Seesaw Instruction & Insights 

Exclusive Updates

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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. 

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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!

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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.

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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. 

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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.

An effective ELD curriculum goes beyond merely teaching English; it embraces a holistic approach that addresses the comprehensive needs of multilingual learners. It integrates language development with academic content, values students’ cultural backgrounds, and ensures equitable access to educational opportunities, thus supporting students both academically and socially.

Evidence Based Tactics to Bridge the Language Gap

The strategies presented are not just for improving instruction and addressing language gaps, but also serve as a foundation for enhancing overall educational practices. As an educator, consider these tactics a springboard for developing your own innovative approaches to teaching and learning.

Creating an Inclusive Environment

Fostering a culture that celebrates diversity and encourages participation is essential for creating a welcoming classroom. An inclusive environment values each student’s unique background, promotes a sense of belonging, and invites families into the learning process. Teachers can celebrate cultural events, use diverse teaching materials, create classroom norms that respect and embrace differences, and communicate with families in their native languages and provide resources to help them support their children’s education at home. 

Providing a Language-Rich Environment

Creating an immersive English language environment supports language acquisition by providing ample opportunities for practice. Teachers can incorporate activities like read-alouds, discussions, and writing exercises to immerse students in the language throughout the day.

Implementing Comprehensive ELD Programs

Adopting structured ELD programs tailored to multilingual learners ensures that these students receive systematic and targeted instruction. Comprehensive ELD programs are designed to develop English language proficiency across all four language domains—listening, speaking, reading, and writing. They include well-defined goals, consistent instructional strategies, and materials that cater to different proficiency levels, helping students progress in their language acquisition journey.

Assess and Monitor the Progress of Multilingual Learners

Schools should assess and monitor multilingual learners’ progress through formative and summative assessments, language portfolios, and observational checklists. Formative assessments, such as quizzes and presentations, provide immediate insights, while summative assessments, like standardized tests, measure overall proficiency. Language portfolios track growth with work samples and reflections, offering a holistic view of development. Observational checklists document daily language behaviors and skills during various classroom activities. This will allow teachers to customize lessons to meet diverse proficiency levels.

Provide Collaborative Learning Opportunities

Encouraging group activities and peer interactions promotes language development in a social context. Collaborative learning allows students to practice speaking and listening skills using English. Activities such as group projects, peer tutoring, and cooperative learning tasks are effective in engaging English Learners.

Seesaw has taken these evidence-based principles and integrated them into the design of their comprehensive ELD curriculum. Let’s explore how Seesaw is leading the way in English Language Development

Leading the Way in English Language Development

At Seesaw, our journey to excellence in English Language Development (ELD) is grounded in a deep understanding of evidence-based instructional practices. We recognize that the educational landscape is evolving, with schools facing increasing demands to meet the diverse needs of students from various linguistic and cultural backgrounds.

The WIDA standards framework defines four key language uses: narrate, argue, inform, and explain. This approach has been purposefully integrated into the design of Seesaw’s ELD content. Each lesson provides opportunities for students to engage in authentic, meaningful tasks that involve reading, writing, speaking, and listening across subject areas such as English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.

Research demonstrates that content and language integrated learning can lead to enhanced language proficiency, deeper content knowledge acquisition, the promotion of critical thinking, problem-solving and analytical skills, as well as increased motivation and engagement among learners. Seesaw is committed to delivering the best possible solutions to schools, and has crafted our ELD curriculum with precision and innovation.

The Seesaw team collaborates with leading experts in the field, including Dr. Kia McDaniel, Dr. Adria Klein, Dr. Tamar Posner, Dr. Ebony Terrell Shockley, and Dr. Tahira DuPree Chase. These consultants bring decades of experience and expertise in ELD, as well as content-area specialties, to the development of our comprehensive ELD curriculum.

Research Validated English Language Development Solution

Seesaw’s supplemental curriculum is validated by LearnPlatform, a third-party edtech research company, to satisfy Level IV requirements according to Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The programs systematic evidence-based practices and developmentally appropriate design leads to easer differentiation, stronger interaction, and more purposeful assessment. Read the full report outlining how Seesaw satisfies this validation here.

Climb the Language Ladder in Your Multilingual Classroom

With the Seesaw ELD package, K-5 English Language Learners can develop their language in a comprehensive and effective way. The program offers over 480 scaffolded lessons across core content areas, enabling students to practice reading, writing, listening, and speaking English in meaningful contexts based on input from experts and aligned to the WIDA framework.

