Classroom Culture and ClassDojo

Teachers are idealists - especially in the summer. We dream, learn, plan, set goals – all with a beautiful, almost-perfect school year in mind. Then the school year begins.

 

 “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry…”

 

During my first year teaching I often thought, “No one prepared me for THIS!” I wanted a happy, safe, awesome classroom but most days it felt as if I was swimming upstream - up the side of a mountain! The reality is – and we learn this as we mature as teachers – we can and should plan completely and thoroughly BUT if we do not establish the culture and environment of our classroom our students will not learn as effectively. We must dream about and plan for our classroom climate – it is necessary if we want our students to succeed!

 

Here are a few of the characteristics I strive for, plan, and teach in my classroom (many overlap):

 

Safety: Students will know and truly believe that they are safe every single day they enter our classroom. They will not be bullied, ridiculed, disrespected, neglected, or harmed in any way. My students are safe to share their thoughts and questions because they know they have the support of their teacher and classmates.

 

Happiness: My classroom will be filled with joy! We will be happy to see one another each morning. Students will celebrate each other’s achievements. No one will struggle alone – classmates and teachers are there to encourage everyone!

 

Excellence: We will strive for excellence in all that we do! We will do our best in every subject – this doesn’t mean we will always achieve an A+. This means we put all of our effort into learning and trying our best. If we fail, we pick ourselves back up and try again.

 

Integrity: We will make a decision to do what is right – no matter what. We won’t do what is right in order to gain a reward or avoid a consequence. We won’t do what is right to gain recognition or fame. We will do what is right simply because it is right and that is who we want to be. We know it will take hard work and no one may even notice but we do it anyways – because we are determined and have grit!

 

Grit: We will determine our current level of grit and work hard to increase grit in our lives because we know that is the main tool we have to combat frustration, distraction, boredom, temptation, and fear. We will build our stamina, passion and perseverance for long-range goals, and work hard to make our futures a reality. We will hang on! We will stick to it! We can do it!

 

Teamwork: We will work together to achieve our goals. We will encourage, celebrate, support, and respect one another. We will be the strength someone needs and receive strength from others when we are weak. Our team, our class, is behind us and has our back!

 

How ClassDojo Helps Me Establish Classroom Culture and Characteristics:

 

ClassDojo has revolutionized my classroom! ClassDojo supports me in my efforts to develop a safe, positive classroom environment. I can encourage the positive behavior that will help establish a classroom culture of teamwork, integrity, grit, safety, and happiness! My students love their avatars and the ability they have to change them into the type of creature they want. This encourages students to participate and view their performance. Parents enjoy the constant communication with the classroom – through viewing their child’s points/behavior at any time and the messaging feature which allows them to send and receive messages.

 

 I LOVE that I can consistently reward my students for demonstrating the positive characteristics of our classroom culture. Tyrone showed grit? Add a point! Maria helped a classmate? Add a point! Duane is working really hard on a math problem? Add a point! All day long I can communicate awesome behaviors to my students and their parents. I am also able to review the positive things happening in our classroom throughout the day. I can assign a negative point when needed, as well. This happens FAR less often but also helps teacher, parent, and student review performance. On top of all of that, I can message my parents, individually or as a whole-class broadcast at any time. Think of texting but without everyone knowing your phone number! I even receive notifications on my phone, iPad, and/or computer when a message is sent to me so I can communicate quickly. Talk about increasing parent involvement! It is for these reasons and, oh, so many more that I absolutely love ClassDojo and can say with confidence that it has revolutionized my classroom!

 

However, I am over-the-moon excited about the new feature being released tomorrow: ClassDojo Groups!

 

https://www.classdojo.com/groups

 

This new feature allows teachers to place students into a group (or groups) and quickly award points based on that particular group’s performance. Those points are then applied to the individual students’ totals. How cool is that? When using the app on my iPhone I am able to easily switch between groups and individuals by a quick swipe (indicated at the bottom of the screen by a grid or dot). I am excited about how this will streamline giving out points throughout the day. Before, I would have to search for individual students in a group to award individual points. Now all it takes is one click! Group 1 is working as a team? Add a point! Group 4 is demonstrating integrity by following instructions? Add a point! We are all about teamwork in my classroom so this feature just amps up my ability to encourage and reward awesome teamwork. Students will be able to see that teamwork benefits not just the team but their individual total, as well!

