Classroom Dojo

Hello fellow teacher friends,

Welcome to my weekly teachable Tuesday post. Today I’m going to share with you one of my favorite classroom management apps. 

Classroom dojo

If you haven’t seen it or used it you must check it out. 

This wonderful app helps me manage my squirrelly freshmen by giving them points for positive and negative behavior. They work toward a number of points that will give them some sort of reward, for them it is usually a few minutes of free time on a computer program of their choosing, or positive notes home. 

   
It works well for a few different reasons. 

1. They can hear and see when they get points and so are always listening for that chime. 

2. They police each other because if one students is taking points away from the total based on misbehavior it affects them all. 

3. It gives me data, which is crucial for a special education teacher. Data that can help me see what issues seem to recur so that I can design some preventative measure for the future. Data that can help drive IEP goals or accommodations and can assess goal completion as well. 

4. Parent contact. Some IEP’s require parent communication on a weekly or even daily basis. This app can do that for you. Set it up so it emails updates and parents can log in with parent passwords anytime they want to see their child’s behavioral progress. 

Many high school teachers might give up on trying it because it looks a little “kiddish”, but it is worth it. The students buy in because they get to design their own avatar and do good things on purpose to earn their points. 

It is totally customizable to your classroom situation. I log in to mine on the computer so the students can hear it through the classroom speakers and I have the iPhone app on my phone which I use to give points as I walk around the room. Love it!!

So if you are looking for a way to handle some minor (or major) behavior in your classroom check it out.  You won’t be disappointed. It has made my day a little more manageable and for that it is worth it’s weight in gold. 

Breakthrough

Most of you know my story intimately because you are friends of mine. You walked me through the valley of my divorce and consequent struggles in single parenting. 

You prayed for us, cried with us and told us when we needed to suck it up and move on. 

One of the lasting problems in my life that is a result of that trauma is my youngest child’s disdain for church. It has been a constant worry and an almost hourly prayer that has made itself home in my heart for the past few years. 

I dreaded the fighting that was inevitable on Sunday mornings when we were going to church and admittedly sometimes I didn’t go just to avoid the misery of that fight. 

Ultimately, I believed that if I stuck to my guns and made her be obedient to my request to go but did not push her any further God would work out the issues that filled her with so much anger. Anger at him, when he is not to blame. Anger at our new church family, because they are not what once was.  Anger at the changes in her life that have left her feeling broken, unwhole and less than others. 

Today I saw a small breakthrough that has given me hope. Hope that she will not forsake her beliefs, her God. Hope that she is getting through another layer of healing on this journey of ours. 

She actually listened to the sermon and took notes. She made some comments about the points being made which were thought provoking and brought tears to my eyes. 

She worshiped. That was the moment it hit me. She is starting to sing songs of praise to him, and as someone who loves to sing to God this moved me deeply. My prayer is that I will continue to trust God in how I handle the struggles we are faced with, even when it seems hopeless. 

I’m so thankful today that God never stops pursuing us. I’m thankful for her healing heart. 

Breakthrough

Most of you know my story intimately because you are friends of mine. You walked me through the valley of my divorce and consequent struggles in single parenting. 

You prayed for us, cried with us and told us when we needed to suck it up and move on. 

One of the lasting problems in my life that is a result of that trauma is my youngest child’s disdain for church. It has been a constant worry and an almost hourly prayer that has made itself home in my heart for the past few years. 

I dreaded the fighting that was inevitable on Sunday mornings when we were going to church and admittedly sometimes I didn’t go just to avoid the misery of that fight. 

Ultimately, I believed that if I stuck to my guns and made her be obedient to my request to go but did not push her any further God would work out the issues that filled her with so much anger. Anger at him, when he is not to blame. Anger at our new church family, because they are not what once was.  Anger at the changes in her life that have left her feeling broken, unwhole and less than others. 

Today I saw a small breakthrough that has given me hope. Hope that she will not forsake her beliefs, her God. Hope that she is getting through another layer of healing on this journey of ours. 

She actually listened to the sermon and took notes. She made some comments about the points being made which were thought provoking and brought tears to my eyes. 