With the program’s multimodal tools, English Language Learners are able to learn, practice, and gain confidence while honoring their unique strengths and experiences in a safe and inclusive learning environment. Providing accessibility for learners at all levels of language proficiency is possible by flexibly implementing developmentally appropriate lessons in multiple ELD models.

Seesaw ELD’s comprehensive resources, including lesson plans, teacher guides, and alignment tools, enable educators to seamlessly integrate effective language instruction into their classrooms. Multilingual learners can thrive and reach their full potential when schools invest in this robust ELD curriculum.

Try out the following lessons to support your students in language development:

• Language Arts Grade 2: Language Level 1-2 
• Math Grade K: Language Level 3-4
• Science Grade 5: Language Level 5-6
• Social Studies Grade 1: Language Level 1-2
• English Language Explorers: Newcomers

The post Climbing the Language Ladder to English Proficiency appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

In recent years literacy has received even more attention from educators, public policy, and government – putting it in the spotlight for many districts.  A lot of this new attention comes from the post-pandemic effects we have seen in reading & literacy data; students are behind grade-level in this critical, foundational area. Moreover, there have been recent movements highlighting the lack of evidence backing popular reading programs. At this critical time, many schools and districts are looking into their literacy programs and looking for evidence-backed, research-based solutions for early literacy. 

Word Recognition

Word recognition is invaluable in learning to read as it enables swift and accurate identification of words, fostering fluent reading and comprehension. Proficient word recognition leads to reading fluency, allowing readers to focus on understanding the text rather than slowing down to decode individual words. Additionally, it contributes to vocabulary development by exposing readers to a diverse range of words encountered in text, promoting language enrichment. Purposeful practice of word recognition skills is more important than ever. With proficient word recognition, readers gain independence and confidence in reading, leading to increased engagement and enjoyment of reading. Overall, word recognition serves as a foundational skill that empowers readers to navigate texts with ease, unlocking the doors to enjoyment and lifelong learning. Given evidence-back strategies, educators can effectively support children’s development of phonological awareness, decoding skills, and sight word recognition–all components of word recognition–laying a strong foundation for reading success.

Strategies to Improve Students Word Recognition

Phonological Awareness:

• Rhyming: Engage children in rhyming and rhyming games where they identify words that rhyme. This helps develop their awareness of phonemes and sound patterns.
• Segmenting and Blending Sounds: Have students practice segmenting words into individual sounds and blending sounds together to form words. 
• Syllable Segmentation: Encourage children to clap or tap out the syllables in words. Start with simpler words and progress to more complex words as children develop proficiency.
• Phoneme Manipulation: Have children manipulate phonemes within words by substituting, adding, or deleting sounds.

 Decoding:

• Phonics Instruction: Provide systematic and explicit phonics instruction, teaching children the relationship between letters and sounds.
• Word Families: Teach children to recognize common word patterns or word families Have them practice decoding words within the same word family to reinforce phonics skills.
• Decodable Texts: Use decodable texts that contain phonetically regular words aligned with the phonics skills children are learning. Encourage children to apply their decoding skills while reading these texts.
• Word Building Activities: Engage children in word building activities where they manipulate letter tiles or magnetic letters to form words. Encourage them to blend the sounds together to read the words they create.

Sight Word Recognition:

• Word Walls: Create word walls with high-frequency sight words that children encounter frequently in text. Encourage children to practice reading and spelling these words regularly.
• Flashcards: Use flashcards to practice sight word recognition. Review a set of sight words daily and have children read the words aloud or spell them.
• Contextual Reading: Encourage children to identify sight words within the context of sentences or short passages. Provide opportunities for them to practice reading sight words in meaningful contexts.
• Games and Activities: Incorporate games and activities that reinforce sight word recognition, such as sight word bingo, sight word memory match, or sight word scavenger hunts.

