As this EdWeek article explains, digital portfolios allow students to showcase not just their work, but their growth over time.

Over the years, we’ve seen how digital portfolios in the classroom can transform learning and empower students to showcase growth. These are the top ways we’ve seen digital portfolios transform student learning.

Capture learning in accessible ways

How students are asked to show their learning can make a big difference in their development and confidence.

Writing and multiple choice tests are common ways for teachers to assess mastery. Both have a place in the classroom. Yet for many learners, these mediums can be a barrier to students fully expressing their understanding.

Digital portfolios offer multimodal ways to share learning that leverage students’ strengths and interests. The same students that feel limited by traditional assessments can shine when given the opportunity to use photo, video, collage, audio recording, and more.

Emerging writers, multilingual learners, and students with disabilities in particular benefit from having choice in how they communicate. When they’re not limited by how they share their learning, students can experience success for the skills they have mastered. This bolsters motivation to tackle challenges and supports a positive attitude toward themselves as learners.

When adding assignments to their multimodal portfolios, students can also use multimodal tools to add layers of explanation and reflection. Students not only show what they know. They explain how they know it.

In turn, teachers get a complete picture of each student’s strengths and areas for growth, which helps them target instruction and push learning forward.

Foster reflection and growth mindset

Digital portfolios are equipped to capture the entire learning process. With everything in one place, students can look back and see how much they’ve grown.

Regular opportunities to reflect on learning is one of the most effective ways to foster a growth mindset – the belief that skills and success are the result of effort and persistence – which research shows contributes to higher achievement and well-being.

But reflection is a complex skill. Digital portfolios can help in key ways.

When students add to their portfolios throughout the learning process, the focus shifts from celebrating perfection to celebrating growth. Students realize that learning happens over time, and making mistakes is a key part of achieving their goals.

Having a multimodal record of learning makes reflection concrete. Students see what they used to be able to do, hear how they used to think, and compare it to where they are now. Reflection becomes more accessible and meaningful for learners of all ages.

Designating time for reflection activities takes it one step further. Students get regular opportunities to practice this critical skill, and reflection becomes a core part of students’ portfolios and classroom culture.

Support student ownership of the learning process

Portfolios have the greatest impact on learning when students are empowered to take ownership. With the right digital tools, even our youngest learners can create their own learning portfolios and shape what goes in them.

Choosing what goes into their portfolios prompts students to self-assess and make connections between their work and learning objectives.

When given the opportunity, students of all ages can show incredible self-awareness. Identifying their own successes and areas for growth makes students more engaged, motivated, and independent.

By promoting ownership, portfolios go from an assessment of learning to an assessment for learning, and achievement soars.

Boost student motivation with an authentic audience

One key benefit of digital portfolios is that students are more motivated when they have an authentic audience for their work. Connected portfolios allow students to share their learning with peers and family members.

With age-appropriate scaffolds, students can practice giving each other positive and constructive feedback. Not only does this develop important digital citizenship skills, it also reinforces and deepens learning.

Inviting families to connect opens a window into the classroom, which helps families stay informed about their child’s progress. Family involvement is one of the best predictors of student success, and multimodal portfolios are an effective way to engage families as partners in learning.

Taking portfolios digital transforms them from static artifacts to multidimensional reflections of the learning journey. Students are empowered to capture their accomplishments and the process that got them there. Multimodal tools empower students of all ages to take ownership of their learning. And connecting peers and family members gives students an authentic audience that boosts engagement and motivates them to be their best.

The post How Digital Portfolios Transform Student Learning appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

The three pillars of student voice and choice in the classroom

The journey to implement student voice and choice while maintaining effective classroom management starts with knowing exactly what you want students to take ownership of. Here we will highlight three of the most common areas where more voice and choice can easily be embedded.

1. How they Learn

The path to deep understanding is different for every learner, which is why student voice and choice in learning strategies can boost engagement while still keeping classroom routines intact. We see it everyday in classrooms. Lightbulb moments go off at different times through different techniques. Creating space for voice and choice in how they learn allows for growth to happen faster, and more often. Students will also gain autonomy skills to advocate for how they learn best by determining how they are reaching their academic learning targets.

