The Research-Backed Impact of Family Engagement

As any educator knows, engaged families lead to more growth. Research shows that students thrive academically and emotionally when families are authentically engaged in their children’s education.

• Students with involved families are 40% more likely to earn A grades and score higher on standardized tests (Henderson & Mapp, 2002)
• Family engagement reduces absenteeism by up to 24% (Epstein & Sheldon, 2002)
• Family involvement correlates with higher levels of student motivation and self-efficacy (Fan & Williams, 2010)

Family engagement should not be overlooked as a nice addition to have. It needs to be thought of as an essential tool for improving student growth and academic success.

Overcoming Common Engagement Barriers

Barriers in the way of strong engagement are ever present, but there are some solutions that will help overcome them.

• Language Differences: Families with limited English proficiency may feel uncomfortable or unable to participate fully.
  • Solution: Translate materials thoughtfully, use visual supports, change the reading level with AI tools, or if possible provide professional interpreters (not relying on children).
• Negative School Experiences: Many parents carry their own negative school memories with them.
  • Solution: Create positive, low-pressure initial interactions focused on relationship-building rather than academics. Grow your relationships with families just like you do in your classroom.
• Technology Access: Digital divides continue to impact many communities.
  • Solution: Provide multiple communication channels, and conduct technology access surveys. Make these low-pressure and proactive in identifying the best communication plan.
• Time Constraints: Working families, especially those with multiple jobs or non-traditional hours, may struggle to attend in-person events.
  • Solution: Offer flexible scheduling, recorded sessions or messages, and asynchronous participation options.
• Cultural Misunderstandings: Different expectations about the parent-teacher relationship can create unintended friction
  • Solution: Understand the cultural and family expectations present in your classroom and adapt approaches accordingly.

Metrics That Reflect Connected Families

Moving beyond success metrics like “newsletter open rates” or “event attendance” will pave the way to a better connection. Establishing meaningful family engagement can be measured through:

1. Frequency of Quality Two-Direction Communication
   • Frequency of family-initiated conversations
   • Depth of information exchange about student learning
   • Family comfort level in sharing concerns or asking questions
2. Willingness to Support a Home Learning Environment
   • Increased family awareness of current learning topics
   • Development of home routines that support learning
   • Family confidence in supporting learning at home
3. A Partnership for Decision-Making
   • Family participation in educational growth
   • Influence of family input on classroom practices
   • Shared goal-setting between teachers and families
4. The Sense of Community
   • Cross-family connections and support networks
   • Family-to-family mentorship opportunities
   • Collective problem-solving among school community members

Moving Beyond the Newsletter

As we challenge ourselves to explore why educators should move to deeper and more meaningful connections, consider these starting points:

• Host in person, or virtual “coffee chats” where families can connect informally with teachers and each other
• Create interactive learning experiences where students can easily share their work with families
• Develop personalized communication plans based on family’s preferences and needs
• Establish regular feedback loops to continuously improve engagement systems
• Build authentic relationships before focusing on academic content or expectations

Remember that effective family engagement isn’t about adding more to educators’ already full plates. It’s about transforming how we approach our communication and partnership with families to create more meaningful, impactful connections.

Next week: “The Psychology of Student Engagement and What Really Works”

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How Families Can Impact Reading Motivation

Lets start by doing some quick visioning: a student who not only reads at school but comes home to a family that’s excited to dive into books together. This atmosphere is primed for this student to flourish while reading, right? When families get involved in reading, amazing things happen. Students don’t just read more, they learn to love reading. And let’s be honest, that’s what we are really all aiming for. When students come home to a supportive reading environment, they benefit from many things:

• They become more confident readers when they practice both at school and home
• They pick up new words naturally through conversations about stories
• Reading together creates precious bonding moments between children and parents
• Students start seeing themselves as readers, not just students who have to read

Making It Work (Without Adding Stress!)

It is common knowledge that not every student has the privilege of coming home to environments like these. The home lives of students are often very different from the environments they experience at school. So how do we build partnerships with all families? Here we will outline some practical ideas and next steps for you to launch your family partnerships to boost students’ growth.

1. 
   Meet Families Where They Are – Every family is unique, and that’s what makes your learning communities so special. Some families might read bedtime stories every night, while others might share audiobooks during their daily commute. There is no one size fits all. The key is finding what works for your families and supporting it.
2. Keep Support Ideas Simple – The best reading partnerships don’t need complicated plans or countless materials, start with what is around you. Encourage families to share reading moments while eating breakfast (cereal boxes count too!). Listen to a book together on YouTube while in the car. Make your ideas fun, approachable, and no pressure.
3. Share Wins with Families – A large portion of the motivation to try these ideas is to see that they are actually working.  Being transparent about what is happening in the classroom (both good and bad) will paint an accurate picture for families. This picture is the blueprint for the support needed at home.
4. Equip your Families – Your at home partners are not teachers, so help them know what to do. Give them suggestions for what types of books motivate their child. Sharing simple strategies and tips to make reading more exciting, fun voices are always a hit. Celebrate ALL types of reading from comics to classics. Build these lines of communication open and judgement-free.
5. Share What Success Really Looks Like – Success isn’t just about test scores and reading levels (even though these are important). It’s about students reading unprompted. It’s about families enjoying reading together. It’s about kids recommending books to their friends to read. It’s about reading being an enjoyable thing in their life.

