Here is a run down of how I use ClassDojo.

Before students even come into the classroom, I have their class loaded in ClassDojo and projected on the SMART Board. Student go to their seats and take out their homework (which consists of a signed reading log and a spelling activity) and wait for me to call their names. I run through the whole class, awarding points for completed homework, and deducting points for incomplete homework.

Next we move to our daily read aloud.  ClassDojo is still projected at this time.  I ask students to provide a brief recap of the story so far, providing opinions and details, summarizing the story so far.  Students who participate in the discussion earn points for participation.

I move on to my read aloud portion, and although ClassDojo can no longer be seen on the SMARTBoard because it is now being used to project an eBook, it is still running in the background.  During the read aloud, students can continue to earn points based on participation.  They can also lose points for talking or disrupting the class and/or teacher.  I keep track of these points by toggling back and forth between ClassDojo and Adobe Digital Editions.

When we move to literature centers, I use my SMARTBoard as a center, so I award points using either my SmartPhone or another computer, not in use by students. If I am out of the room with my class, students can still lose or earn points. I do this using my SmartPhone.

Students are given a points goal each month.  If they earn the required points within that the time frame given, they are awarded with a special activity. (extra recess, lunch in the classroom, computer lab time, etc)

So for I am very pleased with ClassDojo.  You should try it out, and see if it might work for you.   

3 comments:

Al Elliott said...

Been using it two days... so far so good.

KSolisjun3 said...

Hi, Becky! I just learned about Class DoJo last week! I love reading about all that you are doing! You rock! :)

Kyle Wood said...

Isn't it awesome?! Class Dojo has been the number one question for me (outside of G Docs and SMART) over the last couple of months. Make sure you vote on the features you want them to add. I want the gaming features so you can "level up." Can you imagine kids being able to level up at school?

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