I’ve had enough of the class dojo

[Myleftfoot39]

Every week one or two children win the dojo and get a prize. Some children have won it twice or three times. Today a child who defaced another child’s clothing (had written all over it in class) won it (they are in Year 2).

My ds is quiet, well behaved and works really hard. Does all his homework, is reading and writing and working hard. It’s awful but today he came out of school crying his eyes out because he thought he might win the dojo.

Even at bedtime he was upset about it.He doesn’t understand why the naughty kids get rewards but he feels ‘invisible’. He said there’s something wrong with him and is very upset.

I have reassured him and told him the dojo doesn’t matter but it really does matter to him. The teacher makes a big deal out of giving the dojo out as theres a photo of the child on the dojo for all to see.

I’m really fed up of it!!

@fourminutestosavetheworld I can’t...I’m not actually a teacher. (I mean really first you tell me I’m in the wrong job, then you criticise my comprehension skills and finally you question whether I actually am a teacher) I really just like to sit at home and debate on a forum where everyone actually is allowed an opinion. But I forget we live in a world where everyone has to agree on everything! I’ve tried to be diplomatic, and reply after reply you’ve been nothing but rude, judgemental and to be honest dismissive of everything I’ve said.

Not that it matters but I’ve been a teacher for 12 years! I’ve worked in all key stages, but mainly eyfs! I’m currently in KS2. I’ve done supply in various schools so I’ve worked from leafy suburbs to challenging areas! I love my job! I do what works for me and my children and if it stops working I change it. As you know it’s not easy teaching, so I think your comments towards me on this thread are horrible and I think you ought to be a bit more sympathetic, or I might have to question whether you’re a teacher!

Anyway you’ll be happy to know, finally I’m done! I don’t have to continue to justify myself to you! So stop baiting me...let’s leave it at that. Please don’t reply!

@fourminutestosavetheworld

"If the dojo is seen as the cool reward, where does that leave those just getting on with school for whatever reason."

I think this is a fair point. This thread has really made me analyse my practice. I always thought I was fair because everyone gets the weekly award at some point in the year and there are so many other rewards, but I can see now that the weekly award is the biggie and kids are sad if they have to wait for it.

If I am absolutely honest, there is a cohort of kids who are perfectly well behaved and hard working but never push themselves or stand out. If I ask for volunteers to do a job, they don't. If I set optional tasks or homework, they don't do them. If their partner is struggling, they leave them to it. They are good students, but it is hard to catch them doing something wow or worthy of reward. In my class, they probably get the weekly award in the last term. Any ideas what I can do to encourage them to push themselves a bit, have a go at something challenging, not just coast along doing their own 'minimal effort'?

Ask. That's what I do with my shy /quiet ones. I always make it clear that they have the option of saying no and I start with little jobs here and there. "Hey Alex ,you did a great job in maths, would you mind helping James with it?". "Wow Maddie, great piece of work and you've done it so quickly have a go at x,y,z now". "Jimmy do you mind carrying x for me/helping me get the equipment " . And so on. I've had children that I'd never hear speak if I didn't initiate it. Quite a few turned out to be great conversationalist and have a wicked sense of humour. Some are still just as quiet and shy but they know they're seen and acknowledged. If they do a good job, it's a good job even if it's not above and beyond. Also talking to them about their interests,awards/competitions they might be in outside of school, getting involved in games etc. at playtime/free time.

I'm a TA though so it's easier for me to sneak these moments and requests in.

If I set optional tasks or homework, they don't do them.

Are they called optional on the sheet? It's not optional if you'd rather they did those questions.

Thank you totoros and accidentally. I do try to do all of those things. I don't want to give the impression that I don't, but could do more I think, and will maybe have it as a focus after half term. Thank you for your advice.

@fourminutestosavetheworld

Thank you totoros and accidentally. I do try to do all of those things. I don't want to give the impression that I don't, but could do more I think, and will maybe have it as a focus after half term. Thank you for your advice.

