A Zen Classroom with Class Dojo

It's hard to believe that week four of school is about to begin.  It feels like we have been back for months already!  And while I am still getting used to the routine of my Grade 6 class, I am also trying to promote a classroom environment where all students feel comfortable and confident to express themselves.  As a class we have created a "pact" that outlines the top 5 things we can do in order to treat others with respect and to make sure no one feels left out or put down.  Rule number one being the "Golden Rule."  The students all agreed this was important.

However, during great classroom discussions, when all students feel the need to speak out and share their thoughts, we easily forget to maintain order in the classroom so that all students get a fair chance.  This is where Class Dojo comes into play.

Class Dojo is a real time, behaviour management app that allows teachers to note any positive or negative actions created by students.  With the tap of your finger, you can identify those students that are participating, disrupting the class, being disrespectful, taking initiative, and the list goes on and on.

Here is a screenshot of the app.  Click on the student's avatar and a popup menu appears.  Click the positive or negative action, and that's it!  The action is stored into the student's profile.  Actions can also be customized by you to suit your classroom behaviour needs.

The beauty of this app is that students can also download the app onto their tech devices and are notified when the teacher has selected an action.  Students can set goals for themselves [find ways to achieve the most positive actions, and reduce the negative actions].

A student report can also be e-mailed to parents.  These reports are categorized by day and whether they are positive or negative actions.  When logging on through the website, teachers can write comments and provide feedback on how students can keep up the good work, or indicate areas for improvement.

I have just inputted my students onto the website version of Class Dojo and have verified that my class appears on my iPhone.  I am giving this app a go this week!  Let's see if order can be restored into the classroom!


Class Dojo [for iPad and iPhone]
Developer's Website