She worshiped. That was the moment it hit me. She is starting to sing songs of praise to him, and as someone who loves to sing to God this moved me deeply. My prayer is that I will continue to trust God in how I handle the struggles we are faced with, even when it seems hopeless. 

I’m so thankful today that God never stops pursuing us. I’m thankful for her healing heart. 

Centered

Life is a struggle. A beautifully scary struggle. When I was younger I figured that the struggle would eventually subside, grow calmer and more stable. 

There is only so much a person can go through or deal with. I believed there should be some cosmic force that balances the emotional turmoil for us. That in the span of life all people will eventually have similar struggles at some point in their life. 

A balancing scale of justice to make this life even for us all. 

But it doesn’t work that way. At least not on this earth, in this space we are now sharing. Our lives and experiences are vastly different. Some people are supernaturally blessed. A minuscule amount of struggle compared to others. Not understanding the struggle to make it one more day. 

Some so severely burdened with the struggles of this life they feel they can no longer go on. The weight of their inner turmoil literally breaking their spirit and without support of loved ones, their will to live on. 

I don’t know how people get through this life without God. If you do not believe in God how do you find meaning in your suffering? How do you hope in a better tomorrow?

Jesus’ act of sacrifice balances the scales. Whether the most pain you have ever been through is the death of a loved one, or your life has been plagued with emotional damages that have mounted since you were old enough to remember the abuse and struggles that have become commonplace. 

You and I are the same. We were made from dirt and to the dirt we will return. That is a comfort to me. The immense struggles I have been through is no longer my focus, but the blessings I have received in the thick of them.  

My prayer this morning is that I will honor Jesus in all I do and say, and when I don’t I will repent and correct my behavior. My love for him should be visible in my actions. 

Mental health day

My second teachable Tuesday post and I have decided to write about balance. 

In the teaching profession, especially early on, it’s so easy to get overwhelmed with all there is to do, all you hoped you’d be as a teacher and the extra requirements you didn’t realize went along with the job. 

This coupled with doubt in yourself is one of the biggest reasons so many teachers quit in the first years of their supposed dream job. 

Don’t let this happen to you. Establish early on that you can’t do everything you hoped you would do right off the bat. Let others help you, jump the hoops that will help you keep your job and take time for you. 

In my district we earn periods for covering other teachers classes when they are out and there are no subs. Those earned periods can either be paid out at the end of the year or taken as paid time off. Too many people pick the money, when time is what they need. There will always be more money, but time is non-renewable.

So I take the time off, like I did today because my piece of mind is critical for me to be a success in my classroom. 

Today was my mental health day. The last two weeks, actually the last month has been pretty intense with workload and colleague/ student drama. I needed time to myself to recharge.  

So I did that. The beach is that place and solitude, which is rare for me, was what I got. Some much needed vitamin D and…

 tacos.  

 It does help that I live in California. Best day ever.  

So make sure you take time for yourself to reflect, and tell yourself that you are one awesome teacher. Because you are. You will find renewed energy to do that awesome project based learning  plan your administration wants you to do. 

Love. ❤️

If there is anything I have learned about love it is this, Gods overwhelming, perfect love for me proves that I’m worthy to be loved. Therefore I love myself and do my best to love others without selfish motive. Do I succeed every time? No. I’m human, and this proves that I need to be reminded daily that Gods love is the blueprint and my goal. I need to work at it.  This video speaks volumes about Gods love for us. Please listen.  http://youtu.be/P0FW–zidYA

Lent

The process of depriving ourselves of things on purpose is so foreign to our society. Why would we not do, or eat, or…. Whatever we want if we can? Some do it out of religious duty. Some do it out of societal obligation. Some really do it for the right reasons. I do not profess to be one of the latter, but I hope that is how God sees it. 

I have never observed lent since my exodus from the Catholic Church and because of my resistance to societal pressures, usually I reject what others tell me I should do. Partly because of my punk rock rebellious upbringing, and in part because I like to be different. 

Yet I have found that taking myself out of my comfortable  routine can often help me grow as a person, and the deprivation of creature comforts plus doing some new things I’m not used too usually adds up to a richer, deeper life. 

