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Description: Class Dojo is a digital classroom tool where teachers, parents, and students can connect. The platform is focused on communication and behavior management where teachers can track student profiles and pay specific attention to behaviors and activities. Students can earn points based on differing skills set by the teacher in order to reinforce positive behavioral habits.

Benefits:

·       Creates a space for effective behavior management-reward students for showing learned positive behavior skills

·       Enhanced communication-real time updates about behavior and students' progress can be sent out to families

·       Family engagement-with receiving consistent updates, families are more connected to their child's school life

·       User friendly-an easy platform to navigate from teacher and guardian perspective

Disadvantages:

·       Over-reliance on technology-the use of rewarding behavior only through a digital platform can interfere with other behavioral systems

·       Privacy-no clear understanding of how student data is stored

·       Teacher misuse-classroom climate can be affected due to how the teacher chooses to use the platform (due to inconsistency or harsh use)

· Accessibility-does require internet access which may come as a disadvantage to families who lack this at home or even have limited technology skills

Use:

I plan to use this platform mostly to reinforce positive behavior with students. I also envision myself using this to briefly update and communicate with parents about student behaviors during the day.

References:

Educational Wave. (2025, February 18). Pros and Cons of Class Dojo - EducationalWave. EducationalWave - Pros and Cons Explained. https://hub.educationalwave.com/pros-and-cons-of-class-dojo/

Edwards, L. (2021, June 4). What is ClassDojo? TechLearningMagazine. https://www.techlearning.com/how-to/what-is-classdojo

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ClassDojo helps teachers, parents, and students build amazing classroom communities.

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Parent Square is a digital communication tool that school districts can utilize to connect with parents, families, or guardians. It features multiple forms of communication styles such as announcements, messages, forms, sign-ups, and alerts in one central location allowing more ease for families to be informed and engaged. The platform also includes direct messaging, translation and language support, document sharing, and school calendar and events.

Benefits:

·       Strengthened Communication-an all-encompassing platform that promotes clear and reliable communication

·       Engagement- information is more easily accessible, allowing families to engage in content more and stay informed

·       Efficiency-information can be sent out in mass with the option to customize messages to post daily, weekly, or monthly

·       Equitable-the platform offers language translations where families messages are received in their home language and any messages back to the teacher are in English

Disadvantages:

·       Learning curve-how to use the platform is not clear on first glance and takes some time to understand the set up

·       Time consuming-a complex set up that takes time to run through and completely comprehend

·       Device access-need access to a cell phone or computer to access platform and it requires the use of internet which could be a barrier for some families

·       Message overload-alerts can come frequently causing overwhelming feelings

Use: I would like to use ParentSquare to conduct more direct communication with parents about important details regarding school wide information and classroom updates (e.g. digital newsletter). I envision this platform being helpful to use during the school day to get into contact with families about behavioral concerns or even positive occurrences.

References:

ParentSquare. (2023, June 7). Family Engagement in Schools: Common Barriers To Identify and 6 Effective Strategies for Success. ParentSquare. https://www.parentsquare.com/blog/family-engagement-in-schools-common-barriers-to-identify-and-6-effective-strategies-for-success/

Software Advice. (2025b). ParentSquare. Softwareadvice.com. https://www.softwareadvice.com/k-12/parentsquare-profile/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

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Unify All Communication Tools - ParentSquare

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A single platform for everything from your district's mass notifications and mobile app to online conferences and permission slips

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Seesaw is an educational learning platform created for Pre-K through elementary settings. The platform encompasses digital portfolios, instructional tools, reciprocal communication, assessments, and content resources. The goal of Seesaw is to keep teachers, families, and administrators in the know about student progress and growth. Seesaw allows all parties to see the work students are completing on the platform so everyone can best support each student and their developmental needs.

