This week in our Rising Resources blog, we’re introducing you to the popular classroom communication app, ClassDojo. Founded in 2011, ClassDojo is one of the most widely used apps in today's classrooms. Winners of various education and innovation awards, it's no surprise that educators in 90 percent of K-8 schools in the United States use ClassDojo for parent and student communication. It's also used in over 180 countries and features content in over 35 languages. Above all, it's compatible with pretty much all devices and it's totally free for educators to use.
The ClassDojo team helps connect teachers with students and parents, transforming education by greatly improving communication. With multiple tools available as part of the site, like photo and video sharing, grouping students, and displaying instructions, you’ll find that ClassDojo helps create a community of teachers, leaders, and families. The teacher’s Toolkit, in particular, includes a whole bunch of time-saving tools, like Directions, Music, Group Maker, Noise Meter, Think Pair Share, Random, Timer, and Today, with more to come based on input from their teacher community.
Using the ClassDojo app with students.
One thing that makes ClassDojo such a valuable classroom tool is in helping teachers move away from the one-size-fits-all model. Their team knows that, especially in 21st century education, every classroom is unique. What works well for one teacher might not work well for another or even for the parents they're communicating with. That’s why the ClassDojo team has made the app as user-friendly as possible, including creating opportunities for differentiation, for the thousands of educators who use it.
There are four main sections as part of the ClassDojo app: Classroom, Messages, Stories, and Big Ideas. Teachers can use the Classroom section to interact with students and provide personalized feedback on specific skills and values. Then, in the Messages section, teachers, leaders, and students can message each other, eliminating the need for cellphones. It also shows real-time availability of all users and anyone can translate messages into any of the 35 different languages.
ClassDojo resources within the platform.
Stories allows teachers to share pictures and videos with parents to update them on what happens each school day. There is a story for each student, class, and school and students can also contribute to their own Student Story to show off what they’ve learned. Lastly, Big Ideas is a space in which teachers and students can access content that the ClassDojo team has developed. This may include lessons for promoting various 21st century skills, like growth mindset and empathy, to help teach social-emotional skills more effectively. Students just need a ClassDojo login and a device to access this content.
With a focus on communication, improving classroom culture, and creating community, ClassDojo continues to impact student experiences. Parents now have access to special classroom moments involving their child, an easy way to message their child’s teacher, and receive class updates within one easy-to-use app. At the same time, teachers can access tons of original ClassDojo content to share with their students. They can even send private messages, share media, and provide individualized feedback loops to improve and track student progress.
Downloading the app and improving classroom management.
Once you download the ClassDojo app and check out the functionality, explore our store for all your hands-on STEM tools. We have everything from classroom robots to VR solutions and much more for helping you enrich your school’s EdTech initiatives. Don’t forget to follow our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram updates for all things EdTech as well.