Class Dojo: Who's the Master? You are!

I couldn't help referencing The Last Dragon, a martial arts flick from the eighties (and one of my favorite movies), but using classdojo.com actually makes me feel like I am more of a master of student behavior in my classroom. This program, visible to students when I show it on my Promethean Board, allows me not only to reduce negative behavior, but also to increase positive behavior, especially when I customize my  Dojo behaviors to match the behaviors outlined in the participation rubric (see the post, Level Up Participation, if you are interested in the participation rubric), It has changed the way students participate in my class.

Here's how I do it: I first explain my expectations with students, and I give them a goal for earning points (Ex. students should earn twenty points over a three-week period.) Then I display the screen daily; students gain or lose at least one point per day for being on task but must go beyond the basics at least five times to gain all of the required points. Point gaining opportunities include volunteering, making thoughtful comments or asking relevant questions in discussion, answering questions correctly, and helping their peers. I have seen a noticeable improvement in the number of volunteers in class, and it has done wonders to open up a class that is normally very quiet. Mrs. Kirby has academic language as a positive behavior and has noticed improvement in the quality of language used in discussion. I can't wait to add that one. The best thing about it is you can customize it to meet your needs. Thanks to Mrs. Wagner for sharing this one with the rest of English Department.

Top Reasons to Love Class Dojo
1. It's free!
2. It's customizable so you can use it in the way that works best for you.
3. It provides both positive and negative reinforcement for students
4. It's visible reminder to students each day.
5. It's easy to set up and manage
6. It provides documentation for behaviors
7. There's an app for that!
8. The app is free too!
9. It encourages active learning and thoughtful discussion
10. IT HELPS ME ADDRESS LITERACY STANDARDS FOR SPEAKING AND LISTENING!