App-O-Da-Week #8

I am a huge fan of motivation. While some students come into your class ready to rock and roll, others don't. That's the nature of the game. Every student is different and that's what makes this job great.

As teachers, we are armed with many different tools to reach our students. We don't necessarily need to be an expert in them all but we at least need to know that they are there; ready to be used to reach a student who needs a bit of extra motivation or re-focusing. I've seen teachers bend over backwards (literally, there was a science teacher in an district that would use this as a motivational tool) to get the attention of students. I've seen behavior charts, lines, colors, etc. also used to help students stay on task and become motivated positively to help others, go out of there way, and participate.

Behavior management is often on of the few tools that people say isn't really taught in college prep courses - it has to be learned on the job.

Well, for those who want some help... there's an APP-O-DA-WEEK for that! 


Actually, there is an app and a website - it's called Class Dojo. And if this is the first time you are hearing about it, well then you are in for a treat. 

Class Dojo is a behavior management system that allows you to set up your class, your behaviors (both positive and negative) and it gives the teacher the ability to award points in real time to students. They can see their points and actively work harder to achieve more positive points, which are attached to their avatars. Daily reports can be generated to send to parents and students can go in to personalize their avatar they way they want to!

The free service operates on the Web, allowing teachers to use a laptop, desktop computer, or any smartphone or tablet via Web browser. To date, over 3.5 million teachers and students have used the service and over 50 million feedback points have been awarded.

The platform has seen incredible viral growth with 20 thousand new teachers adopting the platform each month, as teachers spread ClassDojo by word-of-mouth and through social media channels.

Once you take the time to set up your class on the website, you can start to use the app, which is FREE. You can use either the pre-set behaviors or you can add your own. You can be as creative as you want. Once you set that all up, you are good to go. Teachers can have the screen loaded up before the students get to class and using an iPad and AirPlay, they can walk around the room, giving out points to students. It could be group work, individual work, or just creating a positive classroom, the app gives you the range and mobility to show students how they are doing in your class. 

If you want, you then can give students access to customize their avatar the way they want. That is up to you.  

They are constantly updating the site as well. They have now put in a timer and other stats for you to use. Check out some of their videos which is linked to their site or their YouTube page.

Jessica Pack, from packwomantech.com, also has some good advice - 

Teachers are able to print out reports and graphs of student behavior using the website.  This could be especially important to Special Education teachers or those who have students with behavior support plans.  

Students can log in and view their own behavior progress.  If you want to enter your kids one by one into the system, then you can issue each student a username and password.  This can do wonders to increase ownership over behavioral choices and also offers a cool home connection. 

All in all. you don't need to know all the tools - just know that they are out there.