Class Dojo and my Classroom

This year I have started using Class Dojo with my classes.  I explain Class Dojo as a way to communicate, track and recognize non-academic behaviors in the classroom.  It is a FREE user friendly program that is web based.   I loaded all my classes on the computer but I primarily use the app on my iPad because it is even easier to use!  The premise behind what they call "Awards" is that positive awards give points, and needs work awards take away points.

I use Class Dojo to communicate with parents.  There is a messaging feature built into the program that will allow you to send whole class broadcasts or messages to individual students parents.   I use class broadcasts to keep parents informed about things in the classroom and other team reminders such as field trips, report cards, announcements, etc...  I also will message individual parents from time to time.   I send good notes home, when they happen, like a text message and same thing with student improvement concerns.   I have also heard from parents that they like using the Dojo because it less formal than an email and comfortable like a text message.

I use Class Dojo to track student homework completion, readiness to learn, behaviors that I value in students and many other things.  For example, at the beginning of class I go around and select the students who completed their homework and then 'Give Award' to those students.  It is also really helpful during group work.  I can look around and track which students are on task and off task.

 I give more positive awards than 'Needs Work' awards because I want the students to be recognized for good things.  With that being said, I have also identified 8 point take away behaviors.  When parents see negative behaviors awarded they ask questions and want to help correct the problem.  

I use Class Dojo to recognize students and reward them.  I have created a Class Dojo point cash out system.  Every 2 to 3 weeks, I record their cumulative point total and let them choose what they want to do with their points.  They can buy raffle tickets (currently for a Rubik's cube) , pencils/erasers or a free lunch period with their Dojo Points OR they can turn their points into PBIS Awards.  PBIS Awards can be used at the monthly school store for cool little things or out of uniform passes.   Along with 'cashing' each student out, I recognize the student in each class with the most points and the class with the highest average point total per student.  These students get a free raffle ticket for working hard!

Why do you love you Class Dojo? 

Color Cycle Year TWO!

So it finally happened today, Color Cycle is back!  Once again, Color Cycle is a volunteer organization for students.  I don't get paid to do it,  I do it because I believe in it!  If you remember, last year we collected 44 pounds of markers that we sent off to Crayola to be recycled.  That doesn't seem like a lot but it is 44 pounds that didn't end up in a landfill.

Today after school, 7 dedicated students (6 really and the other had to be there) helped out.  I had some students walking around the school recording room numbers/teachers names where bins would go, the boys chose to clean the bins and the rest were assembling the signs that go on the bin.  After the bins were clean and their signs was affixed, we went off and put bins in 20 classrooms with 6 more that still need them.

I am excited to get this off the ground and start doing a small part to help the environment.  My goal this year is to incorporate some of the SBL into math/homeroom classroom and expand the program!

Math Chat lead by Students!

Over the past three years, I have learned that getting students to discuss math is sometimes more important than anything else.  I always encourage students in my classroom to talk to each other about WHAT they are thinking and WHY.  Today, in my last math class of the day, it happened and it was a dream come true!

The warm-up on the board was a question about Mr Rey's bank account.  He had a balance of -26.00 and deposited some money and ended up with a balance of 23.00.  I pulled this question from our fall benchmark test and thought I would see how they did.  They had 4 options to choose from.  A. $3 B. $23 C. $43 D. $49.  I instructed the students to justify/prove their answer.  Students talked talking to each other at the table clusters then before I knew it, students were talking to each other across the room!  I made a quick decision, pulled some tables together and made one large 'conference' table as the kids called it.

The things that I noticed that students were doing...
- Speaking up for kids that were too shy to share
- Silent leaders surfacing
- Little to no off task behaviors
- A sense of group and ownership
- Explanations beyond the, "I picked C" solutions
- Students asking other students to explain
- Modeling of real life problems/discussions/solutions

When I felt that they were at a point where they had come to a general consensus, I stepped in and summarized the behaviors I listed above.  Then we went on to present our findings.  This group of 13 kids had 5 different ways to solve this one multiple choice problem!  I was so proud of them and what they had accomplished without even knowing it.   Needless to say, GEMA had to wait but this was too good of a teachable moment to pass up!

Ever have something like this happen?  Till another day!

Katie

Happy Halloween

From my pumpkins to yours!

It always amazes/inspires me when teachers make the most of the seasons like this one that used pumpkins to teach estimating of height and weight and teach circumference!  Way to go!

Katie

Positive Attitudes Win!

I had the pleasure this fall to coach a 7th and 8th grade girls Intramural basketball team.  I always find girls sports more enjoyable because middle school girls just love to talk and so do I!

So it was our second game of the season and we were playing a team that had some not so nice girls that had some bad attitudes.  Along with bad attitudes, they were pretty physical too.  This really got to my team and all they could focus on was the negatives of the game.  After we lost that game 10-0, we vowed the next time we played them, we would have a better attitude.

Believe it or not, the next time we faced them we won.  Not because we had more talent but because we didn't let their actions get to us.   After we won that game, we did not lose a single game after that and went on to be intramural champs!  I am so proud of my 'Green Lanterns'

Bringing Integers to Life!

When I was in my first year of teaching, I had stumped upon this activity somewhere.  I wish I tracked everything during that time but lets be serious, I was barely keeping my head above water.

The concept behind this integer activity is to get kids out of their seat moving while seeing if they make any connections from adding integers to subtracting integers.  

Directions: 

1. Start on the first number in the problem

2. Face the negative numbers for subtraction and the positive numbers for addition. 

3. Walk forwards for positive number and backwards for negative numbers. 

Check out this short clip.   Kids love this activity!  It isn't perfect so I haven't posted it on TPT yet.  If you would like it, leave a comment and I will send it to you!

This year kids cheered when I rolled out the GIANT number lines.  It really has nothing to do with anything but it sure felt good that they were excited!

Katie 

The Little Things in Life

There are times as a teacher that you tired, have more grading than imaginable, way behind in your class, students are acting up amongst other things then one little thing cheers up your day.  When I came back to my desk after the passing period, this instantly made my day better.  

Say hello to a piece of gum left on my grade book by a student after the previous class.