A Bright Future of Readers

Creating strong family reading partnerships isn’t just about improving reading skills. It’s about building lifelong readers while strengthening family bonds. Every time a family member sits down to read with a child, they’re not just helping with literacy; they’re creating memories and habits that will last a lifetime.

Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach. The best partnerships grow naturally when we support each other and keep our focus on what matters most, helping our students become confident, successful readers.

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Imagine the moment a young learner unlocks a new skill. Not just any skill, but one that will enhance their ability to communicate and understand the world around them. The joy and confidence that shine through as young students become skilled, critical, and fluent readers motivate and inspire early elementary educators all around the world. By leveraging the Science of Reading in elementary classroom, we can create literacy experiences that empower every student to discover the joy of learning.

What is the Science of Reading

The national conversation on the Science of Reading has spotlighted a comprehensive body of research from educational researchers, cognitive scientists, linguists, speech and language pathologists, and teacher researchers on how best to support early literacy. While this body of research continues to grow, it has identified several key areas that, when explicitly and systematically taught, can support students as they develop these 5 essential literacy skills: phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension.

1. Phonemic Awareness

Phonemic awareness is the oral and auditory ability to identify and manipulate individual sounds (phonemes) in spoken language or words. Many students enter school thinking of words as whole units. To begin their literacy development, students must understand that each word can be broken down into smaller units. Supporting a child’s understanding of phonemic awareness helps them realize that each word is made up of a series of sounds. Educators can adopt various activities to support phonemic awareness instruction. These may include alliteration exercises, where students orally create silly sentences or lists within a certain theme using words that start with the same sound. Oddity tasks with picture cards can help students identify similarities and differences between sounds in the context of words. Phonemic manipulation activities such as correcting intentional errors in stories or solving rhyming riddles challenge students to play with sounds in words. These activities can help make phonemic awareness instruction fun and effective, laying a strong foundation for students’ literacy journeys.

2. Phonics

Once students understand that words are made up of individual sounds, we can begin helping them develop their knowledge of sound-spelling relationships to help them decode words. Phonics instruction teaches students the relationship between sounds (phonemes) and written letters or spellings (graphemes) and how to use this knowledge to read and spell words. Impactful phonics instruction includes a purposeful scope and sequence from high-utility to low-utility sound-spelling patterns, blending activities, dictation opportunities, word awareness activities, explicit instruction on high-frequency words, and access to controlled and/or decodable texts that focus on specific sound-spelling patterns. By systematically implementing these strategies and building in recursive review opportunities, educators can continue to build upon their students’ literacy foundations.

3. Vocabulary

Educators can seamlessly integrate phonics instruction with intentional vocabulary development to create a rich language learning environment that supports word recognition and understanding. Vocabulary instruction involves exposing students to new words in meaningful contexts. For example, alphabet books or letter books can serve a dual purpose; in addition to reinforcing alphabet recognition, they also can serve as excellent resources for vocabulary discussions and expansion. For Multilingual Learners (MLLs) to really know a word, it is important to explicitly focus on three key aspects: the word’s meaning, the word’s sounds and spelling, and the context in how the word is used. Activities such as word sorting and contextual guessing games can further enhance this integrated approach.

4. Fluency

As students become more proficient in applying complex phonics skills to recognize words effortlessly while expanding their vocabulary, they free up more cognitive resources for fluency and comprehension. Fluency is the ability to read connected text accurately with appropriate speed and expression. Fluent readers can focus on the meaning of texts rather than focus on decoding individual words. Modeling fluent reading (such as through read-alouds) is a powerful way to foster students’ fluency. Additionally, educators can integrate fun repeated reading opportunities such as echo reading, partner reading, choral reading, reading to a stuffie, or reader’s theater. These activities, especially combined with controlled or leveled texts, provide students with multiple engaging opportunities to strengthen their fluency in a supportive and fun environment.

5. Comprehension

Research consistently demonstrates a strong connection between reading fluency and reading comprehension. Comprehension, the ability to derive meaning from texts and understand what has been read or said, is the ultimate goal of literacy instruction. As students become more fluent readers, they can devote more mental energy to making meaning of new vocabulary or complex texts. To support students’ reading comprehension, educators can teach and model various strategies such as visualizing the text, making predictions, asking questions, monitoring your understanding, making connections, inferring, retelling, and summarizing. These strategies encourage students to become more active, thoughtful readers who can critically respond to diverse texts. Moreover, it is also important to provide students with opportunities to write about their reading. Incorporating writing activities that connect to their reading comprehension work creates a synergistic relationship between reading and writing skills.

