Class Dojo - what's that all about then?!

[simpless]

My dd's school has recently introduced Class Dojo. I know this from talking to my dd - the school hasn't informed parents in any way.

Today, I got a faux sad email from my dd's class teacher (who hates her/me - I've had to make a serious complaint about this teacher recently after they acted v unprofessionally), telling me that my dd's percentage of positive praise last week was too low. I think (??) that may have been her telling my dd needed to behave better (?), but it could be read as the teacher needs to be more positive and less critical all the time. There was no explanation.

It seems a ridiculous system - surely a child can't be 'measured' (given percentages) in any meaningful sense by a system that is entirely down to the subjective choice of a teacher to give meaningless points? I know the week they first introduced the system, my dd got negative points - the following week, I complained about the unrelated matter and entirely coincidentally my dd came top in her class with the highest number of Dojo points.

What is the point of Class Dojo? Is it really as ludicrous as it appears? Or can those who work with it or whose dcs' schools use it tell me how its supposed to work?

I have NO idea what this is but my DD is in reception and keeps coming home from school saying I've got a dojo today.

Her school doesn't communicate with parents at all or it might just be me unless it's for donations towards events at school.

Class dojo can be good if teacher used it in the good way. Also the teacher has a choice of inviting parents to their children's page if they wanted to.
Then the parents can see how children are doing dojo point wise, also have a special PM that connects parents directly to teacher.
One of my ds' teacher used it in the past, and points are given for all sorts of things, like listening, joining etc, and red(negative) points were rarely given.
It was great.

Class Dojo is a 'digital' behaviour management system that can be used in various ways, and as any system, is only as good/bad as the people who are using it.

In brief, every child has a 'points' account and the teacher/s can give green and red points for good/bad things. They use a tablet/computer/phone to do this, so can keep the list even if they're currently doing PE outside or having dinner in the hall.

This can be defined individually. It can focus on behaviour, on learning, on attitude, on achievements, or on a mix of these. It can be the same for everyone or individually set goals. Some teachers use only the green points. You can attach consequence e.g. red points mean loss of golden time. You can set group punishments or group rewards. You can display each pupil's current dojo account on your whiteboard, publicly shaming/rewarding the kids. You can also tie it in with communication with parents - it allows things like sending 'live' updates to parents, e.g. a photo of a child completing an activity, right as it is happening (some parents love this bit).

But you don't have to use it in any of those ways. IMO if considered carefully, it CAN be used in quite positive ways. However in most cases I've come across, whoever implemented it at the school did NOT consider it carefully but just went with the 'factory' settings which makes it a behaviour management system with all the faults that any such system has, plus a few more.

That said, we're always told 'the kids love it'. (And I'm sure some of them do.)

My DC school use this, but we were all given parent logins as they use it to improve home/school communication which has always been bad on their part.

So I can login and see what points DC have (the categories are broad) and the teacher also uses it to send messages. I get general ones about upcoming school and class events and a couple of messages specifically about DS (praise and concerns). I've also sent messages when I want to give the teacher a heads up about something.

The goldish time in DS2 class is dependent on the class reaching a certain amount of points collectively.

And they do very much focus on the positives, DS2 has had 1 negative since they started using it beginning of September and DS1 none. Ds1 has ASD is statemented etc so rather than marking down constant negatives (refusing to do crafts, losing it in tests) he gets points for what he is doing well (joining in etc). He gets fewer positive points overall than his classmates (or DS2) so it is still fair on everyone.

Dd's school use this & she loves it. I have no idea how it works overall in terms of behaviour management/incentive but I am positive about it.
We have a parent login & can see when she gets a dojo for anything either individually or collectively as a class or phonics group.
It's also a really useful communication tool with the teacher because you can send fb style messaging & they can reply when they have time. V handy for me as I work ft and drop off at breakfast club & pick up from asc so rarely see the teacher.
We get weekly updates on what they are learning that week as well as pictures on the main information feed too. Also links to forms & things.

My secondary school has a similar system (it just has a different name). Students get a rating each lesson for ATL and they are expected to have a high percentage of the lower numbers (1/2 - excellent or good). If they are coming out with 4s and 5s regularly it's because they are behaving poorly, not because their teachers are being stingy with praise. It is a really good system because it makes them more aware of their own behaviour, their behaviour can be monitored by parents and form tutors and patterns can be identified, ie Lily regularly behaves badly in PE and Maths. Oh, okay, who is she sitting with? What are the issues?

*Sorry, ATL meaning attitude to learning

Opinions regarding behaviour management systems obviously differ. In my opinion, any behaviour management system should be judged by the question 'does it achieve it's goal' and that has IMO got to be that behaviour is improved over all (and preferably long-term). But many people feel that bad behaviour needs to result in consequences (irrespective of those consequences actually resulting in improved behaviour in the future) and behaviour management systems provide simple means of applying consequences.

So a system that rewards children who behave well, and punishes children who do not, but doesn't help the latter actually improve their behaviour, IMO fails to achieve it's aims, though the majority of children (the well-behaved) may well like it. After all they keep doing what they always do but now they get extra praise/reward for it.

Classroom dojo makes it easy to give 'instant' positive feedback which is quite amenable to giving praise to those kids who are often overlooked as they just always behave well.
It allows for individual goals to be set. So child A can earn a green point if they manage to sit through carpet time without fidgeting, whereas child B can earn a point if they overcome their shyness and speak out loudly, and child C for changing into PE kit quickly. This can make it 'fair' in the sense that every child has a chance of winning points - they aren't impossible to attain goals for some. Also if you do it that way it is then by definition 'descriptive praise'. Child A isn't just told a vague 'well done' but knows that what they did well was to sit through carpet time without fidgeting.

