As a dedicated educator, I have been using Classcraft in my classroom for over six years. This gamification classroom management system has transformed the way I teach and how my students learn. It has significantly improved student engagement and behavior management, impressing not only me but also my administrators.

Recently, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH), which purchased Classcraft, announced plans to discontinue the service as we know it. The proposed changes would make a radically different platform available only to schools and districts, excluding individual teachers like myself who have greatly benefited from its use. Furthermore, HMH admitted that many of the beloved gamification features would be missing initially.

Another point that HMH may not have taken into consideration, is that although gamification is a popular term in education, it takes a certain kind of teacher with some knowledge of gaming terms and systems to effectively utilize Classcraft in the classroom. Forcing an entire school or district to use will cause the system to be misused and under purchased.  If they are intent on using Classcraft in a new way, I suggest keeping the classic version of Classcraft around for current users.

This decision is deeply concerning for educators who rely on this tool for effective teaching and learning. Over these six years of usage, I've created an extensive amount of content tailored specifically for this platform - quest lines, boss fights, physical manipulatives - all designed to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes.

I am not alone in this struggle; there are countless other educators out there who stand with me in opposition to HMH's decision. We believe that this move will negatively impact our classrooms by removing a critical tool that fosters active learning.

We urge HMH to reconsider their decision and continue offering Classcraft in its current form – a form that empowers individual teachers like us and enriches our classrooms with engaging educational experiences. Please sign this petition if you support our cause.