Tbh, there's always more we could do. Don't drive yourself crazy or add even more to your workload ,beating yourself up because James or Amy haven't been "properly " acknowledged. Give some always being ready to learn , or respectful, or responsible etc awards.

As long as you know your kids,they're happy, they feel seen and listened to, get little comments and jokes throughout the day etc., you're doing great!

There's always room for improvement of course, and constantly analysing ,changing and adapting is the mark of great teacher. You definitely sound like one. Please don't feel like something/you is lacking.

Accidentally thank you 💐

Forminutestosaveheworld he most definitely is not SEN. He did the same entrance exams for secondary school as my son and is actually regarded as a clever kid. He plays football for the junior team of a big football club and he seems no ‘poorer’ than us. He has a much better phone than my son. He is however hugely arrogant and that has been fuelled by his parents and teachers.

@Juststopamoment you can be clever and have substantial SEN.

Tell the teacher

fourminutestosavetheworld

Don’t get caught up. It’s clear you’re trying to think about all the children- and willing to take advice from others.

It’s statistically unlikely that you’re my kids teacher but you sound like you care like she seems to. I’m really grateful that she takes the time to think about what my child with SEN needs. Non SEN parents have said the same. I expect your parents do too.

I used to work in a secondary school as a teaching assistant. There was a group of kids with "issues" who were supported by a specialist team within school. At the end of the year, these children, who had had a very detrimental effect on the achievements of their peers through continuous disruption of every single lesson, got taken out for the afternoon to McDonald's for a treat to say well done. The kids whose education had suffered, and had had to put up with the behaviour and really did deserve a reward, got naff all. It was so wrong. So it doesn't necessarily get better as they get older. Luckily my younger DD's school doesn't engage in this nonsense on ClassDojo.

I used to have a tortoise called zatapec 🐢
My daughter was exactly the same, I even went to one her parent interview and the teacher spoke about a different child as she hardly knew who my daughter was!!!! She was put at the back as she was always well behaved, but then seemed invisible!!!
Please go into school, and speak to the teacher, as it can be heartbreaking for your child and you!! 🙄

@Myleftfoot39

Yes it’s a real problem and yet I feel petty about being so pissed off. It shouldn’t matter but ds is so upset about it. I’ve tried to reason with him but he sees it as unfair and it actually is pretty unfair. I’m not sure what more I can do.

If your DS has never won it, I would email his teacher and point this out. Explain that your DS is upset about not winning it, and ask teacher if there is anything specific he can do to win it next time. Hopefully it’s just an oversight. It will be because it’s a useful behaviour management tool with the more challenging children, but it doesn’t make it fair at all.

So sorry your son is upset.
This kind of crap happens at my daughter's school. She is well behaved, kind to others and work hard but all the kids that misbehave get it. The schools explanation is that the awards are there to encourage not reward!!!!!

Ridergirl I think your experience as a TA boils it all down to what this actually is and does to the quieter well behaved children.

I’m glad there isn’t a class dojo at our school.

"At the end of the year, these children, who had had a very detrimental effect on the achievements of their peers through continuous disruption of every single lesson, got taken out for the afternoon to McDonald's for a treat to say well done."

It is really sad to see a member of staff looking at this situation with such acute misunderstanding.

Happens in work to. Those who make batty eyes and agree with boss get prizes at corporation events. I muttered a cross comment "all the quiet ones who work hard go unnoticed" to an ex boss in the chain of bosses. Low and behold I got 2 theatre tickets at next event. Wish I had kept my mouth shut.

Similar thing happened to me, reception age. I just generally enquired to my child about something else. Dc casually mentions who got "top child" (given out daily). Dc then mentions to me for about a week or two who is getting top child.

