Kodo Awarded GEI Seal of Endorsement for Educational Products

We are honored to announce that the Kodo Balance has earned the Global Educator Institute Seal of Endorsement, placing it among the best educational products available today!

GEI recognizes the very best in classroom-tested, teacher-approved educational products using a vigorous assessment process. Products that earn the GEI Seal of Endorsement have been subjected to an in-depth rubric that evaluates effectiveness, durability, value, and ease of use. Global Educator Institiute’s Teacher Reviewers submit their qualitative and quantitative feedback for analysis by the GEI Executive Team, which then determines whether or not the product is to be awarded a GEI Seal of Endorsement. The GEI Executive Team has more than 100 years combined teaching and administrative experience, and includes a PhD, numerous state certifications, and a nationally recognized educational consultant. Here’s what the teacher reviewers had to say about the Kodo Balance:

“The product is easy to assemble, appealing, and extremely durable. It has exceeded my expectations and is one of the only educational products I have ever come across that has endured and kept the attention of curious preschoolers… I have seen plenty of decent classroom tools but they tend to cost way more than the noted price of the Kodo Kids Balance. The design, durability and quality of the scale surpasses most products on the market today. If you like to get creative, the scale’s multi-functional design can help illustrate several other learning lessons as well.” — Selah K., TX, GEI Reviewer and Teacher

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“As soon as I got the balance out of the box, I put it in our STEM lab. I had kids asking if they could use it right away. They had a great time exploring with the washers and with other materials. They had deep conversations as to what would make the sides balance and their reasoning behind it.” — Sara C., MN, GEI Reviewer and Teacher

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“When we started the unit on measurement I put it in the middle of the room and it generated a great deal of discussion. Students discussed what they thought it could be used for and how they thought it was used. I used it in a whole group setting for a couple of days and then I put it in a center. Students used it and then would discuss what they learned. Students began to realize that you could move the cups and that it would change the outcome. It was a great starting point and I was able to scaffold the learning and deepen their knowledge of weight and the use of the scale. We used the scale everyday during our unit on measurement. Using this product allowed me to be more effective in teaching measurement to my students and allowed my students to deepen their knowledge of the material.” — Aurea J., FL, GEI Reviewer and Teacher

Getting Started with the Kodo Balance in Your Classroom:

Suggest to children that they try the balance using different items. Try placing a golf ball in the outside cup and a ping pong ball in the outside cup on the other side. What happens? Why is it so unbalanced? What does that have to do with the objects? The pegs on the balance have a relation to one another. One washer (unit) on the outside peg equals 2 washers (units) on the middle peg or four washers (units) on the inside peg. This is due to their relative distance to the center pivot point. Try it out. Yes, this is a deep concept for a four year old. Through play they will learn the basics of this relationship and will build on that knowledge with further experimentation. Note: There is a difference between balanced and level. When the balance arm comes to rest, the weight has been evenly distributed. The balance arm may not, however, be level. Think of a teeter-totter coming to rest with one side higher than other. The teeter-totter is balanced but not level. We have developed the Balance as a tool for children to play with and experience a concrete model of these concepts.