So I have embarked on a Facebook fast as my ” lent” activity. It sounds ridiculous but it’s going to be hard for me. On top of having to discipline myself to stay off Facebook ( which doesn’t include things that get posted through other apps) I am going to try and replace that compulsory activity with something physically or spiritually beneficial. 

Hopefully I will have some amazing insights in the next month and half, most likely I will just experience deeper connections with loved ones and a sense of accomplishment as I battle my flesh. 

What are you giving up for lent?

Teachable Tuesday.

Hello fellow teachers. After my Monday I feel like it should be Friday already, however it’s only Tuesday. 

Grades are due. Students on my caseload are internally combusting and here I am, putting on my big girl pants and telling my self I can do this; until I believe it myself. 

One of my tried and true classroom management strategies that I have used since day one and swear by is greeting students at the door. It seems simple but super effective in many areas. 

Relationships– we all crave them. My students and I develop relationships because I start out every morning, come rain or shine, standing at the front door and greeting them by name with a smile on my face. 

Classroom expectations– we all have them, and some of us need to be reminded daily. This is where I front load behavior expectations to those students who sometimes struggle. Johnny can’t seem to stay in his seat, let him know that’s what you’re expecting as soon as you see him. Susie always forgets to turn in homework? Remind her. 

Early warning system– standing at the front door greeting my students gives me insight in to their lives at that moment. Maria walks up in sweats and no makeup, I know something’s wrong since this is not her usual look and can ask how she is doing. 

Many times I don’t feel like I’m ready when that bell rings. I forgot to post my do now, change the date on the board or send an email to that parent. It doesn’t matter. I must be at that door when the bell rings. 

A bonus for the school in general is that you can be the eyes and ears of what is happening during passing periods. I have had to stop fights before they started, submit witness reports and enjoy sweet moments shared by friends all because I take the time to stand at my door. 

If you don’t do it, try it. It’s worth it’s weight in gold to help manage my special education classroom. 

Stay strong.

Today has been one of those days. You know the days when you wake up rushed, feel the pressure of your calendar. The to do’s that are mounting and the expectations of everyone you are connected to by 5 in the morning. 

I did my usual routine to combat the feelings of failure that start to mount up on days like these.

Read my devotions, 2x for extra measure. The verses to encourage and correct my thinking. Focus my attention on the fact that I’m not in this fight alone.

Listened to worship music on my long commute. Trying to fill myself with the reassuring hope that all of this isn’t up to me. God is far more capable than me, I give it to him and trust that it will all be okay. 

Yet you continue to be bombarded with messages of worthlessness. 

At work it is the feeling of not being good enough. Knowing that colleagues, parents and even students are silently judging you. Some not so silently. It could break a person without strength. As if the voices in my head are not critical enough. 

The unspoken judgements of people who wonder how I can work the job I have and being a single parent. The hours away from home, and even more the hours worked at home when I should be spending time with my children. 

Usually my morning devotion time centers me. Shields me from the worlds lies that try and tell me I’m unworthy. 

Today it didn’t work and I’m still left feeling overwhelmed, tapped out and not good enough. 

So now I tell myself tomorrow will be better. Tomorrow is a new day. God is faithful to those who trust in him. I trust in him. I will continue to try and bring him glory in all I do, even when the world tells me I’m a failure I will look to him for my identity. God called me to be a teacher and I am a good one because I trust in his promises and rely on his strenghth. Tomorrow is a new day. 

“yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭4:20-21‬ ‭NASB‬‬

http://bible.com/100/rom.4.20-21.nasb

Teachable Tuesday

After taking an online blogging class I learned some valuable material to improve this slice of me on the Internet. One of those things they suggested is having a feature. Something you post about on a regular basis. After giving much thought I chose to do a weekly feature on tips for teaching. Hopefully my experiences and routines can help some new, and maybe not so new teachers. After all, the good ones “borrow” what works, instead of recreating something that might not.

So all you teachers, homeschoolers, tutors and frustrated parents keep an eye out. Next Tuesday I will bring you my first teachable Tuesday tip. Until then have a great Tuesday.