ClassDojo Awards Ceremony

A few years ago, I came across a wonderful classroom management tool: ClassDojo.

For those of you who don't know, ClassDojo is a FREE app for Apple and Droid systems, it's also a website, that helps teachers with classroom management. Students can earn (and lose) points throughout the day based on behavior and classroom achievement, and parents can follow along from their phones or computers.

I love it. My students love it. My parents love it. Basically, there's a lot of love going on.

Well, today I decided to award my students' hard work. It's been a long time coming, I just didn't have the materials to follow through.
So, what's a teacher to do when she wants something done, but doesn't have the materials? She makes them herself!

I'll be the first to admit that, as a teacher, you get used to 3 things: begging, borrowing, and stealing (mostly ideas and staplers, but I've been known to attack a coworker's chocolate stash).  I did use Dojo clipart that another Dojo user had created and shared when creating my Dojo buttons. Thank you,  fellow Dojo user!

I created Dojo "Belt" badges.

Starting with White Belt, all the way to Double Black Belt (Ninja). Not being acquainted with martial arts myself, I was counting on others' knowledge of the belts when I created the buttons.

In order for my students to "Belt Up", they had to achieve 90% or higher for an entire month. For each month they achieve 90% or higher, they will earn the next level of belt! We did this retroactively, so I counted up from September.

I made sashes out of sentence strips to glue the badges on. Students were "belted" by our Assistant Principal, Ms. Anthony. (I even had her wear my kimono! It just seemed right.)

Here are my ClassDojo Belt Earners!

White Belt

Yellow Belt

Orange Belt

Green Belt- so many I had to take 2 pictures!

I'm so proud of my little Ninjas-in-training!  To show off their fabulous-ness, they will get to wear their belts all day Monday! I'm sure everyone in the building will be totes jealous. :)

I also had some students who earned 100% positive for an entire month. They got an extra award!

I know what you wondering- Where are the pictures of Ms. Anthony wearing the fabulous kimono?
Well, she had pictures made with each Team. She's super proud of my kiddos!

Team 1

Team 2

(Side note- my student who isn't wearing a belt in this pic is new, just joined my class 3 days ago. She has a great first week and I'm sure she'll earn a belt at the end of the month!)

Team 3

Team 4

Team 5

I also have my students' levels posted on my wall. (You can find the Belt Level Posters HERE)

Their avatars are labeled and will move along the wall as my students earn their belts!

 

I can't wait till next month when we can do this again! 

Congratulations, Soldiers! 

Keep up the good work!

p.s. I'm a proud ClassDojo Mentor this year! Award for me too!