In Summary

By consistently incorporating activities that support phonemic awareness, phonics, vocabulary, fluency, and comprehension, educators can create a more holistic literacy experience for their students. The Science of Reading conversation reminds us of the interconnected nature of literacy development, recognizing that progress in one area often supports growth in others. This integrated approach, coupled with early intervention, continuous review and practice opportunities, and ongoing progress monitoring will help ensure that educators can continue to target their instruction to best meet their diverse students’ needs.

References

Blevins, W. (2017). A fresh look at phonics: Common causes of failure and 7 ingredients for success. Corwin.

Burkins, J., & Yates, K. (2021). Shifting the balance: 6 ways to bring the science of reading into the blanched literacy classroom. Stenhouse.

Duke, N. K., Ward, A. E., & Pearson, P. D. (2021). The science of reading comprehension instruction. The Reading Teacher, 74(6), 663-672. https://doi.org/10.1002/trtr.1993

Foorman, B.R., Chen, D. T., Carlson, C., Moats, L., Francis, D.J., & Fletcher, J.M. (2003). Necessity of the alphabetic principle to phonemic awareness instruction. Reading and Writing, 16, 289–324.

McBreen, M., & Savage, R. (2020). The impact of motivational reading instruction on the reading achievement and motivation of students: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Educational Psychology Review. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-020-09584-4

Petscher, Y., Cabell, S. Q., Catts, H. W., Compton, D. L., Foorman, B. R., Hart, S. A., Lonigan, C. J., Phillips, B. M., Schatschneider, C., Steacy, L. M., Terry, N. P., & Wagner, R. K. (2020). How the Science of Reading Informs 21st-Century Education. Reading Research Quarterly, 55(Suppl 1), S267–S282. https://doi.org/10.1002/rrq.352

Saha, N. (2022, December 14.) The Science Behind Decodable Books. Metametrics, Inc. https://metametricsinc.com/the-science-behind-decodable-books/

Suggate, S. P. (2016). A meta-analysis of the long-term effects of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, and reading comprehension interventions. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 49(1), 77-96.

The post Unlocking Literacy Success with the Science of Reading appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

Understanding Reading Anxiety

Reading anxiety manifests differently in each student, but understanding its common signs and triggers can help educators reduce and prevent anxiety to getting worse or even coming up all together.

Common signs of reading anxiety include in school or at home include:

• Physical symptoms like stomach aches or headaches before reading activities
• Avoidance behaviors such as bathroom breaks during reading time
• Emotional responses like crying or becoming withdrawn when asked to read
• Negative self-talk about reading abilities
• Resistance to reading activities, even at appropriate skill levels

These signs can be caused by:

• Previous negative experiences with reading
• Fear of judgment from peers or teachers
• Perfectionism and fear of making mistakes
• Learning differences that haven’t been properly addressed
• Language barriers or cultural factors affecting confidence

How to Reduce Reading Anxiety

There are strategies that educators can implement to help student with reading anxiety. Each of these strategies can happen in classrooms, small groups, or even at home to help reframe and reduce and overcome reading anxiety.

When the Student Feels Anxiety or is Showing Signs of Feeling Anxiety:

• Implement a “pause and breathe” technique before reading sessions
• Use partner reading or small group reading to share when reading aloud
• Allow students to pre-read materials privately without missing on content
• Provide reading aids like tracking tools or colored overlays
• Create a signal system and support network for students when they need help

Classroom Culture and Environmental Adjustments:

• Establish clear rules during reading activities to reduce additional comments
• Create private reading spaces where students can practice
• Use small group instruction instead of whole-class reading
• Provide choice in reading materials and participation methods
• Celebrate effort and progress rather than perfection

How to Prevent Reading Anxiety

Prevention is often more effective than intervention. Being proactive in education is kep to keeping and building confidence in any skill. Here are some proven strategies to build student confidence:

Building a Safe and Supportive Environment:

• Use community-building activities to establish trust
• Create a classroom culture that normalizes making and learning from mistakes
• Develop a growth mindset vocabulary around challenges
• Establish regular check-ins to discuss reading feelings and concerns
• Implement peer support systems that foster collaboration rather than competition

Long-term Prevention Strategies:

• Provide regular opportunities for private reading practice
• Teach specific strategies for handling difficult words or passages
• Build a classroom library that includes diverse reading levels and interests
• Use technology tools that allow for independent practice
• Create individual reading goals that focus on personal growth

Moving Forward

The key to addressing reading anxiety lies in creating an environment where students feel safe, supported, and capable of growth. These environments span beyond classrooms into homes, afterschool care, and even social spaces. By understanding the nature of reading anxiety, implementing immediate relief strategies, and working on prevention, educators can help students develop both the skills and confidence needed for reading success.

Remember that addressing reading anxiety is an ongoing process that requires patience, consistency, and flexibility. Each student’s journey will be different, but with the right support system in place, every student can develop a healthier relationship with reading. By focusing on these three key areas: understanding, reduction, and prevention of reading anxiety, educators can create a more inclusive and supportive reading environment where all students can thrive.

The post Building Student Confidence Through Safe, Student Friendly Reading Spaces appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

Our Mission Turn Reading from a Chore into an Adventure

As educators, we have the power to transform reading from a mundane task into an exciting journey of discovery. These five research-backed strategies will empower your students to become confident, passionate readers.

