I have to share an experience I had last week at school. My principal called it one of her top 10 discipline referrals. I don’t know if you’re familiar with Classroom Dojo, but if you’re not, you should be. It’s really an awesome tool. Last Thursday, at school, after lunch and recess, I’m teaching math. Dojo is on the smart board, but hidden behind another page. I like to keep the volume on the computer loud, so the kids can hear when the dojo goes off. All of a sudden the dojo starts dinging positive dings like crazy. I’m not near the computer, so we don’t know what’s going on. The kids are going crazy. I stop the lesson and pull up the dojo. My student, L, had 5 positive points all of a sudden. I know for sure he had at least 2 negatives in the morning.) Now this student is not in class, he left much earlier for a dentist appointment. Since the dojo is web based, it can also be controlled by an app on my phone from anywhere. I now remember that just before L left I was doing reading groups and I noticed my iPhone was missing. I thought maybe I already put it away and just forgot---at the time. Now it was starting to make sense. I called my cell phone from my class phone and it went straight to voice mail both times. Now, L, is one of the last people I would have thought would take something that isn’t his. He is such a sweet boy and is always the first to fess up when he’s done even the slightest thing wrong. I notified my principal, who called the parents. When the parent went to ask L if he had seen my phone, L was PLAYING it!!!! When L and his parent came back to meet with the Assistant Principal and bring back my phone, I went down to express my disappointment and lay on the guilt trip. My sweet L started sobbing and when I mentioned how I had given him the Honesty Award earlier in the year, he agrees by saying in between breathes, “Twue, Twue” (He can’t say his Rs). I gave him a hug and told him I forgive him but he will have to earn back my trust and the class’ trust. The next day when he came back to school he had in school suspension and at the end of the day when I saw him, and after seeing him in class all day today, I am sad to say that I don’t think he “gets it”. He started “joking” with someone today saying he was going to “jack” somebody’s glasses. He’s only 8 and this makes me VERY sad……
Together for Our Kids,
Denise