Benefits:

·       Assessments & feedback- easily allows teachers to give feedback to students while also giving them access to monitor assignments that provide information on student performance

·       Student engagement- students are able to show their thinking in differing ways through different features like video recording, taking pictures, note taking, and more

·       School/home connection- families have access to see student work, receive updates, and view the information in their home languages

·       Differentiation- activities and assignments can be adjusted and scaffold to fit the needs of specific students or student groups

Disadvantages:

·       Dependency on digital access- students and families need reliable internet access to connect to the platform

·       Privacy- no clear understanding of how student data is stored

·       Usability issues- families may lack the technology skills to fully access Seesaws potential

Use: Seesaw is a great online platform to share student work with families. As well as I would like to use it to show student progress with families specifically, sharing with them assessment results.

Reference:

Seesaw. (2025, September 22). Elementary Learning Experience Platform | Seesaw. Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform. https://seesaw.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

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Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform

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Elementary Learning Experience Platform | Seesaw

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Seesaw is a Learning Experience Platform with 25M+ users, enhancing elementary education, engagement, and school culture while improving academic success.

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Description: Google Docs allows for collaborative work to conduct online through the creating, editing, and storing documents. Since it is a cloud-based platform those who have access to specific documents can work on them in real time and observe the changes as they occur.

-Educators have the ability to use Google Docs to collect and organize student data through shared documents or through other Google based forms like Google Sheets, Forms, and Slides. Since the documents are shared among colleagues, information can be viewed and worked on in real time. Together, educators can analyze created data documents through Google Doc features such as highlighting patterns of growth or decline and leaving notes for suggestions or in areas of concern. Being able to visually see student progress increase or drop as a collective team can begin conversations around best practices and interventions for those students.

-Google Docs is a hub for collaborative planning among colleagues. Individually, teachers can create their own profiles for students referencing important information such as interests, skills, language proficiency, and cultural backgrounds. They can then share these profiles with support staff like Title Reading, ELL, Counselors, and SPED so their contributions are added to the profiles. With all combined feedback and shared information teachers can begin tailoring instruction to meet each students' needs. With its sharing capabilities, Google Docs allows teachers to co create lesson plans which they can incorporate student profile information to then generate appropriate strategies. As a team, everyone has the capability of leaving comments on shared work which allows members to make suggestions for potential scaffolds or adaptations to created lessons ensuring everybody's perspective is noted and student experiences, languages, and more are reflected.

References:

Michael. (2020, January 14). Using Google to Promote Teacher Collaboration. NASSP. https://www.nassp.org/2020/01/14/using-google-to-promote-teacher-collaboration/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Team, P. (2024, November 17). 21 Pros And Cons Of Google Docs. PROS plus CONS. https://prospluscons.com/pros-and-cons-of-google-docs/

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Scheduled Planning Days/Professional Learning Communities 

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Scheduled Planning Days/Professional Learning Communities 

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Shared planning time is when educators come together during scheduled periods of time. During this time educators are collaborating and aligning instructional strategies, assessments, and curriculum (Lynch, 2022). Shared planning time may take place during a PLC in which other support staff join to discuss shared goals, analyze student data, and develop resources (Lynch, 2022).

-When colleagues collaborate amongst each other during shared planning data should be the driving force of the conversation. Incorporating more than one teacher's data points ensures adaptations to teaching methods can occur to best support student needs. Educators can make evidence-based decisions when everyone involved in the planning process understands the data, can create action plans, and can monitor student progress.

-Shared planning time encourages teachers to collaborate with one another which can lead to more cohesive learning experiences for students. Through common planning, reflection can occur resulting in creating resources that support student identities, diversity, and experiences. Collaborating on state or district mandated curriculum and being mindful to incorporate students' abilities and interests make sure their learning experiences are positive.

References:

Co-Planning for Student Success Considerations Packet. (2015). https://education.wm.edu/centers/ttac/documents/packets/coplanning.pdf

Lynch, M. (2022, April 12). Common Planning Time: Everything You Need to Know - The Edvocate. The Edvocate. https://www.theedadvocate.org/common-planning-time-everything-you-need-to-know/

Lynch, M. (2022, April 12). Common Planning Time: Everything You Need to Know - The Edvocate. The Edvocate. https://www.theedadvocate.org/common-planning-time-everything-you-need-to-know/

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Data meetings are when educators come together to have structured discussions around student performance and teaching practices. These meetings result in informed decision making and the improvement of teaching strategies. Within a data meeting the following normally occurs the examination of data, development of action plans, and monitoring progress.

