Families Archives - Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform

How Seesaw Keeps All Families in the Learning Loop

Kris Szajner — Wed, 02 Oct 2024 13:57:41 +0000

In today’s busy world, staying connected with your child’s education can be challenging. Families separated by distance, living arrangements, or language barriers find this especially difficult. Seesaw fosters inclusivity, ensuring that every family—regardless of their situation—can be part of their child’s learning journey. With Seesaw, families stay in the learning loop, no matter where they are or what language they speak. Here’s how teachers and families are experiencing the power of connection through Seesaw.

Supporting Military Families Across Distances

Military families often face the challenge of parents being deployed far from home. Seesaw keeps these families connected by allowing them to engage with their child’s learning in real-time. Jessica Neal, a Pre-K teacher at a military school, shares, “We are a military school, so parents are often away but can still feel connected to their student.” Whether overseas or stationed in another part of the country, military parents stay up-to-date with their child’s progress, photos, and activities.

Elaine Shindelar, a reading teacher, recalls how Seesaw brightened the life of a student whose father was deployed. “The fact that the dad could leave a voice comment on the student’s work brought the BIGGEST smiles each time,” she shares. It’s moments like these that showcase how Seesaw isn’t just a learning tool—it’s a lifeline that strengthens family bonds during challenging times.

Wioletta Chwal, an ESL teacher, echoes this sentiment. “Seesaw made it possible for her dad to see all the activities and photos of her learning. The family was so grateful that he was able to share the student’s learning experiences, even oceans away.” Seesaw helps bridge the gap for families separated by military service, offering a sense of normalcy and connection in uncertain times.

Out-of-State and International Family Connections

For children with parents living out of state or grandparents living internationally, staying connected to their education can feel impossible. But with Seesaw, distance is no longer a barrier. Melissa Montgomery, a first-grade teacher, describes how Seesaw acted as the glue for a child with divorced parents living in different locations. “Seesaw was the glue for all parties to see, check, and know how their child was doing at school regardless of which home they were with during the school week,” she explains. Both parents can actively engage in their child’s learning with Seesaw. Even those unable to attend conferences in person can give feedback and encouragement.

Seesaw also connects students with family members abroad. “Family members from out of state or out of the country could see their child or grandchild’s work,” says Montgomery. This global connection allows families to share in their child’s accomplishments. Regardless of where they are, Seesaw creates a supportive learning environment.

Inclusive Communication for Families with Limited English Proficiency

For many families, language can be a significant barrier to staying involved in their child’s education. Seesaw’s translation feature breaks down this barrier by instantly translating messages, making communication seamless between teachers and non-English-speaking families. Kelly Benne, a third-grade teacher, experienced this first hand with refugee families from Russia and Ukraine. “It was wonderful being able to send communication to their parents in their native language. This took one of the stressors off of the table,” she explains.

Similarly, Pamela Hinton, a special education teacher, highlights how Seesaw transformed communicati

on with families who speak little to no English. “When I found out that Seesaw messaging was instantly translated for parents, it was a game changer,” she says. Parents who previously felt disconnected from their child’s school were suddenly able to participate, respond, and stay engaged.

Equitable Support for Divorced Parents

Seesaw offers a way to keep both parents involved in their child’s education, no matter where they live. Melissa Sheffer, a fifth-grade teacher, recalls how Seesaw’s digital portfolios became a source of support and connection for these families. “Seesaw has become more than just a tool; it is a source of support and inclusivity for these families,” she says.

Kelsey Moore, a fourth-grade teacher, shares a similar story. “Seesaw allowed the dad to stay connected to his son by not only being involved in his learning by ‘seeing’ his learning, but also by staying connected through daily comments,” she says. For divorced parents, Seesaw provides a platform that ensures they both can engage in their child’s learning, no matter the physical distance.

Seesaw: Connecting Families, Fostering Success

Seesaw goes beyond being just a digital portfolio or a classroom tool. It’s a bridge that connects families to their child’s learning, regardless of the circumstances. From military families and those with limited English proficiency to out-of-state relatives and blended households, Seesaw makes it possible for everyone to stay involved. Families who use Seesaw not only see their child’s progress but also actively contribute to their educational journey.

This unique connection creates a powerful support system, ensuring every student feels encouraged and valued. Families are true partners in their child’s learning journey, and staying in the loop is something every family deserves to experience.

Title I, Part A: Parent & Family Engagement

In addition to these personal stories, Seesaw helps schools meet federal Title I, Part A: Parent & Family Engagement requirements. Title I programs provide funding and emphasize outreach, involvement, and communication with families in schools with high numbers of low-income students. Seesaw’s features empower schools to foster strong partnerships between families and educators through visibility into student learning, two-way communication, and family access. Schools that actively engage families through tools like Seesaw often see improved student outcomes. Benefits include higher attendance, better grades, and a more positive school climate and so much more.

To learn more about how Seesaw supports Title I parent and family engagement, visit this resource.

The post How Seesaw Keeps All Families in the Learning Loop appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

10 Creative Ways to Increase Family Engagement

Kris Szajner — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 14:08:43 +0000

Families play a crucial role in education, especially in elementary school. Their support builds a network for academic success for students after school. It has been shown that students with parents who are actively involved in their learning are more motivated and have a stronger sense of self-control. As a result, students who have involved families academic lives will achieve better results throughout the school year.

Keeping families engaged and excited about their child’s education is an important part of a teacher’s job. As teachers, we are always looking for unique ways to keep families in the loop about what is happening in the classroom. Involving families in the learning process can foster a sense of community and partnership between home and school. This, in turn, can lead to improved student outcomes and a more positive school climate. This this blog, we’ll cover 10 creative ways to get families excited and engaged with what’s happening in your classroom on Seesaw.

Listen to a deep dive of this post here:

1. Share Student Work

Many parents have a memory box filled with their child’s schoolwork. If you are looking for a simple way to get families more engaged, start with sharing memories of student work through the Seesaw journal. Students can use the green add button in Seesaw to capture what they are learning. Students can also contribute to their journal by completing an assigned activity. Regardless of how students contribute to their journal, connected families immediately see authentic work done while at school. Here are three examples to show just how engaging student work can be for your families.

