Badges FTW!

Last year when I was completing my Apple Teacher certification, I was a little addicted to the badges. Not sure why, but I was.  Same with the Apple Watch...especially the special badges that only exist on certain days, like the National Park Challenge.  I wondered if my kids would be as geeked out about badges as I was so at the end of last year, I tried it out using Schoology's badging system.

At first I thought they would laugh and blow it off, but I was very wrong.  Their interest in the badges was quite hilarious.  We invented random badges like "Class Shhh-er" and "Winner Winner Chicken Dinner".  They continually asked when the next badge was going to be up for grabs so I started using some that were a little more challenging.  I used a badge called Coder to try to convince them to use coding for a class project.  I did a SMASH badge for kids who app smashed a project.  

The end of the year feedback was so positive, I knew I needed to continue this year with the badges. Here are mine so far -  I printed this out and had kids use it to keep up with their badge collection on paper as well as in Schoology. I would love to know what badges you use and how you use them in your classes. 

Yesterday I posted an update to Schoology 10 minutes before school was out to see if anyone wanted to earn their clean up badge by helping me take down a super messy lab we did.  Eight kids showed up  - EIGHT!  I had six more reply and ask if there would be another opportunity for that badge because they had practice after school.

I love trying new things in the classroom and seeing kids engaged.  As silly as most think badges are, it makes my kids laugh and get excited - so its totally worth it.

Special thanks to my friend Mrs. Perkins for the ideas on some of these badges! :)