 

I can’t wait to put this new feature into practice once the new school year begins. And, yes, I am one of those idealistic teachers. However, I know that with ClassDojo supporting me, my students and their parents we WILL have a successful, positive, fun classroom culture and year!

 

Have you tried ClassDojo yet? Do you want to know more about ClassDojo? Connect on Facebook here, on Twitter here, and Instagram here.

 

What do you think about this new feature? Please comment and share any ideas or questions you have! I can’t wait to hear from you!

 

 

You can also connect with me on Twitter here. :)

 

 

-Angela

Twitter Romance

Yeah, so... I love Twitter.  This is a recent thing. I tried Twitter about 4 years ago. It was a personal account and I think I tweeted twice. For real - 2 times. I didn't really get it. And as so often happens... what I didn't understand I decided I didn't like and dropped it. 

 

I tried it again at the beginning of last school year. It was an account I started so I could tweet updates and links to my classroom blog. It was nice. But not too exciting.

 

Then, about 6 months ago, I decided to try a Twitter chat. I am a ClassDojo Mentor and Ambassador and am a part of that community on Facebook. ClassDojo suggested joining #dojochat. So I did a quick google of Twitter chats (for dummies lol) and jumped in. Was it overwhelming? Yes! Was it a bit confusing? Yes! Was it awesome? Yes! Was it full of information? Yes! I am so glad I jumped in!

 

Here, for your information and enjoyment, are a few of the reasons I love Twitter:

 

1. Twitter expands your Professional Learning Network (PLN). I truly love my grade level team/Professional Learning Community (PLC), leadership team/PLC, and the contacts I have made at professional learning seminars and conferences. However, my ability to grow my PLN was limited to my personal experiences. Twitter has allowed me to create professional relationships with people all over the world. These people are technology experts, teachers, principals, reading specialists, authors, professional development speakers... the list goes on and on. My PLN is no longer defined to my limited experience! I have met many of these spectacular people through Twitter chats.

 

2. Twitter chats rock - I'm so serious. Twitter chats give you the opportunity to learn about a plethora of topics - just choose one that fits your fancy and try it out! I tried #21stedtech tonight and LOVED it so I will keep going back! I have tried others that were nice but didn't meet my needs or challenge my thinking so I just stopped by for a visit.  That's it! No two year commitment or broken contract - just try it out! You can "lurk" and just read the conversation to start but I encourage you to push yourself and try commenting! People are so welcoming and excited for you to join the conversation. Really like someone's comments and ideas? Follow them! And the PLN grows...

 

3. When purposefully used for growth, Twitter will help you become a better educator. That is what I have always wanted. Many years ago, I taught at a private school that offered little in the way of professional development. I remember thinking, "I just want to be a better teacher. How do I do that?" Thankfully, about 5 years ago I was embraced by an AWESOME district and school that has given me so many opportunities to learn and grow as an educator. Now that I have added Twitter to the mix I am beyond excited about what I am learning and how I can implement it in my classroom. And isn't that what it is all about? Learning and growing so we can do our absolute best for the precious kiddos we are privileged to get to know each year.

 

If you are interested but feel overwhelmed and lost like I did here are a few tips:

 

1. Google what you don't know.  Yep, it's that easy and it really does help.

2. Create your profile and include a picture!

3. This is an excellent article written by Craig Kemp: I'm an Educator, What Should I Tweet about? and then make sure you tweet!

4. Find an educator/author/organization who tweets (here are some to get you started:  ClassDojo, GoNoodle, Edutopia, Wonderopolis, The Educator's Room, Pernille Ripp, Craig Kemp, Jennifer Gonzalez,  Vicki Davis). Once you find someone you like, sneak a peek at who they follow - lots of gems there!

5. Try out some Twitter chats: #classdojo, #teacherfriends, #teacherswrite, #21stedtech, or search for some chats in your state, grade level, or interest.