1. Sound Detectives Master Phonemic Awareness

Phonemic awareness is the critical foundation of reading success. It’s about helping students develop the ability to hear, identify, and manipulate individual sounds in words. By turning sound recognition into an engaging, playful experience, we transform a technical skill into an exciting exploration.

Strategy Aligned Challenge: Turn sound learning into a classroom mission

• Transform phonemic awareness into a game
• Use interactive activities like “Sound Spy”
• Clap out syllables, play rhyming games
• Help students crack the reading code through playful sound exploration

2. Phonics Power Build a Solid Reading Foundation

Phonics instruction is the bridge between recognizing sounds and reading words. A systematic approach helps students understand how letters work together to create meaning. By providing structured, explicit instruction, we give students the tools to decode words confidently and independently.

Strategy Aligned Challenge: Implement a systematic phonics approach

• Introduce letter-sound relationships strategically
• Use decodable books that reinforce phonics skills
• Create a structured path to reading confidence
• Systematically build word-decoding abilities

3. Vocabulary Expeditions Expand Word Horizons

Vocabulary is the gateway to comprehension. The more words students know, the deeper their understanding of texts becomes. Rich vocabulary development goes beyond memorization—it’s about connecting words to experiences, creating context, and helping students express themselves more precisely.

Strategy Aligned Challenge: Launch vocabulary-building adventures

• Read high-quality books aloud
• Engage in meaningful word discussions
• Use visual aids to introduce new vocabulary
• Encourage storytelling that naturally expands vocabulary

4. Fluency Fuel Read with Confidence and Expression

Reading fluency is more than speed—it’s about reading with understanding, expression, and enthusiasm. When students read smoothly and confidently, they can focus on comprehension rather than struggling with individual words. Fluency transforms reading from a mechanical task to an enjoyable, expressive experience.

Strategy Aligned Challenge: Make fluency practice exciting

• Implement paired reading techniques
• Use reader’s theater to boost expression
• Encourage rereading of familiar passages
• Transform fluency from a skill to a performance art

5. Comprehension Detectives Unlock Deeper Understanding

Comprehension is the ultimate goal of reading. It’s not just about recognizing words, but understanding, interpreting, and connecting with the text. By teaching active reading strategies, we help students become critical thinkers who can navigate complex texts and draw meaningful insights.

Strategy Aligned Challenge: Turn reading into an investigative experience

• Teach active reading strategies
• Create comprehension bookmarks with guiding questions
• Practice summarizing, predicting, and connecting
• Encourage visualization of story worlds

The Big Takeaway

This isn’t just about reading, it’s about opening doors to infinite possibilities. Every strategy you implement brings students closer to becoming lifelong learners.

Final Challenge This Literacy Month, let’s celebrate the magic of reading. Every small step brings students closer to becoming confident, passionate readers. Together, we can turn reading from a challenge into a thrilling journey of discovery!

Did You Know?

Seesaw has an Early Literacy curriculum that is a powerhouse of literacy innovation? With over 600 lessons for PreK-2 students, it’s an ESSA Tier IV evidence-based intervention that transforms literacy learning. The curriculum offers unique features like student voice recording for fluency practice, flexible lesson formats in both English and Spanish, and tools that allow teachers to differentiate instruction with ease. Our approach combines joyful engagement with research-backed strategies, making foundational reading skills both accessible and exciting for young learners.

Check it out today here!

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Highlights That Made This Year’s BETT Truly Special

• First, we announced that we’ve began work on localized versions of Seesaw in British English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Arabic! This has been one of our most requested features, and seeing educators’ faces light up when they discovered they will be able to use Seesaw in their preferred language was absolutely priceless.
• One of our biggest announcements was our work on our Early Literacy curriculum. We have launched an American English version of our Early Literacy curriculum with plans to expand to British English. We know how important it is to support early readers with content that matches their learning environment. Educator feedback has been instrumental in shaping this development!
• Our Community Lesson Library also got a major upgrade! We’ve added collections in Spanish, French, Portuguese, and Arabic, making it easier than ever for educators to find and use ready-to-teach resources that work for their classrooms.
• We’re also excited to announce new partnerships with AWS, Wonde, and D2L. These collaborations will help make Seesaw work even better with the other tools you use every day.

The Excitement Continues

While at the conference, we were honored to have been named a finalist in the “Primary – Digital Learning Product – Wider Curriculum” category at the BETT Awards!

The conversations at BETT were just as exciting as our announcements. Our CEO Matt Given participated in an inspiring fireside chat about “Education Transformation in the Digital Age” on January 22nd. The next day, our Chief Product Officer Sara Romero-Heaps shared her insights on how technology can empower students during the “Technology as a Force for Good in Developing Student Agency” panel. And on January 24th, our Lead Product Manager Daniel Mrdjenovich gave an informative talk about developing products that support research-backed educational practices during the “ISTE Sealholder Profile” session.