However IME all too often Classroom dojo (and most other behaviour management systems) are used as a 'consequence' for bad behaviour (and sometimes as a reward for good behaviour) without any view as to if and how that will actually improve overall behaviour in the classroom.

And yes, OP, it gives the semblance of making behaviour 'measurable' e.g. in percentages. In DS' school they have actually implemented it so that behaviour becomes a competition. It's not enough to behave well. You have to behave better than your classmates! And be noticed for it. Again, as you say OP, this is rather random; and as most teachers will endeavour to have all children 'win' at some point in the year, it then must appear random to the children too. Which is in contrast to the idea that consequences (positive/negative) should be predictable and known and consistent in order to be effective.

Interesting. It sounds like when its various functions are used properly, it can be a helpful tool.

Unfortunately, in DD's school, parents have no access, get no communication or pictures and I have not the faintest idea what specific things she is supposed to have done well or not. So a percentage is utterly meaningless. You can't tell a child (or their parent) - that the child scored 55% but that's not good enough, they need to be 85% because that doesn't say what they actually have to do/not do.

No idea - but it one of two points systems in their primary school and a silver gold behavioural scheme which they bring certificates home with.

One of mine had really high levels of dojo - that's trailed of as someone seems to have told the new teacher about other points system which that child had none in. It's never been explained and we have no log in system only way I know is via the children.

Secondary eldest now at has a merit scheme - apparently they have high levels but I only know because they tell me this.

Previous primary had red and green behavioural system - the certificates every half term or so and stickers if on green all week.

The children like it and are competitive about the points - but they haven't communicated with parents about it at all.

All i can suggest is you go back to the teacher and ask what it means and what she need to improve with.

I don't get e-mails about it at all - children know their scores and that's it - they tell me if it's good or not. It usually them bringing it up and I know nothing about it. Never mentioned in p/t or end of year reports.

Yes, I did ask the teacher what it meant!

As the teacher emailed me about it, presumably I was meant to know and play a part in backing up the school and enforcing its behaviour system. But if they don't tell me what it means, short of coming in and watching what dd actually does at school, I have no idea how I'm supposed to help. Just saying to dd 'Behave well' is a bit redundant - that's kind of obvious. The teacher referred to dd needing to make the 'right choices' - but about what? What are the wrong choices? Does dd know? I certainly don't.

I'm having to bite my tongue in replying, given that this teacher made a very wrong choice (actually a series of them) and continues to do so. If there is anyone who should not be lecturing my dd on behaviour, it is this teacher...

I'm sure she does know what the right choices are, OP - you will have taught her that, I'd imagine.

Maybe you ask the teacher for parent log in? Then you can actually see when and why dd is getting positive/negative points as teacher updates/give points. Then it makes it more clear to you rather than dd is not getting enough positive points, etc.
Though if the teacher share it with parents is totally up to them.

Though if the teacher share it with parents is totally up to them.

Well yes and no, remember a subject access request will always get you the information that is contained in it.

Have to say, it sounds terrible, glad DD's school doesn't have one.

No, sirfred, it was great at my ds' school. It really depend on how each teacher use this tool.

But I think if you have so little faith in the teacher you should really consider a move. It isn't good for your daughter to be taught by someone you don't believe has the right to correct her behaviour.

As the teacher emailed me about it, presumably I was meant to know and play a part in backing up the school and enforcing its behaviour system.
Maybe the teacher so caught up in the jargon she has forgotten that not everyone else knows what it means? I'd email back asking what it mean in plain English - asking what your DD needs to do better and what support are you looking from you - (baring in mind you can't remote manage her behavior)

'right choices'

I do hate the phase. Had one teacher say that about one of mine who was being wound up by a "friend" then losing it near end of day. Agreed strategy was our child should walk away - and seek out an adult and tell them. Child did this to be sent away again and again - or told of for ignoring the friend - when our child finally blew up it was all about them needing to make better or right choices We got them separate next year and not one teacher since has has an issue with our child - usually praised for good behaviour.

Though I agree our child should have handled it better - every attempt we made to help them do that was agreed then forgotten by this teacher.

irvineoneohone It was great for your DS and likely some others - that's the basic problem with all of these systems, they obviously are great for some, perhaps even quite a lot.

There's no chance they'll engage all though, and as BigWeald talked about above, the turning of behaviour into competition is the problem I have. Since, whilst that might work early on, like competitive sport most people who know they won't win, stop competing entirely.

That's why I think it really depend on each teacher, sirfred
Ds' teacher never made it into a competition, and all those good behaved children got points for something they do naturally, as well as children with challenging behaviour being awarded points for being good.
Also it was great tool for parents to communicate with teacher, and updates/remainder for events was very helpful.

We use Classdojo but don't have red or green points or report percentages ...we mainly use it to communicate with parents about things happening in individual classes /school.

We use it across the school but we don't use the negatives, just the positives. Both key stages have an agreed "menu" of what points can be awarded for and how many-so 2 for homework, one for reading, one for teamwork, etc ( I think there are about 8 in total) We use it

1. as a weekly house team competition
2. as a termly personal reward system-points mean prizes! We run a dojo shop at the end of each term where the children can spend the points they have earned on little prizes.
3. to show parents what the children have been doing in class on a regular basis -an extension of the Tapestry system in Reception
4. as a communication system-whole class/school reminders
5. as a personal message system -but on a very limited basis-we have had the odd nasty message from parents but few and far between.

We have around 90% of parents signed up.