Seesaw

Seesaw is a tool for 

• parent education 
• student reflection
• teacher communication to families
• class growth journey

To use Seesaw well, you have to set up the students and parents, have technology like an ipad, smartphone, or chromebook readily available in your class, and push content at least once a week. This product could replace a newsletter. This product could replace a student journal. However, it leaves families without email or cell phones isolated and you of course would need an alternative to get them the information (Video 19 on the playlist below shows how to print a child's Seesaw Portfolio). Every teacher I've spoken to who wants a high level of parent engagement LOVES Seesaw. You need to decide if that person is you--some faculty prefer a more formal and distant relationship. But with the new blogging feature, the potential for student-centered use of Seesaw has emerged to give this tool a completely new focus. It need not be a family-contact tool only... it can now be a student portfolio: See the new Announcements feature that separates out student work from teacher posts. It is much safer than Blogger in that it is a closed system and all communication passes through the teacher--you approve the students' posts to their family and choose which ones get featured to the whole class, and you approve the parents' posts back to the kids. Teachers who use it a lot say 10 min on the app on their couch at home keeps their class's posting flowing. 

To take this course, create a class. Use me as a parent: If you're registered for this course, I've sent you my cell # and personal email. Register a pretend child to me and post one picture to me (as the teacher) that has been augmented with any of the tools at the bottom of the picture. I'll respond. That's how you get credit! Here's an example of a Seesaw photo post with audio added.

Full admission: I have never used Seesaw as a teacher. If you went to Julia and Mary Anne's workshop, you're probably already ahead of me. I have an account and can flail around in it if you need help, just email me or comment here. But instead of listening to MicheleTube talking about something she doesn't really know, I recommend the official Seesaw Playlist. Start at the top and watch the first 7 videos if you're new. If you've used the product before, bounce through the short screencasts until you have enough of a feel to dive in again.