Classroom
Clixo’s Collaboration With Educators
Clixo’s magnetic construction toys have consistently garnered acclaim from the education community, drawing praise from educators across diverse backgrounds. Assaf Eshet, the founder of Clixo, is a firm believer in collaboration, resourcefulness, and drawing inspiration from children, parents, and educators alike. When the Clixo team started developing our newest product, an education pack and online portal designed specifically for students and classrooms, it became evident that engaging with educators, therapists, and caregivers was essential to creating a comprehensive product that integrates smoothly into all educational contexts.
Educators Outreach
We put out a search for educators from across the US along with reconnecting with educators who had supported us from the early days, seeking their insights on the product's name, content, potential activities we were developing, and what teachers seek as a curriculum supplement. The result? Clixo Classroom emerged as the chosen title, setting our plans into motion. The responses we received were exhilarating – educators from various backgrounds signed up with interest and enthusiasm. A select few became our <a target="_blank" href="https://clixo.com/classroom/educators/">Clixo Education Ambassadors!</a>
Getting Inspired And Collecting Feedback
Our dedicated Clixo team has spent months collecting feedback, testing the kit with students, and refining designs to cater to a spectrum of educators’ needs. From integrating Clixo into existing curricula to addressing storage requirements in classrooms, our research revealed a wealth of insights. We discovered that while some students thrive in open-ended creative environments, others benefit from a structured framework offering more guided instructions. Group dynamics also play a role, with some students thriving in collaborative settings while others prefer independent work. Notably, educators expressed joy in organizing the Clixo pieces back in the pack, highlighting it as a delightful aspect of working with our products.
About Creating The Program
Yaara Kedem, our Community and Education Manager, shared insights into the Clixo Education Ambassador program which launched in January 2024: “When searching for ambassadors, we knew we wanted to find educators that work in various educational settings: teachers, after-school instructors, caregivers and occupational therapists. We also wanted to work with educators who are already experienced and enthusiastic about teaching with Clixo, and some that have never used it before, so we can learn along with them.”
“We shared a call for submissions on our newsletter, social media, and with our partners and community. We received tens of applications from enthusiastic educators from across the US.” For the next step, Yaara scheduled video interviews with a select number to learn more about the unique ways in which they encourage creativity with their students and patients.
What was the goal of the program?
Yaara explained, “We launched the Clixo Educator Ambassador Program while working on developing the Clixo Classroom Pack and Online portal. We were creating materials for educators to use, and realized the best people to learn from are educators themselves.”
The main goals of the program are to:
Learn how the educator community uses Clixo in various settings.
Receive feedback on the new Classroom pack and it’s materials.
Create resources and materials that other educators can learn from.
What was the process of recruiting the ambassadors? What were the stages?
“We met with some incredible people, but could only select a few. It was a hard decision, but we eventually chose the final 7 educators who spark innovation and imagination in their classrooms to take part in the first ambassador initiative.”
Can you share some highlights from the ambassador interviews?
Yaara highlighted a few ambassadors, including Laura, a K-6th Art Educator, who discovered Clixo’s potential during the pandemic, uniting her entire family. Mary, a STEAM teacher, creatively stores Clixos on her desk for easy student access. Monique, a caregiver, shared her personal connection by wearing a Clixo necklace and detailed how she engages with toddlers.
What are the activities these ambassadors will be involved in?
Yaara explained, “The Ambassadors will explore Clixo with their students while engaging them in a variety of activities – unboxing the new Clixo Classroom Pack, using the Activity Cards, and learning of new ideas to work with Clixo though the Educator’s Guide. They will give feedback about working with Clixo in their classroom and share their experiences through activity guides, photos, video interviews and testimonials, and blog posts. We will share these materials to help other educators come up with new ideas for their students.”
Can you share any learnings from educators so far?
“They have been coming up with some amazing activities. Cara, Educational Technology Specialist, came up with a brilliant holiday activity creating a Clixo gingerbread trap. Andy Pre-K Teacher, has taught his class about the unique qualities of each Clixo piece. Lori has developed an idea for creating patterns during a small group math lesson. And Dori, an occupational therapist, has been creating Clixo visual prompts to support balance, coordination and functional reaching. They shared new ideas of creating building cards, visual guides introducing Clixo’s qualities to the students, and incorporating Clixo into language lessons. Mostly I have learned that possibilities are endless, and that teachers and educators are truly exceptional with their ability to install the magic of learning into Clixo.”
What are some benefits for the ambassadors?
“The ambassadors will get an opportunity to get an inside look into Clixo’s design process, meet other educators who are as enthusiastic about Clixo as they are to support each other in their activities, and get to try out and keep the brand new Clixo Classroom packs before anyone else.“
Any scoop you can share about the Clixo Classroom kit?
“Stay tuned for the upcoming education-related releases. For more information or to make bulk orders of the classroom pack, reach out to edu@clixo.com.”
As we unveil more about the Classroom Kit, its benefits, and the development process, we invite you to join us on this exciting journey. To get the news, please join our education newsletter.
