Key Topics Administrators Face Today
Hear how educators are using successful strategies while employing Seesaw in their schools and classrooms with positive results.
Seesaw Supports the Four Guiding Principles for the Use of Technology with Early Learners from the U.S. Office of Education Technology
Guiding Principle #1: Technology—when used appropriately—can be a tool for learning.
Guiding Principle #2: Technology should be used to increase access to learning opportunities for all children.
Guiding Principle #3: Technology may be used to strengthen relationships among parents, families, early educators,
and young children.
Guiding Principle #4: Technology is more effective for learning when adults and peers interact or co-view with young children.
Family Engagement & Communication
“The digital portfolios allow my students and their families to engage with the work they are doing in the classroom in real time. When I approve a child’s work, I know that I am sharing a little bit of our world with the moms, dads, grandmas, grandpas, and host of other family members who don’t get to witness the growth and learning I see each day.”
– Robbie Parsons, Gifted Programming Specialist K-5, Tennessee
“Seesaw has been an essential tool in helping my families connect with our classroom. Many of my students come from families where the parents may not live in the same house or where family members live overseas. Being able to connect those families to our classroom via Seesaw ensures they get updated information about their students and can be a part of celebrating their student’s learning successes!”
– Gina Butzow, Fourth Grade Teacher, Illinois
“When one of our parents saw that Seesaw messages were translated to their native language on their phone, it brought tears to their eyes. It was the first time they felt such a strong connection to their child’s classroom.”
– Sheila Teri, Instructional Technology Coordinator, Virginia
Student Participation & Attendance
“Teaching multilingual students, developing oracy skills is HUGE. Seesaw provides a safe space for my introverted students to record their voice. So often I have students that do not participate in class discussions but shine in their recorded assignments. Seesaw gives them the opportunity to practice using new vocabulary as well as share their understanding of the material. As a result, it builds their confidence!”
– Maria Spentzos, Sixth Grade Teacher, Illinois
“I had a student who was non-verbal and had limited mainstream instruction. The family was connected to Seesaw and although growth was slow and small Seesaw made it easy for me to catch those new moments of growth. New found language, participation, use of his iPad for communication, or even participating in an art/sensory project; Seesaw was available, and I was able to capture those moments to share with this family.”
– Courtney Cramer, Preschool Teacher, Oklahoma
“Seesaw has helped my most shy students who are reluctant to participate in class. One little girl was very shy and you could barely hear her when she talked in class. But throughout the year she started reading and sending me messages on Seesaw. By the end of the year, her confidence had grown tremendously.”
– Alyssa Rush, Second Grade Teacher, California
Student Achievement
“When another teacher comes up to me and asks, “How do you get your oral language scores so high?” My response is Seesaw! My students have mastered the voice recording button.”
– Tracy Schatz, Preschool Teacher, Washington
“I had a student who was reluctant to talk to the Speech Teacher so I recorded the student so the Speech Teacher could evaluate the student. Having her see all the student work helped her develop a connection to the student, which encouraged the student to start talking to her. Also the beginning of the year and end to the year recordings were priceless tools to show progress.”
– Gale Boucher, Preschool Teacher, California
“I love that when teachers use Seesaw to its fullest capability, then failure isn’t an option for students. They can try again until they’ve mastered the
skill. It changes the culture of the classroom and brings joy back in when kids know failure isn’t an option. All kids can succeed.”
– Tiffany Wood, Instructional Technology Specialist, Oklahoma
Teacher Support, Retention, & Positive School Culture
“One of the things I love most about Seesaw is that it allows me to stay connected with my students, even if I am not in the classroom. When I am absent, I often leave my students activities to complete in Seesaw. These activities often include videos or voice messages that I have recorded for them so that they can still feel connected to me in my absence. Using Seesaw when I am out of the classroom also takes a little pressure off of the substitute because I am still leading the instruction. My students never miss a beat!”
– Klansee Reynolds Bulmer, Second Grade Teacher, New York
“Seesaw is a game changer when it comes to delivering high-quality instruction to ALL learners. Whether students are in kindergarten or fifth grade, there are thousands of activities that meet each individual’s learning needs. Seesaw provides educators access to a wide range of standards-based assignments that align with curriculum and most importantly, are fun for students to engage with! Seesaw is unmatched when it comes to a learning platform that allows students to show their understanding of concepts.”
– Sarah Hoffman, Learning Commons Director, Illinois
“I love assessment and data in Seesaw. I love seeing inside students’ minds and analyzing their learning. Seesaw allows me to see what students are thinking through the recording features. I can track growth over the year and share this growth with students’ families. Through Seesaw activities, I can truly see my students’ learning. The best part is the random videos, pictures, or recordings that students post on Seesaw. Like when they send a special message to you, or share a little bit about their lives at home. You really get to connect with students on a deeper level.”
– Benjamin Cogswell, Kindergarten Teacher, California
Student Engagement
“Science experiments and STEAM projects have drastically improved because students can document every step of the process with pictures and videos, explain each step with the test, drawing, or recording tool, and reflect on their learning with any of the multimodal tools. Now that project doesn’t have to live at school or simply in our memories. We can keep these projects alive in their digital portfolios for families to view, interact with, and join in on the learning process.”
– Caitlin Arakawa, Third Grade Teacher, California
“Seesaw provides my students with accountability, creativity, and engagement. Seesaw meets students where they are at. The user-friendly digital platform gives my students the power to engage in their own rights as digital citizens. Students learn to receive and give positive feedback.”
– Tonya Kelly M.Ed, Fourth Grade Teacher, Ohio
“Seesaw brought months of work together with Seesaw posts and QR codes. 75+ second grade students were able to share their culture and identity through our amazing ‘LAUNCH at the Louvre’ museum. Guests came to the museum with phones and earbuds in hand to enjoy our students’ amazing creations.”
– Robin Schuhmacher, Second Grade Teacher, Colorado
Equity & Access
“Seesaw has enabled our district to reduce the impact of traditional barriers of language and poverty by making strong school to home connection possible.”
– Steve Simpson, Digital Curator, Oregon
“I have a new ESOL student this year. She speaks only Spanish. I was under the impression that she probably could not understand anything in the English language. I added an alphabet assignment for her in Seesaw to start. I sat with her, and was surprised to see that while she may not speak our language yet, she understood more than we initially thought.”
– Valentina Jackson, Technology Lab K-5, Georgia
“Seesaw’s digital student activities have revolutionized my work as a Dyslexia Therapist through individual student digital assessment responses, progress tracking, IEP Goal tracking, and collaboration across involved SpEd departments, teachers, and parents regarding IEPs. Seesaw is a SpEd game changer!”
– Pamela Hinton, Special Education Teacher, Texas