Language Comprehension and Development

Developing language skills early is critical for academic success and lifelong achievement, serving as the foundation for literacy growth. Oral language skills such as segmenting and blending sounds are strong predictors of word reading abilities. In addition, a robust vocabulary helps children to determine meaning from written text. Achieving optimal language development depends on access and opportunities to practice verbal interactions. From adult conversations and caregiver-child exchanges to content encountered on platforms like YouTube, children are exposed to various sources as models that develop their language skills. Early literacy is the foundation of acquiring language through listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Strategies for Language Comprehension and Development:

1. Build Background Knowledge: Provide ways for students to build background knowledge through exposure to diverse texts, experiences, and discussions. Activate their prior knowledge before reading.
2. Explicitly Teach Vocabulary Instruction: Teach vocabulary explicitly and systematically, focusing on tiered vocabulary words that are essential for comprehension. Use evidence-based strategies such as semantic mapping, word webs, and context clues to deepen understanding of vocabulary words.
3. Demonstrate Language Structures: Implement structured literacy approaches that integrate phonology, syntax, and semantics, and more in a systematic and explicit manner.
4. Expose Students to Verbal Reasoning: Engage children in text-based discussions to deepen comprehension and critical thinking skills. Encourage students to ask and answer questions about the text, make inferences, make connections to their own experiences, and support their ideas with evidence from the text.
5. Broaden Students Literacy Experiences: Develop literacy knowledge by teaching concepts such as print concepts, genres, and text structures. Use scaffolded instruction to build upon children’s existing literacy knowledge and support their development as proficient readers and writers.

Early Intervention and Assessment

Early intervention and assessment ensure students growth is on track leading to long-term academic success and overall development. Identifying and addressing growth opportunities at an early age can lead to more effective outcomes and stronger interventions. Research shows that early intervention has long-term benefits for children’s academic achievement, social-emotional development, and overall well-being. 

Strategies for Implementing Early Intervention and Assessment:

1. Regularly Screen and Assess: Use evidence-based screening and assessment tools to identify ways to support students. Certain tools can assess various aspects of early literacy development, including phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.
2. Embed Observational Assessments: Conduct ongoing observations of student’s literacy behaviors and interactions with literacy materials in various contexts, such as during free play, small group activities, or reading time. Observational assessment provides valuable insights into children’s strengths, challenges, and progress in literacy development.
3. Involve Parents or Caregivers: Engage parents and caregivers in the assessment process by providing information about early literacy milestones, offering opportunities for parent-teacher conferences, and encouraging home-based literacy activities. Collaborating with families ensures a holistic approach to supporting children’s literacy development.
4. Progress Monitor: Implement ongoing progress monitoring to assess student growth and determine the effectiveness of interventions. Use formative assessments, such as curriculum-based measurements, to track students’ progress over time and make data-informed instructional decisions.

Teacher Friendly, Research Validated Early Literacy Solution

Seesaw’s supplemental curriculum is validated by LearnPlatform, a third-party edtech research company, to satisfy Level IV requirements according to Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The programs systematic evidence-based practices and explicit instruction of phonological and phonemic awareness, phonics, oral reading fluency, vocabulary, and reading comprehension align with research-based practices to accomplish this task. Read the full report outlining how Seesaw satisfies this validation here.

Say Hello to Seesaw

Seesaw provides evidence-based early literacy content that can be implemented flexibly while instilling a love of reading.  We support foundational reading skills with engaging, meaningful, standards-aligned lessons that bring joy and student autonomy to any classroom. Say goodbye to boring, repetitive, drill-based programs, and say hello to Seesaw. 

Try out the following collections, which also include formative assessments, to support your students in literacy:

• Fun Phonemes, also offered in Spanish, helps students build phonemic awareness by listening to, identifying, and matching sounds to build mastery of each phoneme.
• Alphabet Garden introduces learners to letters where they practice letter formation, phonemic awareness, and making connections to each letter in the real world.
• Alphabet Treasures assists students in building rapid letter recognition and identification in multimodal ways.
• Phenomenal Phonics, also offered in Spanish, helps students recognize sound-spelling relationships by sorting, blending, segmenting, and making connections.

The post Evidence-Based Strategies for Success in Early Literacy appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

As educators prepare for yet another back-to-school season, the weight of responsibilities and expectations might overshadow the joy that once drew them to the profession. The demands of curriculum, assessment, and administrative tasks become overwhelming for all educators at one point or another. However, finding and nurturing the reason educators originally entered the profession is essential not only for the well-being of teachers but also for creating a positive and enriching learning environment for students. Looking to gain some inspiration around how to bring passion and enthusiasm back into the classroom? Read on.