Reading

Math

Science

2. Create a Class Newsletter

By using the built-in messaging tools within Seesaw, you can easily send messages to families in a variety of formats, including links, PDFs, notes, images, and more. If you want to engage families in a more streamlined way, consider sending your class newsletter through Seesaw the next time. As a result of using one tool to share student work and classroom announcements, families will experience a smoother, unified approach to classroom communication as a result of using this tool.

3. Create Student Selfies or Digital Greeting Cards

A student selfie activity is one of the most common “first posts in Seesaw” activities. Not only does it teach your students valuable technology skills, but it is also a great way to celebrate what is happening in school with your families. Use selfies to celebrate a milestone that has been accomplished in class or to send a special message or digital greeting card home on a holiday. Students can take selfies through photos, then enhance their photo voice recordings, drawings, or text leading to an inviting journal contribution that is sure to hook families.

4. Share Reading Fluency Passages

A frequent practice in almost every elementary classroom is the completion of reading fluency passages. Using Seesaw’s video or voice recorder helps students record their reading fluency passages, saves teachers time in capturing fluency compared to 1:1 assessment, and gives teachers the option to share these passages home with parents. This helps teachers keep families in the loop with student progress, and gives families opportunities to build skills and celebrate reading growth.

5. Set and Share Goals

Setting goals is a powerful practice for students. Goal-setting is a great activity to complete at the beginning of the school year and is also a good practice to revisit as the year progresses. Students’ goals can be captured in class quickly and easily by writing out lists, completing activities, or simply recording their voice. Families can support student progress and celebrate milestones throughout the year by sharing student goals. This creates a more supportive learning environment for every student.

5 Ideas You May Not Have Considered

6. Send A Cliffhanger

Cliffhanger is not only a popular Silvester Stalone movie, it is an excellent way to keep families engaged and excited about your classroom. Quickly get everyone excited about a new unit or an important change that is happening in your classroom with a cliffhanger. It can simply be a photo that has a “coming soon” sticker on it or a video that suddenly cuts off. It is important to create excitement about learning for your students, but it is equally important to do with families. Sending cliffhangers home can spark family discussions and build excitement about what’s to come in your classroom.

7. Start Open-ended Conversations

Conversations are key to fostering trusting relationships. More often than not, the communications coming from school are one way. Giving families the space to share questions, reactions, or enthusiasm is a simple and powerful way to build relationships. With Seesaw, you can send messages as a conversation instead of an announcement. If you want to go a step further, open a new conversation thread for families to connect with each other. This has been proven to be a powerful practice for classrooms as families now have a space to create community meet ups, share birthday invitations, and even build a classroom directory.

8. Lean into Comments

A powerful way to engage families with comments is to have students create a voice or text comment directed to their connected family members. This could simply be a simple question they ask like “how do you think I did? ” Alternatively, it can even be a tricky prompt such as “what would you have done differently?” These simple questions open up a conversation in the comments that fosters deeper student engagement & sparks meaningful conversations between students and their family members.

9. Facilitate a Game

There is no doubt that games are an integral part of the classroom environment, especially at the beginning of the year. Using Seesaw, you can include family members in classroom activities as well. Use the messaging tools to prompt families to play the game at home for homework. Not only will your families enjoy playing together, they’ll get firsthand experience with the lessons you are teaching at school.

10. Ask for Something Back

The messaging feature inside of Seesaw allows for robust two way communication. Families have the ability to capture and send photos, videos, drawings, and more back to the teacher. Ask your families to send something back to you next time you need it! This could be a photo of the pets at home, a family portrait, or even an academic task like a photo of the moon. If you do ask, be conscious of each child’s home context. Not every family has access to the same resources or is comfortable sharing personal details. Respecting any differences and boundaries will help promote inclusion and make each family feel comfortable participating.

96% Teachers find Seesaw helpful in providing family members with visibility into their child’s learning in the classroom.

Foster Family Partnerships with Seesaw

Seesaw provides a powerful platform for fostering meaningful connections between the classroom and home. By implementing these 10 creative ideas, you can significantly enhance family engagement and build a stronger sense of community around student learning.

Start small and find approaches that work best for your classroom and connected families. Simple actions like sharing student work, creating digital greeting cards, or setting and sharing learning goals can go a long way in making families feel valued and invested in their child’s education.

As you continue to experiment and build upon these strategies, remember to keep an open dialogue with families. Seek their feedback, encourage two-way communication, and be responsive to their needs. By positioning families as true partners in the educational process, you can foster a climate of trust, collaboration, and mutual support – all of which will positively impact student success.

Engaging families through Seesaw is a win-win for everyone involved. When schools and homes work together, students thrive. So take the first step today and watch as your classroom community blossoms through enhanced family participation and support.

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7 Ways Seesaw Helps Educators Become Teaching Experts

Kris Szajner — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 17:19:39 +0000

From the dawn of visa via overhead to the implementation of 1-1 devices, technology has always had an intentional place in education. Technology enables better communication, efficient collaboration, and improved data management.

The expanding educational technology landscape brings an increasing number of options. This blog aims to help you determine if Seesaw is right for your classroom.

The purpose of this blog is to share 7 specific ways Seesaw provides powerful benefits in classrooms around the world. Learn how Seesaw is helping teachers streamline their workflows, communicate more effectively, engage their students, and so much more.

Seesaw Helps Me Differentiate and Personalize Learning

By addressing the diverse needs of all students, Seesaw serves as a powerful tool for promoting equity and access. As Kelsey L., a 2nd Grade Teacher, notes, “Seesaw helps me guide what my students need. Seesaw allows me to practice multiple differentiation.” This feature is crucial for supporting students with learning challenges, helping all learners reach their potential.

Julie W., a 1st Grade Teacher, echoes this sentiment, stating, “I have such a range of academic levels in my first grade classroom. Seesaw helps me differentiate activities for the various learners so that each level is challenged.” It also facilitates the documentation of learning for students with special needs. Supporting educators in implementing individualized education plans (IEPs) and 504 accommodations for effective education. By breaking down socioeconomic and language barriers, Seesaw offers equitable access to learning.

Seesaw Helps Me Engage Students and Keep Them Motivated to Learn

Seesaw promotes student engagement by providing features built specifically for elementary learners. As Julie W., a 1st Grade Teacher, observes, “The activities are engaging for students so they are motivated to complete them.” Seesaw ignites creativity with interactive tools that help creative learners express themselves and explore their ideas. Robust multimedia embedded right into the platform streamlines engaging lesson delivery. Seesaw incorporates audio elements allowing students to add annotations making complex concepts easier to explain.

