Why Parents Love ClassDojo, Too!

If you’re a teacher, you already know how important it is to establish and maintain communication between school and home. You value parental involvement for field trips, class parties, classroom volunteers, and of course, for supporting your students’ academic growth. If you’re like me, you love when that school-to-home communication is convenient, time-saving, and up to speed with the fast pace of today’s technology-driven world. Sound familiar? That’s where ClassDojo comes in.

If you’re already on board, you know that ClassDojo hits all the markers when it comes to convenience. You’re keeping parents informed about how their child is doing, and you may even be sending reminders to parents about things like picture day and PTA meetings. But, are you really letting parents in? Do parents want to be involved? You bet they do! I asked the parents of my students to share with me their favorite things about ClassDojo. (And, heads up — none of them are about behavior!)

Here are the top 3 reasons why parents love ClassDojo.

1. Conversation starters

From a parent’s point of view, imagine sitting down at the dinner table and asking your child the usual, “What did you do at school today?” Parents usually hear bits and pieces from the day’s activities, but the exciting details often get lost somewhere between school and home. Instead of, “We did a cool experiment in science” or “We learned about rocks,” what if parents could actually see the awesome things you’re doing with their children every day? By using Class Story to post photos or videos of share-worthy activities, parents get to see their child in action, and that gives them something exciting to talk about!

2. Calming concerns

I have a student this year who struggles with anxiety which makes working in a group with peers a challenge for her. When I posted a video on Class Story of this particular student engaging in a “book talk” with two other students, the result was something that no “note home” could have accomplished. She was happy and laughing with other students, and when her mother saw the video, she told me how impressed she was, and how proud it made her feel to see her daughter working with peers! Remember the old adage “a picture speaks a thousands words?” Well, so does a Class Story video!

3. Instant messaging

We live in a busy world. Sometimes teachers need to communicate an urgent announcement or last-minute change of plans to parents. On the flipside, sometimes it’s parents that need to communicate an important message immediately to me. For example, Mrs. Chua, I am running late today at the office. Please let Sally know that her dad will pick her up. Of course, parents can (and should) also call the school office, but they love that they can communicate with me in an instant, right from their cell phone. Communication has never been so seamless!

It’s no secret that teachers love ClassDojo. It’s convenient, saves time, and it’s effective. It’s why parents everywhere are jumping on board and spreading the word about it, too. I encourage you to use ClassDojo to establish meaningful connections with parents this year. Have you posted in Class Story today?