How to use Classdojo
Parents feel overwhelmed by the number of applications schools use to communicate and support k-12 students. It’s no wonder. Sometimes one school district uses multiple applications across different grade levels. Parents are forced to learn multiple learning platforms each school year.
ClassDojo is an online application that teachers use to communicate and share learning experiences in the classroom. Classdojo can help parents feel connected to their child’s classroom experience. Classroom teachers create a teacher account that allows them to add parents as account users. Features in ClassDojo depend on how schools use the application.
Below are the main features most often used by teachers.
Communicate
Classdojo allows teachers to communicate with parents one-on-one or as a group to share individual student information or classroom activities. Once a parent connects to the teacher account, they can use the messaging service to message the classroom teacher anytime. Teachers use the application to remind parents of upcoming events and activities.
Some teachers use the application to communicate about field trips or classroom-related events. For example, teachers use a reminder feature to share information regularly. Parents can access the communication feature from their cell phones or browsers.
Below is a list of things parents can do in Classdojo:
- Parents can view, like, and/or comment on any Class Story, School Story, or Portfolio posts in their newsfeed.
- View their student’s Reports up to two weeks ago.
- View and respond to messages exchanged with teachers.
- Update their Account Settings, which includes their basic information, login details, and language preference.
ClassDojo as a Teaching Tool
Some teachers use CassDojo as an online teaching tool. For example, teachers can address a parent’s concern about homework or share a video about an assignment. More specifically, parents can play videos within the app for their children to review assignments or to assist with homework.
Classdojo’s creators suggest that teachers can use Classdojo Class Story feature for remote learning to…
- Record up to 8-minutes in video lessons
- Post announcements, challenges, and text updates
- Share links to learning sites to keep students practicing their skills
- Uploading attachments like worksheets and printables for families to complete at home
- Share photos of curriculum or whatever, just to keep your kiddos feeling connected 😉
- Create an Event and get your entire class together at the same time! Meet digitally through Zoom or Google Hangouts
Teachers can also use Portfolios for remote learning to…
- Share Activities to assign projects directly to student devices to which students can respond
- Encourage students to create and upload photos, videos, drawings, and journal entries to share their learning experiences
- Allow students to upload Microsoft Office files, PDFs, and image files of their work and submit voice recordings to explain their thinking
Translation Feature
Classdojo’s excellent translation feature allows teachers to connect with non-English speakers. This feature reduces language barriers and helps parents connect with teachers. For example, teachers can send individual messages in English, which translates into a parent’s native language automatically. Parents can send messages using their native language, switching to English on the teacher’s side.
There are 36 different languages available in the ClassDojo application. Hence this feature reduces the need for interpreters to maintain ongoing communication with parents. Parents can use the translation feature to ask questions or communicate information about their children.
How to set language preference:
- Click on your name in the upper right corner of the page
- Select “Account Settings”
- Under “Language preference,” select your desired language
- Click the blue “Save changes” button
Teachers can see when a parent views a Class Story post, by looking at the “Translation viewed by X parents” beneath the post.
ClassDojo is one of various applications used in schools to communicate with parents. Another learning platform often used are talkingpoints, and Schoology. However, ClassDojo’s unique features are sometimes preferred by educators.
Source: classdojo.com
You may be interested in reading…
Creating this blog is an excellent strategy.