Angela R., a 3rd Grade Teacher, notes, “The kids are always engaged in the learning and love seeing what their classmates are doing.” Ready to teach lessons help capture and foster students’ interests, well-being, challenges, and situations. Lessons such as “Daily Check-ins” help to capture this information in their digital portfolio. Samantha W., a 4th Grade Teacher, adds, “When students are given the opportunity to create with choice, they feel empowered!” This empowerment further enhances student engagement and motivation to learn.

Seesaw Helps Me Assessment and Progress Monitor All Students Quickly and Easily

Student achievement is boosted due to the learning portfolio Seesaw creates. As Teddi W., a Kindergarten Teacher, points out, “It helps me see where they are in their learning. It helps with students who may be struggling as I can see where they need more support and help.” Seesaw provides text, video, and audio based tools for students to use throughout reflective activities. Seesaw’s ease of use encourages critical thinking and comprehension skills. This allows students to demonstrate deeper understanding of content knowledge.

Educators find power in using Seesaw to assess reading fluency levels. Luz Q., a 2nd Grade Teacher, adds, “When I see my student’s work on their digital portfolio over the course of a school year, it helps me see the growth of each individual student.” Built-in automatic scoring tools, like the formative assessment tool, save teachers time grading. In addition, Seesaw encourages open communication and collaboration with families. By empowering parents to support their child’s learning challenges, a strong learning loop is built around academic growth. Tamra M., a Reading Intervention Teacher, emphasizes, “Seesaw helps me document their growth and needs. Not only can I document what they know- I can get a window into their thinking as well.“

Seesaw Helps Me Engage Families as Active Members in Learning

Engaging families as active members in the learning process unlocks the ability to support learning beyond the classroom walls. Stephanie R., a 1st Grade Teacher, notes, “Seesaw allows me to communicate with my families in a way that I could not before.”

Seesaw helps schools develop strong family relationships and build them as partners in their child’s learning. This is particularly critical for supporting immigrant families, divorced families, families overseas, and non-English speaking family members. As Amber R., a 5th Grade Teacher, puts it, “Seesaw helps me bring the classroom to my families.” Parent-teacher conferences, IEP meetings, and academic support advocacy are made easier thanks to the transparent view Seesaw provides families. Robyn G., a 2nd Grade Teacher, emphasizes this accessibility: “Seesaw is the way I can reach my students and families 24/7.”

Having all stakeholders involved in the learning process ensures that there is a focus on the students’ growth. Terese K., a Kindergarten Teacher, shares a powerful example: “Seesaw helps me share videos of my student’s practice reading in the classroom. A mom was shocked to see her little one reading, she had no idea that she could read like that.” This level of engagement and transparency helps build a strong partnership between educators and families.

Seesaw Helps Me Showcase Progress and Growth by Creating Digital Portfolios

Schools are integrating digital portfolios as a streamlined way to monitor student learning. As part of IB certification, it is a requirement to have a portfolio of learning. Learning is archived and organized over time with Seesaw’s digital portfolio.

Seesaw is the only digital portfolio designed specifically for elementary students. Our focus is to ensure that even our youngest learners have the ability to showcase their learning. As Crissy C., a PreK Teacher, puts it, “In a digital world, the option to keep a digital learning portfolio for my students is a no-brainer.”

With Seesaw’s digital portfolio, educators can showcase student progress to families and measure academic growth. Deborah G., a K-5 Media Specialist, notes, “The digital portfolio aspect helps me see throughout the year the progress students are making.“. This is particularly valuable for special-area teachers, as Laura F., a K-5 STEM and Computer Science Teacher, explains: “As a special-area teacher of STEM, I teach almost 600 students. Having Seesaw as a kid-friendly platform for grades K-5 to submit their work has been life-changing!“

Seesaw Helps Me By Supporting Students With Special Needs and Student Who Are Multilingual Learners

Seesaw serves as a powerful tool for providing access to education. It facilitates and measures the implementation of individualized education plans (IEPs) and the accommodations outlined. As Melanie T., an Inclusion Special Education Preschool Teacher, explains, “I can create digital portfolios of student work to help show parents how their child has worked and made progress towards meeting IEP goals.”

Seesaw breaks down barriers related to poverty, educational obstacles, and language differences. It empowers educators to customize content with easy by providing learning scaffolding tools. By addressing the diverse needs of all learners, this award-winning platform helps close the equity gap. As Andrea M., a PreK ESL Teacher at a Title 1 school, puts it, “Seesaw closes the gap between school and home,“. Seesaw helps to overcome language barriers and connect with families who might not be comfortable engaging in an educational setting.

Seesaw Helps Me Save Time and Gives Back Instructional Minutes

Educators never have enough minutes in the day. Critical elements like core instruction, interventions and extensions, and planning time make for full days. Add in distractions like meetings and peer collaboration, the teaching day is full. Any time a teacher can regain instructional minutes, no matter how few, can make a huge difference for student achievement. This time can provide a critical intervention for a student in a time of need.

Seesaw is gives time back to teachers. In fact, 92% of educators say that it saves them time and gives back instructional minutes. As Amy W., a 2nd Grade Teacher, shares, “Seesaw is a huge time saver for me!” The platform’s design, tailored with the classroom in mind, provides tools that streamline teacher tasks. Crissy C., a PreK Teacher, highlights this by stating, “Digital portfolios make my job so much easier and set me up for successful parent-teacher conferences and updates.” With features like digital storage and kid-friendly submission processes, teachers like Laura F., a K-5 STEM and Computer Science Teacher, find it “life-changing” for maintaining organization and reducing paper use.

Give Seesaw a Try!

Seesaw makes the learning experience more engaging and personalized for students, and has proven to be an invaluable tool for educators across the globe. Facilitating stronger student engagement, simplifying assessment and progress monitoring, and encouraging family involvement helps teachers to become true experts in their fields. Seesaw stands out in a landscape where educational technology options are abundant by offering comprehensive, user-friendly solutions that meet the diverse needs of classrooms. Seesaw is your ally in the pursuit of effective and innovative teaching in today’s dynamic educational environment.

