Ten Things to Love About ClassDojo
1. You can customize and track behaviors
ClassDojo is a behavior reinforcement tool that has expanded beyond its original function. But at its core, it helps you define behaviors to reinforce and discourage. Use ClassDojo to give and take away points from individual students.
You can use the default behaviors or create your own. I use ClassDojo most often during transition times so I added in a behavior for "Quick, Quiet, and Ready to Start."
2. You can work together as a group
ClassDojo tracks each individual's points, but it also gives you a class sum. This makes it easy for you to set up group rewards and encourage students to work together. Think of class points as your class's digital marble jar.
3. You can determine your own rewards/consequences
What you do with the points is totally up to you. I recommend setting up point milestones and giving out small, frequent rewards to keep your students on the right track. Consequences can match the behavior you are discouraging.
Reward Ideas:
- Take a selfie
- Sit with a stuffed animal
- Sit with a friend (when the pandemic is over)
- Sit wherever you want in the room
- Change your monster
- Pick the next brain break
- Sit at the teacher's desk (when the pandemic is over)
- Snack/Lunch with the teacher/principal (can be done via video call)
- Earn the link to a learning game
- Be the class DJ
- Pick a virtual field trip
- Share a personal post (i.e., your pets, TikTok-style video, etc.)
4. Use Random for spontaneous check-ins
5. You can use it for home/school communication
Connect parents/guardians and you have opened up the ability to effortlessly communicate with them about their child's behavior and learning. You are in control of what parents see. You can turn student behavior reports on and off or you can choose to share only positive points with parents. Even more, you can use ClassDojo for private messaging and class announcements. Best of all ClassDojo instantly translates messages into 30+ languages!
6. ClassDojo makes it easy to create appropriate boundaries
You can set Quiet Hours to let families know you are busy and will not be reading or responding to messages. You can also choose to mute weekend notifications altogether. Learn how here.
7. Students can build portfolios to demonstrate learning and take charge of home/school communication.
Portfolios allow students to share their work. They can upload photos, videos, drawings, and compose text. They can also work digitally on the web with teacher created activities (not yet available in the app). Teachers always approve posts before student portfolio work shows up for connected parents. Learn more here.
8. ClassDojo has free SEL content
Visit ClassDojo's ideas page* to view the free content they have created alongside Stanford's PERTS Research Center, Harvard University's Making Caring Common Project, and Yale University's Center for Emotional Intelligence. Here you will find an animated video series and activity ideas.
*This page also includes Class Story cards and Storytelling content that you might like to check out.
9. You can use ClassDojo to take attendance
Quickly thumb through the list of students to mark them absent, late, or left early. You can view attendance reports from the web or the app.
10. The toolkit gives you great extras
ClassDojo has a toolkit with several tools for you to project on your whiteboard or share in an online meeting. Use the built in timer, random student selector, group maker, and noise meter right within ClassDojo. You can also use the Directions, Think Pair Share, and Today tools to put up a quick set of directions or thinking prompt. I love how the Today tool shows the date and also allows you to put up messages that can be reused. These are great for morning work and "do nows." Finally, ClassDojo has music you can play to help with focus or get kids active.
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