Behavior Management Apps to the Rescue?

This week's topic is behavior management. I have tried out several classroom management tools in the past. My most recent fav. is ClassDojo.

ClassDojo is an online classroom management tool that is similar to clipcharts and other positive and negative feedback systems. I have used a combination of the website and the app on my iPad in the past. I would display the website in a small window on my SmartBoard throughout the day and use the iPad app to award students points and take away points from a distance. I loved how it distanced myself from the feedback. I found that because the feedback was displayed on the SMARTBoard, and not coming directly from myself, the students seemed to accept it with less argument.

I loved rewarding a student who was doing something correctly quietly with just the click of a button, then "ding", the sound on the computer would signal that someone just earned a positive point. I watched all of the heads in the room turn quickly to look at the screen and fix their behavior to match the student who just earned a point.

It was very helpful both in the classroom and outside of the room. I would use it while walking down the hallway, awarding those students walking quietly and following our hallway procedures. I could even leave it with the specials teachers while my students were with them.

There is also a random button which I enjoyed using to make sure that I wasn't always focusing on the same students and to call on students.One of the features that I love the most is how the program keeps track of all of the data for me. It is easy to look back and see how my students are doing and compare those times when they are struggling to hopefully find a common denominator.

As one of the possible rewards for the students to earn, I would let them change their Avatars when they got a certain number of points in a day. The students love changing their Avatars! They have some really fun ones!

I discovered a few new apps these past few months that I have only just barely gotten to taste test. They both work on volume control within a classroom. You can set the sensitivity within the app so that it varies for independent work, small group work, and whole class learning. The few times that I tried these apps my students have responded favorably. They really seemed to help. However, I almost always had a student or two who would try to set off the "too loud" alarm in the app. So watch out for that. I would definitely like to try using these two apps more this next year.

I am always interested in new behavior/classroom management ideas but at the moment I think that I would stick with ClassDojo. I really enjoy using it ... if you couldn't tell from above. :)

The school where I work implemented a new program this year which I really like. It is called Capturing Kids' Hearts and if you haven't heard about it before, you should definitely look into it. I was lucky enough to get trained in it and it really is an incredible program. It really helps the students become more responsible and invested in their own learning and decisions.

I believe that these two programs would work well together.

What are some things that work in your classroom to help manage behaviors and support a positive learning environment?

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you're enjoying your summer!

~ Anna

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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