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An Interview with Primary School Teacher Loretta Fernando-Smith

Josh Tappan — Mon, 31 Jul 2023 16:53:41 +0000

We took a field trip to visit Loretta Fernando-Smith, primary school teacher in Hessen, Germany. She shared what’s on her mind this year as she gets ready for back to school!

Pick one word that is your focus or intention this school year.

Loretta: Curiosity

What is your favorite activity to build classroom community during the first week of school?

Loretta: Storytelling! Last year I invited children to bring something from home that held a story. They shared their story with the class and as they shared their story it woke up stories inside all of us. We get to know and connect with others and ourselves through the stories we shared.

What is your favorite “teacher hack” or “tip”?

Loretta: Stay curious! You are the teacher but you can also be a learner. Children have so much to teach us.

How does Seesaw bring learning to life in your classroom?

Loretta: Seesaw, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways . . . documenting growth, sharing the classroom with families, inviting families near and far into our learning, as a tool for student reflection, for extending the classroom walls . . . Seesaw provides so many possibilities to transform our learning . . . it’s all about how we view it and use it.

If you were able to have an unlimited amount of something for your classroom, what would it be and why?

Loretta: Art supplies . . . pastel watercolors, clay, beads, wire, chalk, sparkling gemstones, yarn, tape . . . because they bring joy, they can help us think through ideas, communicate our thoughts, nurture our creativity, research and motor skills . . . and because replenishing them can be expensive.

What are some traditions or superstitions you have for the first day of school?

Loretta: After over 20 years of teaching, I still get nervous about the first day of school, especially the night before! I pick a ‘first-day’ outfit and lay it out before I go to sleep.

How do you use Seesaw to connect with families?

Loretta: Come to my session at Connect! That’s what it’s all about – Building Belonging in the Classroom through Seesaw.

If participants take away one thing from your #Connect2023 session, what would you want it to be?

Loretta: Think about the way that you use Seesaw right now. Does it embody what you believe about education?

Share one Seesaw goosebumps moment. Was there a time learning was captured on Seesaw that gave you goosebumps?

Loretta: “This is a parent story. I currently live in Germany where my children also go to school. Their school uses Seesaw. I feel such gratitude and joy when I see their grandparents in Canada and their aunt in England engaging with posts from their classroom! I love how Seesaw can connect us even when we are physically so far apart.”

If you could take your students on a field trip to anywhere in the world, where would you take them? And why?

Loretta: Anywhere?! I feel very lucky to live and work right beside a forest. We spend every Thursday morning in the forest. It’s such a magical space. It has become our second classroom and teacher. There is such joy in jumping into a muddy puddle! Especially as an adult.

What would your students be surprised to find out about you?

Loretta: Sometimes, I don’t want to be at school either!

Share a notable teaching moment that you still think about today.

Loretta: There are a few. I think those moments happen for me when kids really push me out of my comfort zone, when they offend my adult sensibilities or challenge norms. It’s those moments that cause me to reflect and continue to nudge me to do better as an educator and as a human being.

What/who inspired you to become an educator?

Loretta: My grandpa, who was a Kindergarten teacher and loved stories. I am a fourth generation teacher.

What are your tips to build relationships with families at the start of the school year?

Loretta: I always try and remember that families are entrusting me with their most precious possession. Sometimes families can feel challenging, I try and remember that their demands may come from a place of anxiety: ‘is my child going to be ok?’ Especially in the early years, parents as well as children experience separation anxiety. Listen. Be empathetic. The relationships you build now will help you later. After all, we all want what’s best for the child and we all need to work together.

What is your favorite quote of all time?

Loretta: “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart.” -Helen Keller

What is your favorite children’s book?

Loretta: Do I have to pick one?! I love Kate DiCamillo and the Mercy Watson series.

Join Loretta Fernando-Smith at Connect 2023!

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Why Educators Should Attend Seesaw’s Connect

Kris Szajner — Wed, 19 Jul 2023 17:02:39 +0000

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.

Teacher Tales: Voices from Oklahoma Classrooms

Kris Szajner — Wed, 31 May 2023 19:11:39 +0000

In the vibrant classrooms of Oklahoma, educators are shaping the minds of their students and utilizing Seesaw to enhance their teaching practices, foster student engagement, and connect with families in meaningful ways. Seesaw, an interactive digital platform, has become a game-changer for Oklahoma educators, giving them the means to better engage students, assess their progress, and forge stronger connections with them and their families.

MS. EDWARDS – KINDERGARTEN TEACHER

Through her use of Seesaw, Ms. Edwards has created a classroom environment that is both engaging and effective for her students. By providing a balance of hands-on and digital learning experiences, she is able to ensure that every student is learning at their highest potential.

“I absolutely love Seesaw,” Ms. Edwards says. With the platform, she assigns a variety of activities to her students and sees their responses in real time. “This helps me quickly assess who needs more support and adjust my lessons accordingly.”

When we visited Ms. Edwards’ class, her students were learning about measurement. She used a combination of hands-on manipulatives and a Seesaw activity in which students compared the length of objects and put them in order.

Some students practiced measurement with the lengths of yarn, while others independently completed the Seesaw activity where they sorted the objects by length. As the responses from the Seesaw activity rolled in, Ms. Edwards carefully reviewed each response. With this information, she identified which students understand the concept and which students need more support.

“I absolutely love Seesaw.. [it] helps me quickly assess who needs more support and adjust my lessons accordingly.”

— Ms. Edwards

Ms. Edwards continued to circulate the classroom, praising students for their work, probing deeper into student understanding, and addressing questions that arise. Seesaw was seamlessly integrated into her classroom routines. Students intuitively picked up their devices and got to work on the activity, moving objects and annotating the digital canvas to demonstrate their knowledge of measurement and size.

The students clearly knew how to complete each activity and Ms. Edwards took full advantage of the real-time insights.

MS. BAKER – 1ST GRADE TEACHER

Step into Ms. Baker’s 1st-grade classroom, and you’ll quickly notice how her strong routines and differentiated stations create a vibrant learning environment. The classroom is well-organized, making the most of the available space, while also providing a balance of on and off-screen learning experiences for her students.

One of the most popular learning stations in Ms. Baker’s classroom is Seesaw. She says, “I only showed them once or twice, but the students knew how to get started.” At this station, students worked independently on activities that reinforce the learning goals.

