ClassDojo: Beyond the Basics
Tips that will help further improve family engagement, classroom culture,
& student performance
Our Agenda
8 tips you can use today
Taking you beyond the
basics with teacher created
tips!
⏰ Estimated duration: 30 minutes
Tip #1: Establish norms
Communicate these clear and positive norms at
the start of the year
…in a Class Story post, message to parents,
and in person at a back to school night
● Explain your availability in responding to messages
and that you’re using quiet hours
● You might not be able to respond to Class Story
comments until after the school day
● Request that parents send you a private message if
they have constructive feedback for the class
● Reiterate that you’re a team and all communication
should reflect that.
Communicate norms
Tip #1: Establishing norms
Tip #2: Make messages meaningful
Surprise families with both how & what you
communicate
Do things differently than what they may
have experienced in the past
● Take some photos or videos of your classroom
before school starts to give them a sneak peak!
● Ask families for feedback early on, like how they
can get more involved this year, what resources
might your family benefit from, what types of posts
would you like to see, is there anything I should
know, both big and small?
● Schedule Happy Birthday messages to parents so
they receive them the morning of their birthday
Meaningful messages
Tip #2: Make messages meaningful
Happy Birthday
Mr. Mojo!
Tip #3: Student ownership and choice
Increase student buy-in by taking their input
…afterall, they’re part of the class too!
● Create feedback categories with your class and
get their input on the icon and points
● Decide what, when and how often students can
redeem points
● Use points for tracking student goals
● Allow your students to nominate others for
feedback when they see something awesome on
the playground or in class.
Student ownership
Tip #3: Student ownership and choice
Tip #4: Class Story as a mini-lesson
Flip your classroom or help the parents
Flip your classroom or give your parents a
cheat cheat!
● Upload mini-lessons into Class Story that will help
your parents understand and reinforce what you’re
working on in class
● Use these mini-lessons for pre-teaching and
reteaching students
● This could include:
○ Video lessons
○ Anchor charts
○ Students sharing their thinking
Class Story lessons
Tip #4: Class Story as a mini-lesson
Mrs. H’s 3rd… 63 days ago
Tip #5: Adjust for your student’s age
Make ClassDojo fit YOUR students
One size doesn’t fit all
● Consider how you assign feedback and skills
○ In preK skills you might use neutral points to
track naps, meals, and bathroom visits
○ In Middle school you might use neutral
points as digital hall passes
● Customize student avatars by uploading student
photos, cartoons, or student created avatars
instead of the Dojo monsters
Customize for your students
Tip #5: Adjust for your student’s age
Tip #6: Reports & parent-teacher conferences
Use reports to guide your conferences
Use reports to get the conversation started
● Use the filter to find a specific date or length of
time
● Highlight the positive skills the student has
received the most
● Show how the student’s goals are progressing if
you’re using points for goal tracking
● Ask the parents what behaviors and goals they
have for their student
Let the reports guide you
Tip #6: Reports & parent-teacher conferences
Tip #7: Save time & tabs with Toolkit
All the tools you need in one place
…and they’re all in one place!
● Locate Toolkit on your computer, iOS device, or
Android
● Toolkit includes a timer, random, group maker,
noise meter, directions, think-pair-share, today, &
music
● Cast from you app to your computer so you can
use your tools wherever you are in your classroom!
8 tools to make your life easier
Tip #7: Save time and tabs with Toolkit
Tip #8: Use Big Ideas & Conundrums to spark
discussion
Combine SEL with cooperative learning
Go on an adventure with Mojo or try and
answer tough questions with Conundrums
● Explore 63 lessons (and counting) in the Big Ideas
● Share with parents on Class Story to continue the
conversation at home
● Reinforce SEL lessons with Big Ideas videos and use
Conundrums to increase problem solving and critical
thinking skills
● Schoolwide? Consider dividing lessons up by grade to
avoid repeating the same topics each year (students
often benefit from revisiting lessons too)!
Spark conversation with Big Ideas
Tip #8: Use Big Ideas & Conundrums to spark discussion
We’re here to help
Anything you need, you got it
We’re here to support you 🤗
● Each school has a ClassDojo Mentor - find out who
is your school’s Mentor for support
● If you ever get stuck, just drop us an email at
● Check out the HelpDesk for helpful articles for
teachers, School Leaders, parents, and students
● If you have any tips you think teachers should
know about, email us at
Contact us!
We’re here to help