 

Good luck! Let me know if you use Twitter or start using Twitter - I want to hear your stories! Oh, and by the way... my Twitter handle is @MrsDau - I would love to connect with you! :)

 

~Angela

Update: Here is an incredible post to help you get started on Twitter if you haven't already. Mr. Kemp rocks! 10 Steps to Creating the Perfect Educational Twitter Account

Teachers Write! Tuesday Quick-Write

I am so excited to join #teacherswrite! As a teacher I have often felt that I should be writing just as much, if not more, than my students. I need to start practicing what I preach! I am going to try my best to participate in as many days of this Virtual Summer Writing Camp as possible.  You can find information about the Teachers Write here and here.

Today's prompt was provided by Phil Bildner.

 

Here is my quick-write based on observations of 12 cousins playing together:

 

Children. Like little ants. Running, tumbling, twirling. Hugging. Hitting. Silent. Playing softly - an imaginary story that only he knows. Singing and dancing - a song that only she can hear. Suddenly a symphony of sound and they are all connected. Friends and rivals. Moments shared, games constructed, art created, life lived! Joy and energy fill the room - it is truly electric. This electricity flows out and brings life to the adults fortunate to be there. Smiles and guffaws, even giggles from the weary ones. What a gift! What a blessing! Life breathed into us by the ones we gave life.

 

I truly enjoyed this prompt!  I did something similar to this last year with my fifth graders.  We read the book Nothing Ever Happens on 90th Street by Roni Schotter. We discussed how much is truly happening around us - if only we would take time to notice it.  My students then went out in small teams to observe different parts of the building.  They had about 10 minutes at each location where they would journal anything and everything they saw or thought. When we reconvened students wrote a short story based on their observations. The writing they produced was excellent! I am hoping I saved some examples that I can post here once I can get back into my classroom. I have included one picture of a few of my students observing the playground at recess. People truly are wonderful prompts!

 



Hope

"Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul - and sings the tunes without the words - and never stops at all. " Emily Dickinson

Alexandra Dau, Bird, 2013
Check out her blog here.

Oh, the joy and excitement of the new school year! Unfortunately, we may also feel trepidation, fear, and anxiety. I have learned that the few short weeks between the old and new contain a key. It is up to me to decide if my key opens the door full of hope or the door of hopelessness. I have chosen hope for this upcoming school year. 

 

I have chosen rest and family and movies and my front porch swing.  I have chosen friends and walks and a glass of wine. I have chosen Twitter chats and  professional development and building my Profession Learning Network. I already feel refreshed and excited. But I have not always chosen hope.

 

Some summers were filled with hopelessness... which begets hopelessness. The memories and the weariness of the previous year filled my thoughts day after day. Yes, I spent time with family and friends, took walks through the park, and spent time swinging on my porch swing. But the weariness lingered.  Hope was deferred.  So what is the difference?  What is the key to hope?

 

The key is choice.  Choosing what we want and clinging to it and working toward it. When I choose hope the lens of my life changes. Every activity, every moment is full of purpose and pushes me towards my goal. Moments shared with my family bring me life, walks through my little town cause me to breathe easier, holding hands with my husband fills me with peace. My heart is lifted and hope fills my every cell. It is not how I fill my time but why I fill my time and for what purpose.  My goal is hope. Hope for now and the future. Hope for goodness and peace and purpose.

 

Rest. I actually feel rested. That in itself brings me joy. However, I have been confronted with another challenge - with the hope comes a feeling of being overwhelmed.  How can I accomplish all I want to this upcoming year? How can I apply all I have learned? How can I make this the best school year for my precious students? Fortunately, the following video was shared with me during some professional development this summer:

 



 

One degree.  Water is just hot water at 212 degrees. When heated one degree more (213 degrees) it boils.  It produces steam. "AND STEAM CAN POWER A LOCOMOTIVE!" How powerful! This truth has filled me with even more hope and has helped relieve those feelings of being overwhelmed. Yes, I have learned a lot. Yes, I am responsible to do my very best. And I will.  I will choose that ONE DEGREE that will revolutionize my classroom. I will strive for excellence by one degree.  Once I have applied and attained that one degree of difference - I will move on to the next degree!

 

I choose hope. I choose one degree. I know I am unlocking a year of excitement and accomplishment for me and my students!