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 is also used in over 180 countries and features content in more than 35 languages. Above all, it's compatible with pretty much every device and it's totally free for educators to use.
The ClassDojo team helps connect educators with students and parents, transforming education by greatly improving communication. With multiple tools available as a part of this website, including photo and video sharing, grouping students, and displaying instructions, you’ll find that ClassDojo helps instructors 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 models. Their team realizes that, especially in 21st century education, every classroom is unique. What's working 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 made their 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 your 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, using the Messages section, teachers, leaders, and children can message each other, eliminating the need for cellphones. It even shows real-time availability of all users and anyone can translate messages into any of the 35 different languages.
ClassDojo resources within the platform.
The stories feature allows teachers to share pictures or videos with parents to update them with the details about what happens each school day. There is a story for each student, class, and school and children can also contribute to their own Student Story to show off what they are learning. Lastly, Big Ideas is a space in which teachers and students can access content that the ClassDojo team has developed. This may include projects that promote the crucial 21st century competencies, like growth mindset and empathy, to help you teach social-emotional skills effectively. Kids just need a ClassDojo login and a device to access content.
With a focus on real-world communication, improving classroom culture, and creating a strong community, ClassDojo continues to impact student experiences. As for parents, they can experience special classroom moments involving their child, easily message their child’s teacher, and receive academic updates all within one easy-to-use app. At the same time, educators can access so much original ClassDojo content to share with all their children. They could also send private messages, share media files, 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 more hands-on STEM tools. We have everything from classroom robots to VR solutions and much more for helping you enrich your EdTech initiatives. Don’t forget to follow our Facebook, Twitter/X, and Instagram updates for all things EdTech as well.