First, I attempted to use classdojo as a behavior management tool for my classes. I set up an account on the website at the beginning of the year. This website allows teachers to set up classes to keep track of both positive and negative behavior of students. Each student is assigned a character that looks like little monsters. The avatars are very cute. I can reward students at anytime during the class, create reports of the class or individual students and allow parental access if I so choose. I loved the website, so why did I slowly begin to use it less and less as the year went on? I don't think I had a proper plan to use it. I need to develop parameters to use it in class so I don't find it too time consuming. I would like to try it again to see if it can be an effective tool to motivate students. Maybe carry around my iPad as I circulate with the app open. That way I don't have to walk over to the computer when I see something amazing happening in class to reward the student. I will continue to think about this and possibly try again next year.
My eighth graders have just finished reading Lyddie to learn about the Industrial Revolution. I am excited that I have created some new lessons that I have tried out on my students. Activities include using both the book and primary sources to complete some writing assignments, and discussion activities. I am in the final stages of getting the unit up online at my teacher stores soon, so please look for them.
It is hard to believe that the end of the year is quickly approaching. Things are starting to wrap up. We have four days of school this week, then we are off for a week of vacation. When we return, there will be a few weeks of academic time and then another round of MCAS and PARCC testing. Shortly after that we will be having a series of end of the year activities for the students. (Insert stress here) I still have some curriculum to cover with both seventh and eighth grade. I am stressing over the fact that I have too much to cover in too few days. But never fear, all will work out in the end.
I am excited to announce that I was chosen to participate in a National Endowment for Humanities teacher workshop this summer. I will be heading out to Kansas City for a week long summer institute on boarder wars. I am looking forward to learning new information and taking that knowledge back to my classroom, colleagues and you.
43 days