Being at BETT reminded us why we do what we do – seeing educators light up when they discover new ways to engage their students and hearing your stories about how Seesaw helps keep everyone connected is what drives us forward. We’re more committed than ever to creating innovative, inclusive, and localized solutions that work for educators and learners worldwide. We hope you enjoyed these highlights that made this year’s BETT truly special!

Want to see more? Check out the official BETT 2025 Day 3 Highlights video for a glimpse of all the excitement!

Stay tuned for more updates – we’ve got lots of exciting things planned for 2025!

The post Our Amazing Week at BETT UK 2025! appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

Gina’s Story

Gina began her career as a classroom teacher. Her delight in being around children drew her to this student-centered career. The joy and happiness that comes with witnessing student lightbulb moments reinvigorate a spark in her that fuels her desire to help each and every child become their best selves through personalized learning.

Gina always enjoyed using technology in her classroom and knew the power that purposeful use of tech can have for student achievement. “I’ve always been kind of an ed tech addict,” Gina shares. This knowledge prompted her to become a technology coach and help to spread this impact into other classrooms across her district through collaborative learning.

While leaving the classroom wasn’t an easy decision, Gina’s transition to coaching opened unexpected doors for educational leadership. “I used to call my classroom the wolf pack,” she reflects, “and I just feel like I have a bigger wolf pack now.” This expansion allows her to impact more students, teachers, and families than ever before through meaningful family engagement and set her on a mission to help teachers connect schools and parents.

The Family Engagement Catalyst

Gina first discovered Seesaw in 2017 as a digital learning platform focused on parent-school communication. The app was new to her and was interesting because of how student friendly it was. After giving it a quick try at home, she realized the immense power this tool will have in her district for family-school partnerships. Her priority was to ensure that tools used not only made an impact on the evidence-based instruction happening in schools, but encouraged deeper family engagement and parental involvement. Seesaw does that and much more!

Gina strives to make daily connections in her classrooms through two-way communication. Moments like this build a strong home-school connection. Gina reflects on Seesaw’s real power in its ability to strengthen family-teacher relationships. “My favorite thing is building relationships daily,” she explains. “It was just so powerful to see how kids’ eyes would light up when they would get a message from somebody at home,” demonstrating true family engagement in learning.

The platform has revolutionized her district’s parent communication plan. It has made a shift from reactive communication to proactive family outreach and prevention. “Parents really trusted us,” Gina reflects. “The school-family communication that we have with our parents is so meaningful. Best of all, it doesn’t take away from my teaching, it actually adds to our instructional effectiveness.”

Unlocked Engagement Strategies

1. Real-time Progress Sharing
2. Proactive Communication
3. Multi-Channel Engagement
4. Comprehensive School Communication
5. Enhanced Parent-Teacher Conferences
6. Student-Led Learning Documentation

This impact is clearly evident during parent-teacher partnerships, which Gina describes as “a joy.” Since parents can see their child’s academic progress in real-time through Seesaw, conferences have now become opportunities for deeper conversations about student growth and developmental milestones rather than just academic updates.

One of Gina’s proudest coaching moments showcases how Seesaw can enhance project-based learning with ease. She worked with second-grade teachers to create interactive inventor cards using Seesaw. Students researched inventors and became teachers, presenting their work to fifth-grade buddies with the help of QR codes. This project empowered students to own the entire learning process and deepen their understanding by becoming the teacher, while engaging families in the learning journey.

Looking Forward

Gina’s district continues to expand its use of educational technology, focusing on increasing family participation and community engagement. They’ve adopted a comprehensive approach to school-community partnerships, ensuring everyone from nurses to art teachers can easily share updates and celebrate student achievements through Seesaw. This wrap-around communication strategy ensures no moment of student success goes unnoticed or unshared with their extended learning community.

“It’s all about that authentic audience,” Gina concludes, “knowing that their work matters and that they have the power to teach others.” From simplifying parent-school collaboration to facilitating district-wide communication, Seesaw has become an integral part of Gina’s educational ecosystem. It’s not just a platform – it’s a partner in growth, innovation, and family-school community building. If you are interested in hearing more, the Learning Loop podcast episode from Gina gives you the full story. Tune in below!

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Here are 10 ways Seesaw can support your students IEP and 504 accommodations:

1. Private Notes for Teachers

Seesaw includes a private note feature on each activity, allowing teachers to write or record observations in real time. These notes are visible only to the teacher or co-teachers and can be referenced or shared during IEP meetings to track student progress.

2. Organized Folders for Evidence of Learning

Teachers can use folders to collect and organize evidence of learning, showcasing individual student growth and progress toward goals. Private folders are also available, visible only to teachers and co-teachers, providing a secure space for sensitive documentation.

3. Customizable Assignments

Seesaw enables teachers to assign activities to individuals, student groups, or the entire class. This flexibility supports differentiated instruction by aligning activities with specific accommodations or group needs.

4. Documenting Non-Verbal Communication

Teachers can capture photos or videos of non-verbal students to showcase their development and growth and include these in their digital portfolios. This provides families with a clear understanding of their child’s progress in a way that traditional methods might not.