Incorporate Creativity into the Classroom

Creativity can solve almost any problem—add it into lesson planning and let it work its magic. Seek inspiration from various sources, such as Seesaw’s educational blogs, workshops, conferences, and collaboration with colleagues. Explore innovative teaching methods, hands-on activities, and interactive technologies (like Seesaw’s!) that can make learning more enjoyable for both you and your students. When you see your students actively engaged and excited about learning, the joy of teaching grows and blooms.

Foster a Positive Classroom Culture

A positive and supportive classroom culture is the foundation for an enjoyable teaching experience. Create a safe and inclusive space where students feel valued and respected by encouraging open communication and active participation, and celebrating the diverse strengths and talents of each student. When an educator is able to create an atmosphere of celebration and acceptance, more than just learning occurs—students feel engaged and appreciated so they are more willing to try new things, think creatively, and participate actively leading to more advanced learning.

Celebrate Successes

The seasons of the school year are busy. It’s as simple as that. This makes it crucial to take time to celebrate successes, both big and small. By acknowledging students’ achievements and progress (as well as your own!), educators are able to more clearly see how much of a difference they have made in the lives of others. Recognizing these moments of triumph will bring immense joy and satisfaction to the teaching journey.

Establish Meaningful Connections

Building meaningful relationships with students and colleagues can heavily impact the joy teachers find in teaching. Taking the time to get to know students individually and show genuine interest in their lives fosters trust and connection as well as a stronger teacher-student relationship. Building a connection can also expand beyond the classroom. Connecting with families and bringing them into the learning process will bring joy and a shared focus on academic growth.

The Real-World Relevance of Lessons

When students see the practical implications of their learning, their enthusiasm grows, leading to a sense of accomplishment for teachers, knowing they are making a meaningful impact. Do this by helping students understand the real-world relevance of the subjects taught by making connections between the curriculum and everyday life, illustrating how the knowledge and skills they acquire are applicable beyond the classroom.

Engage in Professional Development

Engaging in continuous professional development not only enhances your teaching skills but also infuses enthusiasm into your teaching practice. Attend workshops, conferences, and webinars that focus on areas of interest and relevance to your classroom. Seesaw is a great resource to help you jumpstart your professional development journey. Connect with other educators and share experiences and ideas. Being part of a supportive professional community can reignite your passion for teaching and remind you of the joy that comes from learning and growing.

Embrace a Growth Mindset

Adopting a growth mindset enables educators to bounce back from setbacks and failures more seamlessly. Instead of viewing challenges as obstacles, embrace them as opportunities for growth and improvement. By recognizing that mistakes are a natural part of the learning process, both teachers and students are able to approach each day with an open mind, ready to learn from experiences and adapt teaching strategies accordingly. This growth mindset will not only help teachers find joy in the journey but will also inspire students to do the same, creating an ideal learning environment for everyone.

A JOYFUL SCHOOL YEAR IS AHEAD

Teaching is no easy feat, but it is a profession that holds the potential to shape and change the lives of countless individuals. Teachers and educators know that there’s no such thing as enough time, resources, or energy. Seesaw is a great resource that helps reconcile some of these discrepancies as it saves teachers time, fosters creativity, and challenges students in an affordable and unique way.

With the help of Seesaw’s online learning platform, enter the new school year with renewed enthusiasm, passion, and a commitment to rediscover the joy in teaching as this joy is contagious and has the power to inspire students to become lifelong learners with a genuine love for education.

If you found these tips helpful, help students to also prioritize self care in your classroom.

The post How to Find the Joy in Teaching This School Year appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

1. Classroom Posters & Printables

Beautify your classroom with a variety of posters and printables. These resources are perfect for decorating your classroom, setting expectations, offering inspiration, and providing visual aids for students. Seesaw offers a range of options that you can print and use right away, saving you time and effort.

2. Tutorial Videos

Seesaw is an easy-to-use, all-in-one instructional platform, and we continue to release new features and resources based on teacher feedback. These step-by-step videos cover everything from basic Seesaw use to advanced instructional practices, ensuring you can utilize Seesaw to its fullest potential. Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned user, these videos are a valuable resource to start the year.

3. Quick Start Guides

Seesaw’s Quick Start Guides are designed to get you up and running in no time. These concise, easy-to-follow guides cover the essentials, helping you integrate Seesaw into your teaching routine quickly and efficiently. These are perfect for those who prefer a straightforward approach to implementing new technology into their classrooms.