As soon as the students put on their headphones and log in, they’re completely immersed in learning. “Students love to work with technology,” Ms. Baker says. “So I use this motivation to capture learning and track their progress.”

Ms. Baker uses stations daily in her classroom. She began her stations by grouping students around the room. One group grabbed a book for independent reading, some migrated to the kidney table for guided instruction, and the rest logged on to iPads for the Seesaw station. Today’s lesson focused on reading consonant-vowel-consonant words. Ms. Baker preassigned a Seesaw activity for the students to complete.

The activity prompted students to fill in the missing letters to complete vocabulary words. This Seesaw activity had learning supports such as audio recordings that pronounced the word and visuals of what each word is. Students choose their favorite color pen and use the built-in supports to answer each question. Ms. Baker was confident in her students’ ability to complete the Seesaw station independently, allowing her to provide guided instruction to a group of students at the kidney table. Upon completing the Seesaw activity, the students placed their iPads back into the card and hung their headphones on the handle in preparation for switching to a new station.

By incorporating digital tools like Seesaw into organized classroom routines, Ms. Baker has created an environment that encourages independent learning and fosters student engagement while providing immediate feedback to help steer instruction.

“Students love to work with technology, so I use this motivation to capture learning and track their progress.”

— Ms. Baker

MR. SCOLES – 1ST GRADE TEACHER

As soon as you step into Mr. Scoles’ classroom, you can feel the excitement of learning in the air. The lesson kicked off with a student-friendly video, laying the foundation for important background knowledge, which seamlessly transitioned to the first Seesaw activity.

Mr. Scoles projected an activity to the class where they used the move and drawing tools to sort vocabulary words by the sound-spelling pattern. Upon opening the lesson on the board, students’ hands shot up eagerly, each hoping to be selected to fill in the answer on the board. “My job is to motivate students to learn, and Seesaw does this for me,” he explained.

Following the Seesaw letter blending activity, Mr. Scoles reinforced letter sound spelling by asking students to listen for the sound within words. He continued to call students up to the board to share their answers. After listening to word pronunciations on Seesaw and identifying the correct sound, students wrote their answers using the drawing tools. As one student completed their work on the board, the rest of the class followed along and responded on their own devices.

After identifying the sounds within words, the rigor of the lesson increased. Students were now challenged to write a sentence after listening to an audio clip. The first student confidently walked up to the board and pressed the audio recording button. After listening, this student began to write the sentences. Midway through writing, it was clear the student forgot the rest of the audio clip. Mr. Scoles noticed this and prompted the student to listen again. After listening to the clip a second time, the student completed the sentence. After writing the full sentence, Mr. Scoles erased the answer key and the classroom checked their answer, which of course was correct. The classroom celebrated by reading the sentence aloud and thanking the student for their hard work.

The combination of Mr. Scoles’ effective teaching strategies and the intuitive design of Seesaw creates a dynamic learning environment where students thrive. With Seesaw as a trusted companion, he confidently guided his students through engaging activities and lessons, ensuring that every child remained fully immersed in the learning process.

“My job is to motivate students to learn, and Seesaw does this for me”

— Mr. Scoles

MS. HOLLOWAY – K/1 TEACHER

Ms. Holloway, a K/1 combined classroom teacher, has found a lifesaver in Seesaw. With sound routines and student-centered learning at the core of her classroom, she has incorporated Seesaw to enhance her daily calendar math routine, which builds number sense while addressing state standards.

During our visit, Ms. Holloway taught a lesson on calendar math, where students completed the brain warm-up before their math block. A student leader guided the class through the lesson by reading warm-up questions aloud, “How many squares can you see?”

A buzz filled the classroom as students discussed their answers. After purposeful thinking time, the student leader called upon classmates to share their answers. Multiple answers were shared and Ms. Holloway used this as an opportunity to reinforce how everyone thinks differently. A calm resonated throughout the room as each student turned to a neighbor and repeated “I like the way you think.”

After more conversation about the number of squares, the classroom reached a consensus. The classroom leader then used the drawing tools to outline each square on the page. After finishing the drawing, the classroom leader read the second question, “How many rectangles do you see?” This prompt was much more difficult for the class. They continued to share answers and details about how many squares were present. Ms. Holloway, being a veteran teacher, used this as a teaching moment to refresh her students’ understanding of what a rectangle was in comparison to a square.

After a few audible “Oh, now I get it” responses, the class was ready to answer. The student leader called on a friend to help outline the four rectangles they found. The final piece of this lesson was to record their answers using their voice. The student leader knew exactly which tool to choose, quickly moving to the microphone tool and starting the recording. After reading each question and answer to the board, the lesson was complete. Ms. Holloway clicked the green check and thanked the class for their hard work.

It was clear from the student excitement and rich conversations that this lesson was a hit with her class. Students learned from one another’s unique perspectives and approaches, building collective knowledge and providing space to express mathematical thinking. “Students get to learn how their friends think and problem solve,” she said.

MR. KELLERT – BUILDING PRINCIPAL

Nichols Hills Elementary School is led by principal Aaron Kellert, who is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of his students. During our visit, Principal Kellert shared his insights on the impact of Seesaw at Nichols Hills.

One of the key advantages of Seesaw, as Principal Kellert explained, is its ability to facilitate small group work while keeping all students engaged. “As a teacher, when you want to work with a small group or 1-1, you have to keep the entire class engaged. With Seesaw, our teachers have a great platform to do this. Teachers can assign interactive activities for students to complete while giving personal attention to others in the classroom,” Principal Kellert said. On top of ready-to-teach content, he also highlighted the enthusiasm that students have, adding, “Kids love working on Seesaw… it brings them into 21st-century learning.”

Principal Kellert also emphasized the importance of balance between on and off-screen learning. “We want to make sure that students are engaged in meaningful learning activities, whether they’re on the computer or working with hands-on materials. It’s important to find that balance.”

But Seesaw doesn’t just engage students; it also involves parents in the learning process. “We value family involvement at our school,” Principal Kellert said.

With student portfolios and family communication tools, Mr. Kellert has seen a boost in family engagement and student motivation. “We use Seesaw as a tool to show parents what we are doing. Parents are getting to see, in real time, what their child is learning in class,” he said. Nichols Hills knows the importance of family involvement and the impact that this has on student performance. “It’s important for parents to be engaged in their child’s education and to be aware of what’s going on in the classroom, “ he said.