5. Editable Activities for Individual Needs

Every Seesaw activity can be edited and adjusted to meet the unique needs of individual students. This ensures that all learners have equitable access to the curriculum.

6. Audio Directions Available in Multiple Languages, Multiple Times

Students can listen to audio instructions as many times as they need, with options available in English and Spanish. This helps ensure that directions are clear and accessible for all learners.

7. Support Through Visuals and Modeling

Seesaw offers written directions, visual aids, and modeling tools that help students understand and access content. Assessment and reflection templates also guide students in using the platform’s tools effectively.

8. Multimodal Tools for Demonstrating Learning

Seesaw’s multimodal tools allow students to demonstrate their learning in various ways. Non-verbal students can draw, while those with motor skill challenges can record their voice. This ensures every student can express their understanding.

9. Focus Mode for Reduced Distractions

“Focus Mode” reduces the number of choices a student can select, helping to minimize stress and distractions. This is particularly beneficial for students who need a simplified interface to stay on task.

10. Practice Mode with Real-Time Feedback

Seesaw’s “Practice Mode” gives students a safe space to practice and receive real-time feedback without requiring direct teacher involvement. This builds confidence and independence.

Seesaw Keeps Families in the Loop All Year Long

Seesaw fosters ongoing family engagement through its two-way communication features, which include text translations in over 100 languages. This enables families to stay informed about their child’s progress and see how accommodations are being met year round.

By leveraging these features, Seesaw helps create an inclusive learning environment where all students can thrive. Teachers, families, and support staff can work together seamlessly, ensuring that students receive the personalized support they need to succeed.

The post 10 Ways Seesaw Can Support IEP and 504 Accommodations appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

Where It Started

Denise’s journey to become a junior kindergarten teacher was shaped from her upbringing. Denise grew up in a small town. In this small town, her mother ran a daycare out of their home. She was always surrounded by children and enjoyed their presence. As she grew, she naturally fell into a role as the leader. She was the oldest daughter and oldest grandchild within her family.

Denise always loved school regardless of how old she was. She also knew she enjoyed working with children. But she wasn’t sure exactly how these two worlds would come together when she went to university but she knew they were what she enjoys most. Her initial major was in physical education. She quickly learned that this was not the direction she wanted to go and shifted to early childhood where her true passion lied. Denise knew that the joy she experienced while around children combined with her love of school would propel her to becoming a great early childhood educator.

Flash forward to today, where Denise has been an international teacher for over ten years. Having designed and delivered innovative curricula and created play-based learning environments for young learners, she is an established leader in this space. “I find it really powerful to learn through play,” Mouton explains. “I find the children are so excited to be at school, and it’s a real honor to be a child’s first teacher.” Her teaching approach has been a clear model for the importance of engaging young learners and creating meaningful educational experiences.

Finding the Balance with Technology

The importance of purposeful use of technology was fundamental for Denise. Digital tools aren’t just entertainment in her classroom, they are tools for learning. “The iPad and Seesaw are not for playing,” she emphasizes. “It’s a tool that shares what they’re doing at school with their families.” This mindset comes from years of testing and trying different tools before landing on Seesaw.

Through her years as an educator, she has needed to find tools that fit her classroom needs. Three and four year olds are busy bodies who have rapid foundational skill development growth. For Denise, having a tool to capture this crucial stage of learning is essential, and she relies on Seesaw to do that. Often, she sits with a child to record their thoughts, capturing moments of growth and discovery. “We look back through their journal and think about the way they could color then versus now, the words they could write, and even the friendships they had or how they were playing,” Denise shared.

Capturing these moments is important for teachers. A number of stakeholders in the lives of children do not get to see all the learning that is occurring firsthand. Seesaw provides a unique connection to the classroom and transparent access to learning. Families can not only hear their child’s reflections but also support teachers with reporting and tracking progress at home. This makes Seesaw an irreplaceable tool for both skill-building and efficient classroom management.

Deeper Impact

In her tenure as a junior kindergarten teacher, Denise has found Seesaw to be a powerful partner. One particularly powerful example illustrates the potential for classrooms. Denise had a shy student who was nonverbal at school but talkative at home found her voice through Seesaw’s voice recording feature. She met with the family and discussed how they can work together to help this child. They worked together by allowing the student to record voice notes at home and gradually building her confidence, Denise witnessed a remarkable transformation. From starting with just a whisper in her classroom to not full participation, the purposeful scaffolds, started in Seesaw, paved the way for this child to find success.

Seesaw has also had an impact on Denise as a professional educator. During the pandemic, she became her school’s online learning expert, leveraging Seesaw to maintain educational excellence. Her dedication led her to pursue professional development opportunities from Seesaw and ultimately begin a Master’s in Educational Technology. “Through technology and learning with Seesaw it’s pushed me to want to learn more,” Mouton reflects.

Denise’s journey as an educator exemplifies the balance of fostering meaningful connections and leveraging technology to enhance learning. Her thoughtful integration of Seesaw showcases the power of technology to connect students, teachers, and families while emphasizing growth for all. From capturing children’s milestones to helping them find their voice, Denise’s classroom is a testament to the power of purposeful innovation.