-Though discussion around data can occur during shared planning time it is still important to have separate meetings devoted to data discussions. Having data meetings with classroom teachers, administrators, and other support staff not only makes sure everyone is aware but promotes data accountability. Together, teachers can discuss their findings, collectively understand how data impacts students, and work together to create solutions. As a team action plans can be mapped out to target specific student needs.

-Data meetings promote collaboration as they call upon educators to be reflective on all students' differing abilities, interests, cultural, and linguistic needs. Taking part in data meetings also ensures other voices are heard when it comes to interpreting data. For example, when an ELL teacher, SPED teacher, or Reading teaching are present in the analyzation of data more cultural responsiveness can transpire.

References:

Armocida, M. (2024). How to Use Data to Inform Lesson Planning and Instruction. Microteaching.org. https://www.microteaching.org/data-driven-instructional-design-using-data-to-inform-lesson-planning-and-instruction

Idea Data Center. (2023). Data Meeting Toolkit | IDC - IDEA Data Center. Ideadata.org. https://ideadata.org/data-meeting-toolkit

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Bloomz is another type of digital communication and engagement platform to connect teachers and families. It’s described as being an all-in-one tool for communication between home and school along with having the ability to track behavior and share school wide information. The goal for Bloomz is to take the place of other communication tools such as email and paper newsletters.

Benefits:

·       User friendly- sharing updates and announcements are simple

·       Family engagement- seeing their child's behavior tracked and their student profiles allows families to be involved in their educational journey

·       Multilingual support- translation supports are offered in many languages

·       Combined communication- encompasses messaging, event scheduling, volunteer sign-ups, and behavior tracking into one platform

Disadvantages:

·       Lack of signing up- all families have to sign up and be actively using the app so it may not be as effective

·       Performance problems- reports of lagging and app crashes which disrupts the communication flow

Use: I think this platform would be good to set up parent conferences outside the yearly parent-teacher conferences. This would also be useful for daily communication with families about student progress, behavior, concerns, or successes.

References:

Fisic, J. (2021, December 1). 19 Best communication tools for teachers. Pumble Blog. https://pumble.com/blog/communication-tools-for-teachers/

Software Advice. (2025a). Bloomz Software Reviews, Pros and Cons - 2025 Software Advice. Softwareadvice.com. https://www.softwareadvice.com/k-12/bloomz-profile/reviews/

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School districts often end up using five to ten different classroom communication apps across all their schools. Schools might be using one tool for msging, and a completely different tool for taking attendance or healthcheck forms. When a school or district uses too many communication apps, things get lost in the shuffle. Overloaded parents often miss important messages leading to further disengagement and frustration.

Bloomz is the unified parent teacher communication app that increases parental engagement by connecting everyone with one easy-to-use tool. Bloomz handles ALL district, school, teacher, parent, and student communication. Bloomz is designed to be the complete unified solution, bringing together teachers, parents and students.

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Parent Teacher Communication App with PBIS Behavior Management

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Bloomz makes it easy for teachers to securely share photos and classroom updates, reach parents through messaging, and coordinate events.

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Zoom is primarily used as a video conferencing platform in which real-time communication and collaboration can take place. It can be a valuable tool for making connections with families through instances like parent-teacher conferences, information sessions, workshops, and check-ins.

Benefits:

·       Accessibility- families can join into meetings from any location

·       Device flexibility- the platform allows for various types of devices to connect and join into calls (phones/computers)

·       Recording options- zoom offers a recording option so, if families miss out on an important meeting a recording can be made and sent out

·       Privacy/Security- passwords and waiting rooms can be implemented to secure the meeting space

Disadvantages:

·       Accessibility- families may lack devices to participate in meetings or may have limited/no internet access

·       Excluding- works well for families who may be confident in their skills using digital tools but not for those who are not

Use: I would use zoom to conduct parent meetings when families are not available to come into the school building so contact is still being made, and engagement can still take place.