Nichols Hills is a better school with Seesaw. Teachers have more engaging lessons for students and families are part of the learning process. Mr. Kellert knows how impactful Seesaw has been and uses it to continue moving his building toward excellence.

“We use Seesaw as a tool to show parents what we are doing. Parents are getting to see, in real time, what their child is learning in class”

— Principal Kellert

The post Teacher Tales: Voices from Oklahoma Classrooms appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

Supporting Post-Covid Learning in Oklahoma Schools: Insights from OK City and Mid-Del Leaders

Kris Szajner — Fri, 28 Apr 2023 18:13:10 +0000

At Seesaw, we highly prioritize our partnerships with schools, leveraging these collaborations to enhance the learning experience. The Seesaw team traveled to Oklahoma on April 20th and 21st to host a field event, which aimed to showcase how Seesaw is collaborating with Oklahoma districts to tackle recurring issues.

The Seesaw team celebrating strong data and usage with Oklahoma city administrators.

While in the Sooner State, Seesaw conducted productive discussions with leaders from Oklahoma City Public Schools and Mid-Del School District with Kris Szajner serving as the moderator. During those conversations, leaders had the opportunity to answer 5 key questions and shed light on their districts’ approaches to:

Addressing learning gaps
Strategically supporting teachers
Focusing on student mindsets
Engaging families in the learning process
Include more families

1. WHAT LEARNING GAPS HAVE YOU NOTICED SINCE THE PANDEMIC?

Tiffany Wood (Instructional Technology Coordinator) and Caitlin Hall (Instructional Technology Facilitator)

“I feel like the dust has finally settled on COVID and we are not being as reactive as we were with the pandemic. Now our teachers are just realizing that students are behind and it has taken us a while to know exactly where those gaps lie.

“When you go into classrooms and they don’t know how to add 2-digit numbers. They just somehow missed that piece of learning. Now that they are in a different grade level, the teacher is having to go back to something they covered 2 years ago. This content they are trying to teach is not in their curriculum. It is not in their teacher manual.”

Oklahoma administrators meet the unique needs of elementary learners to build a future focused on post-covid best practices with Seesaw.

Erin Rennick-White (Executive Director of Technology)

“The state report cards just came out, and there have been some schools where the students who are English Language Learners had scores that were kind of a shock considering the traditional achievements that those schools have. Those gaps were a shock when I looked at the state report cards.

“We are not only seeing student gaps but also seeing teacher experience gaps. They want something out of the box, but without that being in their curriculum, our teachers get stuck. They need resources that are easy to find and able to address needs quickly.”

Neal Kellogg (Director of Technology)

“The pandemic causes the world to slow down around us. It exposed a lot of weaknesses we already had and made them much larger. We have always had students who are not reaching their full potential and the pandemic didn’t help this.

“On top of academic gaps, we also had an implementation gap that exacerbated any problems that were already happening. We were not able to get the technology and training out fast enough for our staff.

“These implementation gaps were not only for hardware but also for teaching skills. For years we have been encouraging the use of technology. We have had teacher laptops since 1999. With the pandemic, we now have to use these tools. What we noticed was groups of teachers who had not been using their tools now have to catch up on their skills because they have to use these tools to still teach.”

2. WHAT ARE THE MOST SUCCESSFUL WAYS YOU ARE ADDRESSING IDENTIFIED GAPS?

Oklahoma administrators learning the value that the Seesaw library brings to students, teachers, and families.

Erin Rennick-White (Executive Director of Technology)

“From the tech standpoint, all we can do is point them in the right direction. We would love to have more impact but from the instructional technology standpoint, we are working with teaching and learning to ensure that crosswalks are done with fidelity, access to tools is provided, frameworks are cleaned up, and we are adjusting to standards.”

Tiffany Wood (Instructional Technology Coordinator)

“With any academic gaps teachers are trying to fill, we turn to Seesaw. It is easy for teachers to find something that fits these needs quickly and give it to a small group or an individual student that they can complete quickly to gain back that skill. They can find something for that lesson that is not in their curriculum and they can assign it quickly which will help with these gaps.“

Neal Kellogg (Director of Technology)

“We are not constantly working to ensure that our tools continue to be used in classrooms. We often share how technology can make content more engaging for classrooms. Seesaw has provided that for our teachers and helps us to point them in the right direction.

“As a team, we are doing our best to provide helpful resources to our teachers. What we have found to be important is that the days of teachers waiting to be trained, or someone to come and train me are gone. It is hard for us because people will be waiting a long time and might be missing out on learning.

“We are constantly working on new ways to engage teachers to promote the usage of the tools we have. One way is our green screen production room. We are creating videos that we share on social media to get information out to teachers. These types of mediums help us to reach more people faster.

“We have shifted the ownership of learning back onto the teachers. We will come in and show you really good ways to use something but are trying to push the responsibility on teachers to watch a video or read directions for how to do something. “

John Hunter (Instructional Technology Trainer)

“We are pushing virtual PD for our teachers. We have structured learning around 3-day sessions where we learn for 15-20 minutes and then allow for application time. We are embedding the PD department and teacher practices to make it stick.”

3. HOW ARE YOU CREATING STUDENTS WHO ARE READY FOR THE FUTURE?

Hands on digital learning is made easier with Seesaw’s multimodal tools.

Tiffany Wood (Instructional Technology Coordinator) and Caitlin Hall (Instructional Technology Facilitator)

“We are providing tools that are intuitive to students. Tools that allow us to use less and also be able to do more. Seesaw not only does all of this, but it is easy for students to use. Seesaw provides our students the ability to draw, take photos, or record their answers. When they are ready to type, they can first try this on Seesaw. As they grow and become ready for canvas, they already have a foundation of skills they learned just using Seesaw.”

“We are being mindful of the ISTE standards and how students are completing work digitally. Taking photos, drawing, and typing are all in Seesaw. Students can practice these skills even as young as Kindergarten and as they grow, students can showcase their knowledge in a way that they choose.”

“Students can use the features as they are ready for them. We see students in our classrooms who are not ready to type, and that is ok. They have the tools ready for them to write their answers. This is building a mindset in students that encourages persistence and advocacy around how they showcase their learning. All of this is done just with the built-in tools they have access to.”

