I first started using ClassDojo in 2012, while completing my student teaching. I used it during my solo teaching and fell in love with how easy it was to give positive reinforcements and "needs work" reminders. At the end of the week, I would cash out their points for the classroom money my mentor used for her classroom economy.
When I started teaching I tried a similar method with payouts weekly and class store with reward coupons once a month, and it lasted all of a semester. I grew to hate the payouts on Fridays and opening store. It seemed like such a waste class time, and I was constantly finding classroom money floating around. It drove me crazy!
So over winter break I came up with a new plan. The first day back we had a book auction. I ordered a bunch of high-interest books using Scholastic Bonus Points and students used up their class money in the auction. Any money left at the end was traded in for raffle tickets for class coupons. The kids were thrilled, and I was relieved. At the end of the day, I tossed the class money in the trash and pledged never again.
The next day I started fresh. I decided that I was still going to wipe points every week, and at the end of the week I would announce that week's "DojoMaster." The DojoMaster is awarded a certificate, a one-night homework pass, and for the next week got to use an iPad to award Effective Communicator points to their classmates during collaborative conversations. Every week that the class total is at least 85% positive they also earn Lunch Bunch on Friday.
I was worried at first that the points alone would be enough to motivate my fourth graders, but it was! They love the healthy competition for the coveted DojoMaster position and cheer for each other when I announce the winner! Sometimes I fudge winner a bit to ensure all deserving students get a chance. If a student who maybe struggles a bit with behavior has a really good week, I shower them with positives and make them DojoMaster. At the end of the year we also have a classroom awards ceremony and I award my students with ClassDojo certificates for each category, as well as recognizing each student who maintained at least and 80% positive throughout the year. You can check out the awards I made here on Google Slides. You can click the little folder next to the title of the file and save yourself a copy in Drive, or download a copy in the File drop down menu. They were originally created in PowerPoint with an installed font, but Google Slide files I feel are easier to share.
For the past three years, this has been how I use ClassDojo in my room and I absolutely love it! I could never see not using it! This year I am adding an additional component to my ClassDojo plan. On the ClassDojo Mentors group on Facebook, I saw someone's post where they made levels for their students to accumulate points throughout the year. So I made up ClassDojo monsters from the ClassDojo image pack and printed them big on cardstock with different point values on each level; 25, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, and maxing out at 500 points with Mojo (the main green ClassDojo monster). My plan is to cut them out and laminate them. Then I will post them on the wall in my classroom. Each time a student hits a new level they will get to move their name up. I use ClassDojo consistently throughout the day, so my students tend to accumulate a lot of points. I plan on taking down the names at the end of each quarter and giving students the chance to start fresh. I will post a picture once it's complete, but if you would like to check out the monsters I made, you can save a copy to make your own here on Google Slides.
If you haven't checked out ClassDojo yet I highly recommend it. There are so many uses for it, and so many great ideas out there on integrating it into your existing classroom management plan. I love it, so do my students, and my parents!