Just when you think ClassDojo couldn’t possibly get any better…they go and do it again! I love how the Dojo crew is always looking for ways to listen to teacher needs and making continual improvements to make our day-to-day classroom lives better!
The introduction of ClassDojo messaging took connecting classrooms and parents to a new level, and they’ve outdone themselves again. I have LOVED being able to send private or whole class messages to parents communicating individual successes or classroom happenings using Dojo messaging.
Now, Dojo is kickin’ it up a notch with their new release….CLASS STORY.
WHAT IS THIS AWESOME NEW ADDITION?
Class Story the latest addition to ClassDojo makes sharing anything from the day even easier: from photos of students working hard, to important notes or announcements. Teachers can see when parents have read their Class Story posts, so they always know their messages are getting home.
As a parent, I know I would LOVE THIS FEATURE that gives me a tiny peek into what my child is doing each day while at school….because we all know they go home and say they did “nothing” when asked! LOL! The more we can keep the lines of communication open and flowing…the better. Transparency is key in today’s classroom, and this allows you to post and share in a way that is teacher-controlled (you KNOW we love that!) and safe for all users, unlike outside social networks.
HOW IT WORKS:
Teachers can add posts using photos or text updates! Posts are shared with all connected parents automatically. Unlike class websites, Twitter, or Instagram, this means that only parents can see these important stories and no one else, keeping ClassDojo safe for families, students, and teachers. Teachers will know when parents have seen their posts with read receipts, plus they’ll feel the love when parents “like” their posts.
- NOTE: This feature is still in the beta stage, so you’ll need to sign up as a beta app tester here in order to use this feature just in time for back to school!
- Don’t miss out on the other recent Dojo upgrade announcement! Check out Dojo GROUPS features in m previous blog post and use in conjunction with Class Story!
1) OUR NATURE: Like it or not (or LOVE IT), we live in a culture that is accustomed to constant, instant communication and updates on any thing and everything. Why would we expect parents to want anything less from school communication? A quick all-class message posted, photo of an author visit, field trip, or work station time….all take only a few seconds, document your hard work and student engagement, and put parent minds at ease about the mystery of what is happening all day at school!
2) ONE STOP SHOP: I thought Dojo was great when it only had basic features for classroom management….and pieced together other resources (paper and digital) for other parent communication purposes. Since ClassDojo constantly makes improvements, they have listened to teachers who say they don’t want to have to go to a dozen different places to connect in different ways with parents, because…”ain’t nobody got time for that!”
SO, now you can manage your classroom using Dojo points, which pushes automatically to parents and tracks data, send private messages with multi-media features to individual parents for direct communication using messaging….AND….post unified class photos, announcements, reminders, and more using the new CLASS WALL features!! {SQUEAL!}
- NO MORE worries about pushing out info via social media (even with privacy controls, it’s a little scary).
- NO MORE pulling from multiple different resources to cover your communication bases.
- NO MORE paper trail for behavior, individual messages, or quick class announcements or happenings.
3) TELL YOUR CLASS STORY: The name of this new feature really says it all. Every class is different, in fact YOUR class is different from year-to-year. No one has time to write a novel about what happens in our classes each day, and frankly speaking as a parent, no one has time to read a novel of your day either. However, it’s SO IMPORTANT to tell our class stories…celebrate those tiny, but super special moments…capture memories from special events…send snapshots of learning and AH-HA moments that shine a light on student success. Use this super simple tool to your advantage in telling YOUR class story!
What’s better than using the great features rolled out by ClassDojo? Being a Dojo insider! The wizards over at Dojo are are working hard to bring Class Story live ASAP. Sign up to be a beta tester of this new feature and help Dojo put the finishing touches on this great new tech tool!
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