Erin Rennick-White (Executive Director of Technology)

“The confidence that our students have in technology is amazing. They are so fluent that we sometimes see them teaching our teachers. Our students are showing our teachers how to take a screenshot when at first the teachers are intimidated by this task. We are seeing more and more teachers embracing this mindset and leaning more into the tools that we provide to give a better learning experience back to the students. “

Adriana Alfonso (Principal)

“Seesaw builds comfort with technology first. The symbols that are found in Seesaw, like the three dots, are found with almost every other technology tool and our kids become familiar with what these things can do. We also see that there is a different level of engagement when kids think they cannot mess up. Seesaw provides comfort to students and we know that technology is not going away. This builds comfort in our students for how the world is.“

Neal Kellogg (Director of Technology)

“The kids are savvy, our kids are just fine. They are exploring on their own and figuring out ways to do things. They have a mindset to explore and not to be afraid to break things. We hope to provide students with more opportunities to leverage technology and be more engaged as they go through our schools.”

4. HOW DO YOUR FAMILIES PLAY A ROLE IN THIS WORK?

Mid-Del leaders sharing powerful stories how Seesaw is solving year over year problems.

Tiffany Wood (Instructional Technology Coordinator)

“We want to give parents a glimpse into the classroom and build trust with the teacher. Technology provides a level of transparency focused on student growth. Families can see their child succeeding in specific areas and also know if they need additional support in other areas. This connection helps to inform families and keep them a part of learning instead of being a battle that has to be fought.”

Erin Rennick-White (Executive Director of Technology)

“Our goal in communications is meant to share how technology is a compliment to learning and not meant to complicate it. We are providing classrooms with devices not so they can sit on screens all day every day. We are providing them for many reasons and one is to open communication with families. We work to educate families that technology is not to replace the teacher or the curriculum, but instead here to make learning better.”

Adriana Alfonso (Principal)

“We work hard to engage our families in learning. It helps parents to understand where their kids are academically, so when they can see it when they can hear what their kids can do, it paints a different picture for them as far as how smart their little kids are.”

Neal Kellogg (Director of Technology)

“I would love to see more families involved. As a district, we need families to be more involved. Our superintendent does a lot of work to provide that transparency. Using a tool like Seesaw to provide transparency and communication provides parents the opportunity to be more involved and see what is happening in the classroom to support their students.

“Our moonshot is that we have a larger percentage of our parents interacting with their kids and interacting positively with their teachers. We have found that around the district, the schools that have the most parent involvement are typically the schools that are much more successful. In a variety of ways.”

5. WHAT STRATEGIES HAVE YOU PUT IN PLACE TO BUILD YOUR FAMILY CONNECTION?

With Seesaw, administrators, teachers, and families have the tools to communicate, collaborate, and create a community of support around every student.

Tiffany Wood (Instructional Technology Coordinator)

“We provide access to teachers and allow them to lead this work. Our teacher leaders have found ways to use technology that engages families. These techniques have helped us to build our best practices in how technology should be used here.”

Erin Rennick-White (Executive Director of Technology)

“We start by showing teachers how to use the tools. Part of this is showing how to engage family members. One benefit of showing this is the fact that Seesaw is a one-stop shop for us. It has the family connection components needed to replace other tools teachers are using. We try to have our community with as few tools as possible. I as a family member can see messages from the teacher or office and know that I have to order a shirt for next month and can also see the work they did that day in one spot.“

Adriana Alfonso (Principal)

“With COVID, parents were struggling saying things like “Why can’t we go in the building? why can’t we do these things?” This year was the first year we had our school carnival and had the families back in the building. You could tell how excited families were to be back in the building.”

“So now that we are back to having these foundational pieces back in place and have rebuilt these relationships we can work families more into the learning. Families feel welcome in school and do feel they are a part of it, then you can include them in the learning. This works because the relationship is there first.”

Neal Kellogg (Director of Technology)

“We are working to connect more teams as a district to ensure that family engagement is more streamlined. The fewer places that families have to go to learn what is happening in their kids’ classrooms, the better.”

The post Supporting Post-Covid Learning in Oklahoma Schools: Insights from OK City and Mid-Del Leaders appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

When We Partner, Everyone Wins: Family Engagement in Education with Dr. Karen Mapp

Kris Szajner — Mon, 27 Feb 2023 17:41:49 +0000

Partnerships between school and the home are critical for driving student achievement and school improvement. Yet for many educators, it can be difficult to cultivate and sustain effective family partnerships.

In this Learn with the Expert webinar, leading family engagement researcher Dr. Karen Mapp shares why school-home partnerships are so important and how educators can overcome common challenges to bring schools, educators, families, and students together around learning.

FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS DRIVE STUDENT AND SCHOOL SUCCESS

To hear Dr. Mapp’s recommendations, watch the full recording.

For over 20 years, Dr. Karen Mapp and her colleagues have focused their research on partnerships among families, community members, and educators and the impact that strong partnerships have on student achievement and school improvement.

They found that when effective, sustained partnerships are in place, everyone benefits.

Students achieve
Educators achieve
Families achieve
Schools achieve
Districts and Communities achieve


Better grades and test scores
Higher attendance and engagement
Improved attitudes and behavior
Greater efficacy and self-esteem
Higher graduation rates and college attendance



Shift from deficit-to asset-based thinking
Increased multicultural awareness and appreciation
Greater success motivating and engaging students
More support from families
Stronger morale and professional satisfaction



Stronger parent-child relationships
Better rapport with teachers and school staff
Greater understanding of child’s progress and how to help
More knowledge and skill in advocating for their child
Increased deep and supportive social connections



More positive school climate
Higher morale and greater retention of teachers
Improved facilities, better curriculum, and higher-quality programs
More responsive to community concerns
Better reputation and more support from the community



Reduced suspensions and high-risk behaviors
Increased family and youth involvement in site-based decisions
Expanded mental and physical health resources leading to improved health
High levels of participation in afterschool programs
Increased high school graduation rate

Students achieve	Educators achieve	Families achieve	Schools achieve	Districts and Communities achieve
Better grades and test scores Higher attendance and engagement Improved attitudes and behavior Greater efficacy and self-esteem Higher graduation rates and college attendance	Shift from deficit-to asset-based thinking Increased multicultural awareness and appreciation Greater success motivating and engaging students More support from families Stronger morale and professional satisfaction	Stronger parent-child relationships Better rapport with teachers and school staff Greater understanding of child’s progress and how to help More knowledge and skill in advocating for their child Increased deep and supportive social connections	More positive school climate Higher morale and greater retention of teachers Improved facilities, better curriculum, and higher-quality programs More responsive to community concerns Better reputation and more support from the community	Reduced suspensions and high-risk behaviors Increased family and youth involvement in site-based decisions Expanded mental and physical health resources leading to improved health High levels of participation in afterschool programs Increased high school graduation rate

COMMON CHALLENGES AROUND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

While many educators know how important family engagement can be, every school community is unique in their needs and challenges. In her research, Dr. Mapp identified common challenges that many educators and families can relate to.