4. Standards Alignment Search Tool

Seesaw’s standards alignment tool allows you to search for activities and resources that meet state, national or international standards, and over 30 core curriculum publishers. This helps you find and teach interactive standards- or curriculum-aligned lessons to use in your classroom  based on your students’ unique needs.

5. Classroom Dailies (Timely Activities)

Seesaw’s Classroom Dailies offer timely activities that are perfect for keeping students engaged and on track. These daily activities are designed to be quick and effective, providing students with consistent practice and learning opportunities. It’s a great way to maintain a structured classroom routine and make lesson planning more efficient.

6. What’s New from Seesaw

Stay updated with the latest features and updates from Seesaw. The “What’s New” section provides insights into new tools, enhancements, and tips on how to make the most of Seesaw. Keeping up with these updates ensures you’re always using the most effective tools we offer.

7. Inspirational Podcasts with Teachers

Gain inspiration and insights from fellow educators with Seesaw’s Learning Loop podcast. Episodes  feature teachers, administrators, and thought leaders sharing their experience, tips, and strategies for success. Listening to these stories provides you with new ideas and a sense of community throughout  the school year.

8. Seesaw Educator Community

Are you a Seesaw Educator Community member? If not, membership is free! Join the Seesaw Educator Community to connect with nearly 100,0000 educators from around the world! The Seesaw Community is a great place to ask questions, exchange resources, network with other educators, and collaborate. Joining a global network of supportive educators can make a positive impact on your teaching journey.

9. Seesaw Scrapbook for Inspiration

The Seesaw Scrapbook is a treasure trove of inspiration. Browse through a collection of creative ideas and successful projects from teachers using Seesaw. Whether you’re looking for new lesson plans, classroom management strategies, or student engagement techniques, the Scrapbook has something for everyone. Educators love the ability to filter by grade level, success stories, lessons, webinars, podcasts or videos.

10. Helpful Family Support Resources

Engaging families in the learning process is essential and easy with Seesaw. Seesaw offers a range of family support resources to help including guides, tutorials, and tips for parents to get involved and support their children’s learning journey. Building strong connections with families leads to higher school participation and achievement, and fosters a collaborative learning environment.

We hope these resources help make your 2024/25 school year the best it can be. Here’s to a successful and fulfilling year ahead!

For more helpful information, please bookmark our Teacher Resource page!

New to Seesaw? Sign up for a free account! It’s easy to get started today!

Download this helpful interactive infographic and share with a friend!

The post 10 Helpful Teacher Resources for Back to School from Seesaw appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

The post 3 Classroom Routines For Back-To-School appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

Create

The activity creation experience has been updated to showcase the range of multimodal ways that Seesaw can be used by students to show what they know.

When creating a new activity, teachers can choose one of five student response template types: Creative Canvas, Assessment, Upload Resource, Link Resource, or Note. If no template is selected, students get the option to choose how they respond to your instructions using any of Seesaw’s tools.

• Creative Canvas: Create interactive activities where students can respond using multimedia tools like photos, video, draw+record, voice, drawing, and more.
• Assessment*: Jump straight into adding auto-graded questions to activities. Bonus! Save time using the AI-powered Questions Assistant to find suggested questions quickly and edit them to fit your needs.
• Upload Resource: Don’t reinvent the wheel – Upload a PDF, images, video, or any file from Google Drive to start your template. Then make it Seesaw-special using any of the interactive multimedia or assessment tools.
• Link Resource: Quickly link to an external resource, like another online tool or website. Then use any of the interactive multimedia or assessment tools to make your activity more robust or engaging.
• Note: Collect longer-form text responses from students with optional voice recording.

Assign

Assigning activities on Seesaw is even easier– plan ahead, differentiate instruction, and stay organized with our new updates.

• Plan Ahead*: Schedule activities in advance as you’re planning out your week. Add a due date to activities so that students know when to complete them. Automatically archive activities to keep your Activities Tab organized.
• Differentiate Instruction: Edit any activity to meet the needs of your students. Add in voice instructions or additional pages to make any premade activity your own. Easily assign to individuals or to student groups with similar needs, so every student receives the right level of support and challenge.
• Stay Organized*: Tag activities with a standard to monitor progress and track learning outcomes in your classroom. Add activities to folders so you can keep the materials in your digital classroom organized and easily find them later.