Reference:

Austin, R. D. (2024, September 7). Harvard Business Publishing Education. Harvard.edu. https://hbsp.harvard.edu/inspiring-minds/the-pros-and-cons-of-7-digital-teaching-tools?utm_source=chatgpt.com

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Modernize workflows with Zoom's trusted collaboration tools: including video meetings, team chat, VoIP phone, webinars, whiteboard, contact center, and events.

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Peer observations are a collaborative process where a teacher observes another teacher with the goal of enhancing teaching practices. It should be a two-way reciprocal partnership where both teachers are observing and reflecting over their own teaching and their students learning.

-Peer observations can greatly enrich the use of data in instructional decision making. Through peer observations teachers get the opportunity to observe and reflect on their own teaching practices. During an observation data can be collected whether on classroom interactions or environment. The data can then be used to instruct teachers next moves when it comes to what methods or strategies, they utilize need improvement.

-Peer observations allow for deeper reflection because of the meaningful discussions that can happen following. The conversations spark intentional reflection which can improve teaching practices. Collaborative approaches like peer observations assist teachers in seeing and addressing the unique needs of students. This leads to the creation of more inclusive classroom environments. Continuous participation in peer observations mean improvement to instructional practices can take place ultimately benefiting diverse student needs.

References:

Cambridge Assessment International Education, Teaching and Learning Team. (2018). Getting Started with Peer Observation. Cambridge-Community.org.uk. https://www.cambridge-community.org.uk/professional-development/gswpo/index.html

Ferlazzo, L. (2023, March 22). Peer Observations Can Make Us Better Teachers. Here’s How. Education Week. https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-peer-observations-can-make-us-better-teachers-heres-how/2023/03

Network for Educator Effectiveness. (2024). GROW, SUPPORT, AND RETAIN TEACHERS: THE POWER OF PEER OBSERVATION 2. https://neeadvantage.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/NEE-Peer-Observation-White-Paper.pdf

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Cross curricular projects refer to teachers from differing teaching subjects coming together to blend other subject areas into learning. Teachers collaborate to create engaging lessons that support other academic areas. For example, an English teacher might ask the Music teacher to touch on rhythm, rhyme, and meter to support students understanding of poetry.

-The collaboration that occurs when working with other subject area teachers leads to identifying the shared objectives. This makes everyone more aware of certain data and how that can blend with the intended educational goals of a lesson and what the student needs are. The collaboration among colleagues must be backed with continual reflection based on student feedback and performance in order to know if the data is accurately driving the educational goals.

-Cross curricular collaboration promotes shared expertise among colleagues which can ensure discussion around accessible student learning. Together educators from differing subject areas can reflect on ways to integrate diverse abilities, interests, cultural backgrounds, and languages into engaging learning and materials. Cooperatively, teachers get the opportunity to connect learning across different domains that can directly support the development of a child. This is also a chance where multiple perspectives can be considered opening up for the opportunity for learning to be viewed from a cultural standpoint. Considering that allows for instruction to be connected to student's lives, experiences, and languages.

References:

Johnson, B. (2014). Deeper learning: Why cross-curricular teaching is essential. Edutopia; George Lucas Educational Foundation. https://www.edutopia.org/blog/cross-curricular-teaching-deeper-learning-ben-johnson

Learning Corner. (2023). Understanding Cross-Curricular Education: A Comprehensive Guide / Learning Corner. Learningcorner.co. https://learningcorner.co/knowledge-base/glossary/cross-curricular

Manuel. (2024, December 18). 5 Powerful Ways Cross-Curricular Instruction Transforms Student Learning - Teach Find. Teach Find. https://teachfind.com/interdisciplinary-project-based-learning/5-powerful-ways-cross-curricular-instruction-transforms-student-learning/