Her story also reminds us that the most impactful educators never stop learning. By embracing new tools, methodologies, and professional development, Denise continues to evolve, inspiring others to reimagine what early childhood education can achieve. For those curious to dive deeper, the Learning Loop podcast episode offers an in-depth look into Denise’s approach, sparking ideas for educators seeking to transform their own classrooms.

The post Revealing The Power Of Reflection In Early Childhood Learning appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

A Late-Blooming Passion

Diane’s journey into education wasn’t traditional. As she shared in a recent podcast interview, “I actually started my education journey later in life. My boys were in kindergarten and fourth grade when I started.” She was working as a bank teller and had an unfulfilled feeling. She was called to education from a dive to be a strong positive role model for her children.

Her journey to education was motivated by a profound realization: “I saw the way they looked up to their teachers and I saw the way they enjoyed learning.” This insight prompted her to quit her job at the bank and pursue education. She began her career as a kindergarten teacher finding joy in play and hands-on learning. She continued to invest in STEM education eventually becoming her school’s STEM lab specialist.

During her journey, she continued to use technology. While scrolling through Twitter one evening, Diane discovered Seesaw, the digital platform that would become instrumental in her professional growth. She quickly tried this tool on her own and implemented it into her classroom. Within just two weeks of implementation, 90% of her parents were actively engaging with the tool. As she candidly describes, “It’s all in one place. I’m not trying to sell anybody, but I don’t know why anybody would use other things.”

Transforming a Classroom

In her STEM lab, Seesaw became more than just a communication tool. It became a platform for capturing learning in its most authentic form. The built in multimedia tools allow every student to share their understanding in a way that fits them best. One of her favorite projects illustrates this perfectly – a limestone cave model where students used sugar cubes and clay to demonstrate erosion.

“The kids take pictures and a final video as they are making it rain and showing how it is eroding the rock,” Diane explains. “Because we can take pictures and video and integrate it all in Seesaw, the teachers and parents can see that they fully understand it before we even go on our field trip.”

Diane focuses on teaching resilience and creativity. “Getting these kids to recognize that failure is okay… getting them to think of multiple ways to come up with an answer is a big deal,” she emphasizes. Seesaw is the perfect tool to build a growth mindset in children. The multiple ways that students can share their understanding intuitively leads to their not being one way to answer the question.

Perhaps most importantly, Seesaw gave Diane confidence. From initially being ostracized from colleagues when suggesting the tool, she had to prove its value. “Probably about 18 out of 20 parents in my classroom were on board with it and they really liked it,” she recalls. This portion of parents were far higher than the current methods being used and was a selling point for her coworkers.

Transforming a Career

The tool didn’t just transform her classroom, it expanded her professional horizons. “Seesaw has really given me confidence,” she says. It enabled her to speak at state and national conferences, connect with educators, and share innovative teaching strategies. These opportunities would not have been possible without Seesaw.

Diane’s story illustrates how the right educational technology tool can transform any classroom. It’s more than just choosing and using a tool, it’s about creating connections, building confidence, and continually evolving as an educator.

As Diane herself puts it, “We learn by talking to different people and sharing ideas.” Her journey with Seesaw proves that embracing educational technology can open doors to unexpected opportunities and discover profound professional growth.

To hear more about Diane’s success with Seesaw, tune into her podcast episode here.

The post The Tool That Transforms Teaching Careers appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

Seesaw Instruction & Insights 

Exclusive Updates

What is my Seesaw subscription plan type?

Updated December 2, 2024

Focus Mode Update – Disable Individual Drawing Tools

You asked, and we listened! Provide students with even more guidance in Focus Mode by selecting which drawing tools students are available to students.

Admin Learning Insights Dashboard

Equip instructional leaders with deep learning insights to make data-driven decisions. Monitor how students are performing on standards and gain visibility into what standards are being taught using Seesaw. 

Video Tutorial ->

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School & District Library Collections

School and District Library Collections will allow admins to bring their scope and sequence into Seesaw, helping them customize their use of Seesaw to align with their school and district initiatives. Teachers can browse the curated collections in a space they already utilize, helping save valuable time!

Tutorial Video ->

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Read-with-Me

The Read-with-Me scaffolding tool supports emerging readers with passages that can be read aloud to them with word-by-word highlighting, allowing them to make powerful connections between written and spoken word.

Tutorial Video  ->

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Reading Fluency Assessment Tool

The Reading Fluency Assessment Tool allows teachers to quickly understand student progress on literacy skills like word identification and reading fluency. The tool collects and automatically analyzes student reading samples and provides at-a-glance, actionable reporting to teachers. 

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Free Response Assessment Type

The Free Response Assessment Type adds additional flexibility to Seesaw assessments by allowing teachers to collect open text responses to formative assessment questions. The tool allows for manual grading and autograding and provides aggregated response data in reporting.

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Focus Mode 

Focus Mode makes any activity align to the developmental level of the students completing it by helping to minimize distractions and ensuring students respond in the appropriate and desired formats.