Manage

We’ve updated the Activities tab with a Calendar View so that teachers can easily plan ahead and manage their instruction on Seesaw. You can also use the Present to Class feature to model behaviors and instructions for students in front of the class.

• Looking Ahead: The new calendar format saves you time by visually showing what activities are currently active to your students and what’s scheduled for a future date. Easily track how your week will play out and how Seesaw aligns with your lesson plans.
• Managing Instruction: Review student responses to activities that are currently assigned to students. Make edits to scheduled activities before they go live to students. Help students stay organized by archiving activities so that they are no longer active for students.
• Present to Class: You can now access this feature from the Activities tab to model behaviors and instructions for students in front of the class before they complete an activity on their own devices.

This is just a short summary of the many exciting updates coming to Seesaw. Join us at Connect 2023, Seesaw’s two-day personalized conference, on August 8-9, 2023 where we will give a closer look at all the new features, give them time to explore, and ask questions directly to members of the Seesaw team. If you can’t attend live, register for on-demand access after the conference.

*Assessment, AI-powered questions assistant, schedule activities, due dates, and the Progress dashboard are available with all school and district subscriptions. 

The post Easy and powerful ways to create, assign, and manage activities on Seesaw appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

Start With Just One Idea From ISTE

Many people leave conferences inspired and energized, but they can also be overwhelmed! With several action-packed days of learning, sharing and networking, it’s tough to know where to begin after the conference. You must consider your unique professional context, the needs of your students and staff, and your comfort level with technology. Ask yourself the following questions to narrow down where to start:

What are your educational goals and priorities?

Find out which areas of your curriculum or teaching practice could benefit from technology integration. Consider ideas that enhance student learning outcomes and align with your instructional goals.

Can I simplify this idea?

Just like you do with curriculum and lesson planning, break down complex ideas from ISTE into manageable steps or adapt them to your student’s current skill level if they seem too advanced. To ensure that students can grasp and participate in the activities, simplify the concept while preserving its essence.

What are your student’s needs and interests?

Consider the demographics of your students, their learning styles, and their interests. Choose ideas that resonate with them and will motivate them. Student buy-in is crucial for successful implementation.

Can my students do this on their own?

Look for ideas that promote student agency, allowing them to take ownership of their learning. Think of strategies to encourage collaboration, creativity, and critical thinking. These approaches help students become active participants and contributors to the learning process.

Who can I ask for help?

If you’re unsure of what to do, don’t hesitate to ask fellow educators, technology experts, or online communities for advice. Seesaw offers active communities where educators are willing to share ideas and provide feedback. Join one of Seesaw’s professional learning communities to gain valuable insights, new resources, and practical tips for successful classroom activities.

Kickstart Your Year with Seesaw Upgrades

This year at ISTE, we announced exciting new improvements to Seesaw, making teaching more efficient and effective.

Formative Assessment

Our new formative assessment capabilities combine the time savings of auto-grading with the power of multimodal tools to gain deeper insights into student learning to provide targeted support and guide instruction.

Formative assessments help teachers quickly gauge student understanding by adding auto-graded multiple choice, true/false, poll, and drag & drop questions to any Seesaw assignment.  Live student response data enables responsive instruction & differentiation. Time is of the essence in any classroom, so teachers can use the “Find Questions Tool” that automatically generates editable formative assessment questions. Students can continue to use all of Seesaw’s creative multimodal tools alongside formative assessment questions to explain their thinking.

Content Playlists

Playlists save teachers time and support differentiation, allowing teachers to assign instructional sequences that reinforce learning across multiple activities. Teachers can assign multiple activities to their class at once, a lesson from the Seesaw Library, or collections of lessons in the “My Library” tab.

New Lessons

Seesaw is expanding its library to offer over 500 NEW high-quality lessons, including 200+ for grades 3-6, to reinforce essential skills. The library now contains thousands of ready-to-teach, standards-aligned lessons as a part of your Seesaw subscription.

Through our platform, educators are able to save time, simplify differentiation, and foster student engagement. As more updates and refinements are underway for educators around the world, we remain dedicated to offering ongoing support and resources to help teachers maximize the potential of the Seesaw platform.

Join Us at Connect this August

Looking for another opportunity to sync with other educators, learn best practices, and get energized for the upcoming school year? Look no further than Connect, Seesaw’s annual FREE virtual conference taking place this August 8-9. On-demand sessions will be available from August 10 until September 30, 2023.