I then asked teacher directly what can dc do to get top child as dc mention name got top child. She turned around and asked me if my dc brought this topic up. (Yes dc did bring it up independently...) She then details what dc could do to get it. I casually mention to dc what dc has to do a few times (not mentioning top child). the next week, dc gets top child and is so chuffed. It's hard when they see everyone else get something. Maybe have a word with the teacher? Though I can't blame teacher for giving to student with behavioural things. Who knows? That classdojo might really be making that incremental positive difference.

All the best

It is really sad to see a member of staff looking at this situation with such acute misunderstanding
I agree.
I actively challenge situations where the quieter/middle/always do the right thing students are overlooked, and in my classroom I make a huge effort so that those children know they are valued and appreciated. I also understand that different children have different needs, different challenges and need different support. If a group of challenging students have been monitored and intervened with for a period of time as part of a programme to get them back on track, then a celebration at the end of half term would be entirely appropriate.

If you asked your average 15 year old whether they'd rather go to McDonald's or rather be on track to ace their GCSEs and go to the colleges or post-16 destinations of choice, most would rather have their long term prospects.

Some behaviour systems are ineffective, but the find myself rolling my eyes when I hear colleagues talk about the 'naughty students going out for the day' and 'being rewarded with lots of trips when the good students get nothing' when actually these are children at risk of being NEET who are having a lot of structured input and going on alternative placements with the Prince's Trust. Yes, Students A might have been disrespectful to you on Monday, but on Wednesday they go out with the Prince's Trust and their achievements there should be celebrated. It's a special level of miserable to think that celebrating a child's success in one area should be removed because they've not been good in another.

It will come as no surprise that the colleagues who make such clueless comments are also colleagues who are poor at differentiation and don't seem to know their classes that well, despite claiming to care about the quiet overlooked children.

This thread keeps bugging me, so I'm back. I'm probably screaming into the void, but here goes .

Having rewards are tools the adults use to praise, to encourage, but every time you use a reward you effectively exclude all those not getting it. To only focus on one individual increases your pressure to notice all.

At the same time it looses it's purpose and joy, if it has to be given to all at one point.

I don't think I like the concept at all, having really pondered about it. We have long since abolished the dummy hat (don't know if this was a thing in uk?) but how is this better, (instead of the hat for 'stupid' pupils,) to praise only tolerable behavior? Those shy, quiet, afraid will feel as wrong in themselves as the pupil with the dummy hat. Those a little more extrovert will soon copy disruptive behavior to be cool and even rewarded? There is no gain in the long run, only more pressure on teachers to notice the individual.

Why not reward in groups, if you have to award? Why does it have to be a 'visual' award for all to see? Sincere personal praise face to face goes a long way in being recognized and doesn't alienate the rest of the group.

I don't know, but singling out for good or bad seems so wrong to me.

I LOVE your fake medal idea. Absolutely brilliant, I hope others copy !!!

Sorry @LolaSmiles it took me so long to write I didn't see your post. I really wish more were as aware of the quite ones as you.

@Juststopamoment

Forminutestosaveheworld he most definitely is not SEN. He did the same entrance exams for secondary school as my son and is actually regarded as a clever kid. He plays football for the junior team of a big football club and he seems no ‘poorer’ than us. He has a much better phone than my son. He is however hugely arrogant and that has been fuelled by his parents and teachers.

I went through my school career as an incredibly bright, G&T, able, whatever you want to call it, child.

I did all of that with since-diagnosed Autism, ADHD and OCD. I crashed and burned in 6th Form, and it still took several more years for anybody to realise why.

I also had a pretty shit home life, and lived below the poverty line, but you wouldn't know any of that by observing me "in the wild".

@97thousand1hundredand4
I’m going to have to drip feed now unfortunately but he has told my son that I am ugly and we have a shit car, he has also physically assaulted children in the classroom as well as feigning being assaulted by other children to get them in trouble. My child lost his father. He has never behaved like that. And despite my son losing his father I wouldn’t have wanted my son to gain extra rewards because of that and neither would he. I don’t know what system should be in it’s place but I firmly believe that the system of rewarding bullies is wrong and is detrimental to the well being of the rest of his class.