Bloomz.net is a wonderful resource that teachers can use, and is especially helpful with managing student behavior. Through Bloomz, the teacher can create a class and add individual students, along with students' parents. This website makes it easy for teachers to track positive and negative behavior, and to communicate with parents. One resource on Bloomz that is especially helpful is the behavior tab.
How to track behavior: When you select your class, you can find "Behavior" under "Updates". This will then display your entire class roster, and you can select a student to reward or deduct points for behavior. There are some general behaviors pre-programed. For example, there is caring, following instructions, and on task for "Good Job", and disruptive, not listening, and disrespecting the teacher under "Needs Work". The teacher is also able to add some of their own, and make changes to the preexisting ones. To do this, simply click "Options" in the upper right corner, the "Edit Award Types". This allows you to create new behaviors, change the point values, and even change-up to icons for each behavior. You can also use this tool to observe patterns in behaviors. If you select "Timeline", it will again bring up your class roster. When you click on a student, it will show you what behaviors were observed and when they were recorded.
How to track behavior: When you select your class, you can find "Behavior" under "Updates". This will then display your entire class roster, and you can select a student to reward or deduct points for behavior. There are some general behaviors pre-programed. For example, there is caring, following instructions, and on task for "Good Job", and disruptive, not listening, and disrespecting the teacher under "Needs Work". The teacher is also able to add some of their own, and make changes to the preexisting ones. To do this, simply click "Options" in the upper right corner, the "Edit Award Types". This allows you to create new behaviors, change the point values, and even change-up to icons for each behavior. You can also use this tool to observe patterns in behaviors. If you select "Timeline", it will again bring up your class roster. When you click on a student, it will show you what behaviors were observed and when they were recorded.
![Picture](/uploads/1/1/1/1/111101131/published/bloomz-award.png?250)
The teacher can choose a behavior to reward Kenzie for by clicking any of the icons. The number in the upper right corner of each one is the point value of the tasks, which can be changed by the teacher. These points are could be used by the teacher if the student is working towards behavior goals. The "+" in the lower right corner is where you can add new behaviors.
![Picture](/uploads/1/1/1/1/111101131/published/bloomz-needs-work.png?250)
Similarly, there is a section for negative behaviors. Like the positive behaviors above, points can be changed for each behavior. They can be negative points if you want it to deduct points earned from positive behaviors, or they could be set to zero if you want to just track the behavior.
![Picture](/uploads/1/1/1/1/111101131/published/bloomz-timeline.png?250)
Under the "Timeline" tab, the teacher can find a behavior summary for each student. This summary can then be shared with parents if desired. The teacher could also look at this to see if there are any reoccurring patterns or outlying behaviors.
Bloomz and component 2.D: Bloomz would be especially helpful when monitoring student behavior. With many classes having well over twenty students, it can be difficult to remember what behaviors you observe from each student during the day. Sometimes behaviors do not become a problem until it is reoccurring. Bloomz allows you to recall each student's behavior throughout the day, and whether it is an issue that needs to be addressed. Also, the well-behaved students can be easily forgotten. This resources emphasizes that acknowledging good behavior is equally important. The points for each behavior could be used to set goals with students about how many points they think they should be able to earn an keep throughout the school day. This program could be used to make teachers, students and parents more aware of behavior in school.
How does this experience relate to ISTE NETS? Bloomz helps teachers to be analyst. You can use the timeline to search for meaning in behaviors. You might see that a student has a bunch of positive behaviors recorded for the most of the year, but then one day just starts acting out. In this situation, the teacher may want to consider looking for an underlying issue rather than rushing to discipline the student.
How can you use this tool in your future classroom? I am excited to try out this resource in my own classroom. The behavior tracker would be a good way to quick record what behaviors are being observed. You are also able to upload student work to share with parents, and could be used to share test or quiz grades with parents. There is another area where you can create events, and this would be an easy way to share when tests or projects are due. There are so many different things you can do on this website, and I am excited to test some out in my future classroom.
How does the learning from this component and tech tool tie in to your learning in Ed Psych, Foundations of Teaching, or other education course? I am also taking Education Psychology this semester, and we had just discussed the importance of looking beyond the behavior. I believe Bloomz helps teachers to do this, as it helps teachers to see patterns in behavior. It could be used to set goals for better behavior, as we learned the best way to discipline students is to teach them the right way to behave.
How can you use this tool in your future classroom? I am excited to try out this resource in my own classroom. The behavior tracker would be a good way to quick record what behaviors are being observed. You are also able to upload student work to share with parents, and could be used to share test or quiz grades with parents. There is another area where you can create events, and this would be an easy way to share when tests or projects are due. There are so many different things you can do on this website, and I am excited to test some out in my future classroom.
How does the learning from this component and tech tool tie in to your learning in Ed Psych, Foundations of Teaching, or other education course? I am also taking Education Psychology this semester, and we had just discussed the importance of looking beyond the behavior. I believe Bloomz helps teachers to do this, as it helps teachers to see patterns in behavior. It could be used to set goals for better behavior, as we learned the best way to discipline students is to teach them the right way to behave.
Resources:
App.bloomz.net. (2017). Bloomz. [online] Available at: https://app.bloomz.net/?#/app [Accessed 1 Oct. 2017].
PDE SAS. (2011). The Framework for Teaching Evaluation Instrument. [online] Available at: http://static.pdesas.org/content/documents/danielson_rubric_32.pdf [Accessed 1 Oct. 2017].
App.bloomz.net. (2017). Bloomz. [online] Available at: https://app.bloomz.net/?#/app [Accessed 1 Oct. 2017].
PDE SAS. (2011). The Framework for Teaching Evaluation Instrument. [online] Available at: http://static.pdesas.org/content/documents/danielson_rubric_32.pdf [Accessed 1 Oct. 2017].