You’ll hear from inspiring keynote speakers who share their knowledge and expertise and motivate teachers to start their year right. In addition to the keynote sessions, there will be 20 sessions covering a wide range of topics, including classroom management strategies, innovative approaches to technology integration, and bringing lessons to life with engaging online and offline activities.

Educators will have the opportunity to join engaging panels to discuss current trends and challenges in education. These panels offer an excellent opportunity to learn from experienced educators and gain new perspectives. Don’t miss the Ignite Talks that will provide you with practical ideas you can implement immediately in your classroom.

Connect isn’t just about learning; it’s also about networking and connecting with fellow educators. You’ll have ample opportunities to connect, exchange ideas, and build lasting professional relationships throughout the event. To enhance your classroom resources, there will be fun games and giveaways, including over $6,000 in door prizes.

Connect is an event you shouldn’t miss out on, as it will provide you with the tools and inspiration you need to succeed this school year. Don’t miss out on this incredible opportunity to connect with fellow educators and learn from some of the best in the field. It’s free, it’s online, and it’s happening in August.

The post Shaping the Future: Moving Forward After ISTELive 2023 appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

July is coming to an end, which means it’s time to get inspired for the months ahead! Having a variety of resources and tools can help you teach in a more dynamic, diverse, and robust way, ensuring that every learning style is challenged. The end result? A classroom of students who are hungry to learn, encouraged to think outside the box, and able to reach their full potential as learners and human beings.

Seesaw’s Connect Conference, held online from August 8th through 9th, is the perfect first step to a great new school year. Join us to find inspiration, connect with other educators, and walk away energized!

RSVP Today!

What is Connect?

Connect is a free, dynamic virtual conference, crafted by educators for educators with the goal of igniting inspiration, fostering growth, and energizing educators for the school year. This two-day personalized conference experience is based on your interests. It features 20 engaging sessions with current teachers and administrators, networking opportunities, and session attendance certificates that can be used to track PD hours. There will also be access to an on-demand video and resource hub so that your learning doesn’t have to stop when you leave the conference.

Why Should I Attend Connect?

GAIN FREE RESOURCES

At Seesaw, we believe that knowledge should be accessible to everyone, which is one of the reasons why educators can join for free from anywhere! We invite those who prefer to attend live to join us on August 8th and 9th for a two-day personalized conference experience featuring inspiring keynotes, educator stories, workshops, networking, certificates, and door prizes. If you’re unable to attend our live sessions, no problem! Join us on August 10 and beyond to watch the conference content at your own pace on demand.

BE INSPIRED

With the new school year around the corner, there’s no better time to get inspired! Connect topics will get your creative juices flowing and give you actionable next steps when it comes to digital learning, strong family engagement, classroom routines, and more depending on your individual needs and interests. There’s so much left to learn—Connect is a great place to start.

LEARN FROM FELLOW EDUCATORS

There’s no bad time to gain a new perspective. As a live virtual conference, Connect allows educators to engage in real-time with educators from around the world which naturally fosters a collaborative spirit and meaningful connections among attendees. Here, teachers can learn from other high-performing teachers, schools, and districts during engaging panels with current teachers and administrators as well as conference sessions with various industry experts. With the opportunity to attend 20 sessions, three panels, 15 Ignite Talks, four keynote speaker presentations, and more, educators leave Connect with a wealth of knowledge, tips, and tricks that they can implement in their own classrooms.

BUILD COMMUNITY AND CONNECTIONS

As educators, we often use creativity to improve processes in order to make learning easier and more effective. Maybe there’s a new idea you’re thinking about right now that another educator has tried out. By networking and solution sharing, educators are able to learn from other’s mistakes and successes. Connect allows teachers to build a community of practice with like-minded educators and educational leaders.

WIN AWESOME PRIZES

To add in some additional fun, Connect features a series of exciting games and opportunities for educators to win over $6,000 in door prizes! Join us to see cool things you could take to your classroom next year.

Join Us at Connect

Improving your classroom environment, teaching tactics, and creativity of curriculum are daunting tasks, but with foundational resources and helpful tools, this process becomes manageable and rewarding. Connect is a great first step towards even more success in the classroom. Join us at Connect to see for yourself.

The post Why Educators Should Attend Seesaw’s Connect appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

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