Writing is one of the most fundamental skills a person can possess. It’s not only part of everything we do; it’s one of the most powerful tools of communication – whether communicating our knowledge, beliefs, or emotions. Writing is a connector – it connects people across space, time, and culture, allowing us to learn from yesterday, obtain knowledge about today, and prepare for tomorrow.

To put it simply, writing is an essential tool that brings people together.

1. You did not die.
2. You did not kill any of your students.
3. You are a better teacher now than you were at the beginning of the year.
4. Your bad days are better than many other teachers’ good days.
5. You care about your students – enough that you take your own time to read about teaching. And the students can feel that caring.
6. Some of what you taught, the students will remember. Most of what you taught, the students will forget. But something you taught might have started a process – a journey – a new way of seeing the world — that stuff you may never know about. But trust that it happened.
7. Next year will be better than this year.
8. Nobody ever looked back on their life and regretted their time as a teacher.
9. There was one student out there who needed you. And you were there for him or her.
10. As a teacher, you spent the year working on the most important things a person can work on: being a better person, and making the world a better place.

Busy teachers need practical tools, and busy parents need effective communication lines with schools and teachers. Are you sitting there thinking, ‘I wish there was a one-stop shop for such a platform’? Meet ClassDojo! Many of you will already be familiar with the ClassDojo app, but if you haven’t used the app before – or if you want to use it more effectively – please read on!

How frequently do we praise our students for their effort? And how often do we praise their intelligence? There is an important distinction between these two, and doing both can have surprising impacts on students.

Carol Dweck is a Professor of Psychology at Stanford University and is the author of the 2008 book “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success”. I first came across this book in 2013 when I began working towards a Masters degree in the field of education, and I thoroughly recommend that all teachers read it at some point. Dweck teases out the ideas of growth mindsets and fixed mindsets and how they impact achievement. One very pleasing aspect of this book is that it is nothing like those awful “believe it and you’ll achieve it” self-help handbooks. Dweck’s research is rigorously scientific and her conclusions are expertly drawn out.

For decades, parents have been sending their children to school each day, placing them in an environment that fosters growth and development. But what if education is about more than textbooks and classrooms? As it turns out, social and emotional learning are just as crucial to your child’s development.

Everyone, to some degree, experiences social emotional learning, which is proven to be a key component in an individual’s growth. It is through this form of learning that human beings begin to comprehend social and emotional skills, and develop perspectives and skills that are essential in everyday life.

Twitter, when used well, is one of the best tools at the disposal of teachers worldwide. I’ve been an avid use of Twitter for some time now, and I cannot imagine doing without it. Not only is it my primary source for breaking news, sports results and social updates from friends, but it is by far the best CPD tool I’ve found.

You’ve got to admire successful salespeople. You don’t need to like them, but you’ve got to admire their tenacity. And I’m not talking about the kind of salespeople who hide behind the counter, waiting for you to bring your Cold-Eez up to the counter (those do work, by the way). Rather, I’m talking about the kind who, from the moment you walk into the shop, the dealership, the office – are selling you something, even if you don’t realize it.

The salesperson’s motto? Anyone who’s seen Glengary Glen Ross knows it: Always Be Closing.

Not: Always Be Trying to Sell. Not: Always be concerned that the customer is about to bail.

It’s a mentality. At every moment, you are in the process of “sealing the deal.” Even if the customer doesn’t know it.

“I would have been to school on time,” says a student, “But I was stuck behind this old guy who was driving five miles an hour.” The other students groan in solidarity.

Some background: each day, I lead a morning discussion group. We light a candle, set some intentions, offer thanks for whatever we’re thankful for (be it family and freedom or caffeine and cars), and we talk.

Nearly always, the students are thoughtful. They reflect on challenges in their life, vent about their failures, and laugh about whatever has happened to them on the way to school.

I try to allow this space to be as unmoderated as possible, and 98% of the time, it’s perfect.

Q: How do you get struggling students to alert you to problems with major assignments so they will be prepared for time-sensitive class experiences?

Scenario: Today is presentation day. You’ve put students into groups to show their projects and receive peer-feedback. You’ve been mindful to choose groups for the most effective, for productivity. You send the students off to work, and five minutes later, three groups are deep into their work. The fourth group is acting out.

You: Guys, stop messing around. You have work to do.

Student: We finished.

You: FOUR of you shared your projects in five minutes?

Student: Three of us didn’t do the project.

You: What? Why didn’t you email me and say you needed help — days ago?

Student: I’m a teenager. I don’t know how to answer that question.

In an ever-busy and increasingly demanding classroom, it can be very difficult to forge strong home-school links. Too often, communication with parents is limited to reporting the ‘bad news’. Sometimes ensuring a strong social line from the school to the home is difficult because you don’t quite know the approach or tone to take.

This year I’ve found the opportunity to communicate with parents using ClassDojo to be integral in maintaining strong links to the home. From a practical point of view, the parent can check in on their child’s progress so they feel like more of an active participant than a passive bystander in their child’s daily school life. But moreover, I’ve found the simple messages of ‘Remember it’s Swimming tomorrow’ or ‘Don’t forget to bring your coat for the Sponsored Walk!’ to be a subtle but incredibly useful way to utilise the potential of ClassDojo. The parent gets an alert, they don’t need to say anything back. They’re happy to have the reminder!