Educators

Have not seen strong examples of family engagement
Have received minimal training and PD on effective family engagement strategies
May not see family partnership as an essential teaching practice
May have developed deficit mindsets with regards to family engagement

Families

Have not seen strong examples of family engagement
Have had negative past experiences with schools and educators
May not feel invited to contribute to their children’s education
May feel disrespected, unheard, and unvalued

In the face of these challenges, where do we go from here?

A PATH FORWARD: ESSENTIAL CONDITIONS FOR EFFECTIVE FAMILY PARTNERSHIPS

To get started, Dr. Mapp shared process and organizational conditions for educators and leaders to consider when starting this work.

Conditions for Family-School Partnerships (from https://www.dualcapacity.org/, 2023.)

Process conditions are actions or practices that educators can take to overcome some of the common challenges of foster effective school-home partnerships.

Organizational conditions are the systems and structures that need to be in place to support effective school-home partnerships. These start with school leadership. Promoting these conditions top-down helps the entire school community prioritize school-home partnerships is an integral part of student achievement.

In her Learn with the Expert session, Dr. Mapp highlights one key process condition: Building relational trust with family members. And she provides actionable steps to take.

When these essential conditions are in place, Dr. Mapp and her colleagues found that educators felt empowered and families felt engaged in driving student and school improvement.

During the webinar, Dr. Mapp mentioned “When we start doing this work well, we see positive outcomes. As educators and families develop the skills and knowledge to build strong partnerships, everyone’s capacity, connections, and confidence increase.”

Dr. Mapp goes on to share, “We see educators and families working together in meaningful ways. They’re working together to support school and student improvement.”

FOR MORE, WATCH LEARN WITH THE EXPERT WITH DR. KAREN MAPP

When We Partner, Everyone Wins: Family Engagement in Education

Dr. Karen Mapp shares what we know, given the extensive research on family engagement, about the powerful impact of effective family–school partnerships on students, parents, teachers, and schools.

Watch the Recording →

The post When We Partner, Everyone Wins: Family Engagement in Education with Dr. Karen Mapp appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

Seesaw’s Complete Kindergarten Readiness Checklist

Kris Szajner — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 14:02:27 +0000

Starting kindergarten is an exciting milestone for students and families. Students will be learning new things, in new ways, in new places, and with new people! How do families know when their child is ready for this adventure?

Every child develops at their own pace. Yet there are a handful of skills that help students jump into their learning journey with confidence – referred to as kindergarten readiness.

WHAT IS KINDERGARTEN READINESS?

Kindergarten readiness means students have the social, emotional, physical, and foundational thinking skills to learn in a school setting. That’s a lot of skills to get ready! We’re here to help.

Here’s our complete kindergarten readiness checklist.

Bonus: Students can build these skills in interactive ways with their families. Yup, no worksheets! Keep reading for free lessons that build readiness skills through fun games and hands-on activities.

KINDERGARTEN READINESS CHECKLIST

Foundational Building Blocks

☐ I sleep 10-12 hours a night
☐ I can dress myself
☐ I can use the bathroom and wash-up on my own
☐ I can introduce myself with my name and how old I am
☐ I can follow simple directions

Gross and Fine Motor Skills

☐ I can run, hop, skip, jump, and climb stairs
☐ I can bounce a ball and try to catch it
☐ I can use child scissors
☐ I can make marks that look like letters
☐ I can put a simple puzzle together

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)

☐ I can be away from my family without getting overly upset
☐ I can play with other children
☐ I can pay attention for 5 minutes during an adult-led activity

Reading and Oral Language

☐ I can listen to stories
☐ I know how books work
☐ I can say the alphabet and know the names of most letters
☐ I know letters make sounds and can recognize some
☐ I know when two words rhyme
☐ I can draw a picture to share an idea
☐ I can talk in full sentences
☐ I can follow two-step directions

Mathematical Thinking

☐ I can count 10 objects
☐ I understand ‘more than’ and ‘less than’
☐ I recognize and can name basic shapes like squares, triangles, and circles
☐ I can arrange 4 objects from smallest to biggest
☐ I can name and point to primary colors
☐ I can try different strategies to solve problems

GETTING READY FOR KINDERGARTEN

Kindergarten readiness involves academic skills as well as physical, self-care, and social and emotional skills. Because success in school involves more than just ABCs and 123s. Whether a child has preschool experience or not, we can ensure they feel welcome in school and excited to learn from day one. The benefits of a kindergarten checklist include helping families ensure their child is developing the necessary skills and identifying areas where they might need more support.

Check out these 5 FREE Seesaw lessons that build skills from each readiness category.

FOLLOW ME GAME

Students practice listening and following directions while playing a game.

Get the Lesson →

SCULPTING MY NAME

Students build fine motor skills by sculpting their names with play dough.

Get the Lesson →

FEELINGS CHARADES

Students practice identifying and naming different emotions.

Get the Lesson →

MY FAMILY IS SPECIAL

Students practice oral language skills by describing why their family is special to them.

Get the Lesson →

COUNT AROUND YOUR HOME

Students practice counting in sequence by counting steps around their home.

Get the Lesson →

Building kindergarten readiness skills with Seesaw supports students in preschool programs and at home, engages families as powerful partners, and captures learning in a digital portfolio. This allows kindergarten teachers to gain valuable insights to differentiate instruction and build home-to-school connections before the school year even begins!

Explore our complete Building to Kindergarten collection in the Seesaw Resource Library here.

The post Seesaw’s Complete Kindergarten Readiness Checklist appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.