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Flexcard

Flexcard expands the way teachers engage with students! Flexcard offers more customizability and variability in activities to meet the unique needs of your classroom. Flexcards can contain text images and voice, or a combination on each side with up to 30 sides. 

Tutorial Video  ->

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Seesaw for Schools Updates

*All Seesaw for Schools updates are included in Seesaw Instruction & Insights

What is my Seesaw subscription plan type?

Updated December 2, 2024

Creative Tool Enhancements 

You asked, we listened! Creating new activities is easier than ever with the ability to select multiple objects at once and move, scale, apply styling, and bulk lock/unlock on the creative canvas.

 

Activity Templates 

Save time creating new activities with simple reflection and assessment templates in the custom activity creation flow.

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Quarterly Digital Portfolio Activity Templates

Guide students to showcase their learning with ready-to-assign templates, perfect for conferences!

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Admin Engagement Dashboard

Gain deeper insights into how students, teachers and families are engaging on Seesaw. 

Get visibility into teacher and student activity on the platform, number of activities assigned, how many families are logging in, and more! 

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Sitewide Standards

Sitewide Standards allows schools and districts to localize to their state/region standard sets. This saves teachers time and makes all places within Seesaw easier to use and more personalized.

Assigning and Grading Against Standards Tutorial  ->

Standards view on the Progress Dashboard Tutorial  ->

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The post What’s New in Seesaw appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

Tamara’s Story

From the beginning, Tamara knew she wanted to be an educator. She realized this in just sixth grade. Her teacher, Mrs. Dalton, had a creative way of engaging students. “When you walked into her classroom, she transformed education and transformed her learning and instruction to be something that is written about in magical stories,” Tamara recalls. Mrs. Dalton’s creative approach, from the inflatable “writing bubble” in the back of the classroom to the way she wove storytelling into her lessons, ignited a passion in Tamara that would define her own teaching career.

From this joyful start, Tamara has now been an educator for over 28 years. Furthurmore, working in multiple states and even teaching in the same district that she attended as a child. The magic she experienced in Mrs. Dalton’s class has fueled her through this journey. She always seeks to make learning more engaging and impactful for her students.

Tamara has been using Seesaw for years to recreate the creativity and storytelling that inspired her as a student. “It’s not even like a digital worksheet. Students can layer so many different things on an activity that they complete. It’s instantaneous accessable for the teacher, for families,” Tamara explains.

The power of Seesaw’s various multimedia features gives Tamara everything she needs to truly showcase authentic learning. Naturally, this is where the magic happens. “Students get to hear their own voice, they get to see value in what they’re sharing with other people and being able to explain their learning, know their thinking, thinking aloud and that visible learning.“

The impact that Seesaw has had extends beyond students. Tamara has seen how the platform has empowered teachers as well and experienced that firsthand. The ease of use for creating activities has been an absolute game-changer for her as an instructional leader. “What we’re doing in our own district is just tweaking a little bit from what someone else might do in a different district. You know, we’re still taking our state standards, but we know our kids best and we know how to differentiate for them. And sometimes we just need something that’s just close to what we need.“

With Seesaw by her side, Tamara can quickly adapt and personalize instruction to meet the unique needs of her students. This flexibility allows her to be more creative and innovative in her teaching. It enabled her to go beyond lesson planning and removing barriers for students.

The benefits that Seesaw provides Tamara don’t stop there. Tamara was surprised at how quickly feedback and communication with the platform led to actual change. “Being able to provide live, instant feedback for students as part of that activity. It was a game-changer for me because I could see right away the impact it had on students. They realized they weren’t just doing this random activity in a station to be sitting in a turn in a box. Two, that somebody was really looking at it, now, giving students the feedback to make it better.“

Through out it all, Seesaw has been a cornerstone for building a strong home-to-school connection for Tamara. “When the student turns in an activity, their parent gets it right there on their phone, and the parent can also leave feedback depending on how you have your settings set up. They’re listening to the audio feedback that their parents are giving them or that you, the teacher, is giving them.“

The Impact of Seesaw

In summary, the benefits that Seesaw has provided Tamara have been nothing but unexpected. The ease of feedback, the family engagement, and the ability to ensure that every student feels empowered and in a creative environment that she has envisioned since her time in Mrs. Dalton’s classroom. Without a doubt, her dedication to bringing a sense of wonder and empowerment to her students through Seesaw is undeniable. Impressed by the platform’s capabilities, Tamara sharing her insights with fellow educators across the world. She is truly helping to shape the future of education with Seesaw by her side.

From the inspiring creativity of Mrs. Dalton’s classroom to her current role as a technology coach, Tamara Letter’s story exemplifies how Seesaw can help recreate those transformative teaching moments that shape students’ lives. She has found a powerful tool that enables immediate feedback, fosters family engagement, and empowers students to express their learning in multiple ways. Her journey shows how the right educational technology, when implemented with passion and purpose, can help educators create those magical learning environments that students will remember for years to come, just as she remembered Mrs. Dalton’s innovative approach to teaching.

Check out Tamara’s podcast episode and more from the learning loop podcast here.

The post Igniting Student Creativity With the Seesaw Magic appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.