2. How they Show What They Know

Capturing authentic learning is important in any classroom. Embedding student voice and choice into an assessment can lead towards a more authentic showcase of growth. Showcases can be as varied as options such as comic creation all the way to video production. Providing authentic choices that align with learning standards ensures engagement and supports positive classroom management. Using multimodal tools gives students flexible options (like video, audio, and drawings) to demonstrate understanding in creative, personalized ways.

3. What they Learn

Allowing students to have voice and choice in what they learn, while keeping within academic boundaries, is a powerful way to build ownership without losing classroom control. Whenever providing choice in what is learned, keeping the focus on the learning target is critical. Allowing students to make a choice within the academic parameters you outline is a common starting space for educators. For example: when studying biomes, allowing students to choose a biome from a list is an easy way to allow choice while staying focused on the learning target.

Implementing more student voice and choice in your classroom

The roadmap for how you embed more voice and choice is not a one size fits all system. Every classroom functions differently and each group of students have different needs. Below are examples of types of tasks that commonly embed more voice and choice in elementary classrooms. Tools like Seesaw’s multimodal learning features make it easy to provide choice without sacrificing structure, letting students express learning in the way that works best for them.

Low Risk Tasks

• Choice boards during core instruction time that allow students to choose the order in tasks
• Would you Rather games during morning meeting
• Student polls about what they are interested in learning more about

Medium Level Tasks

• Student led conferences
• Flexible seating environments where students choose their seating
• Reflective journaling as a self assessment tool

High Level Tasks

• Student designed unit discovery
• Peer coaching or teaching support
• Student government systems

How do give power, but keep order

By this point, you can see that student voice and choice can thrive in your elementary classroom, without sacrificing classroom structure and behavior expectations. Just because students are making more choices, does not lead to a lord of the flies classroom. Common methods to keep order in your classroom while allowing for choice include:

Set Clear Boundaries

Building guard rails in your classroom helps students to have freedom without going off track. When providing choice, it is important to have guard rails in place. Keeping the focus on a learning standard keeps students academically on track. Building and practicing time management structures allows them to progress on tasks more effectively. Setting up sound respect and teamwork principals ensures that students are safe and respected during learning tasks.

Scaffold Choices

Giving students the keys to the kingdom right away will most certainly lead to disaster. Starting small with micro choices builds understanding within students for how to successfully navigate academic choice. Classrooms around the world find success in slowly lengthening the time you allow students while adding more complexity to their choices. This gradual release of responsibility builds these skills in children with fidelity and will lead to more positive outcomes.

Assessing and Accountability

Ensuring progress is being made is one of the most important elements of keeping order. Teachers who embed more choice often have regular check in’s with students. These can be daily or weekly but keeping tabs on how students are progressing is important. In addition to check in’s, many classrooms also leverage self monitoring systems. A daily share of what they completed that day not only helps the teacher to monitor progress, but also teaches students to reflect on their learning.

Your classroom, their learning

Embedding voice and choice is about shifting responsibility in strategic ways, not giving away the keys to the kingdom. When student voice and choice is paired with intentional classroom management strategies, your classroom becomes a place where students matter more, learn more, and feel empowered to take charge of their education.

Your classroom becomes a place where students matter more. 

The post How to Give Students More Control Without Losing Yours appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

This guide breaks down four of the most common types of assessment in elementary: diagnostic, formative, summative, and performance-based. Each type of assessment comes with real-world classroom examples to help you visualize how this educational assessment is put into practice. If you’re looking to build confidence in your K–5 class assessment strategies, Seesaw is here to help!

Diagnostic assessment in education

What it is: A diagnostic educational assessment is used before instruction of that specific content is delivered. This is designed to assess prior knowledge, strength, and areas for growth within that specific learning target. You can then use the results of this type of assessment to deliver targeted instruction after this knowledge is gathered.

Class assessment example: It is the beginning of the year, and students are coming into school for the first time. The teacher welcomes students and then has them work on a single page of math problems. This page is strategically designed to diagnose what math facts students are proficient with and which they are not. After the class completes this assessment, the teacher uses a key and guide to put students into groups based on the math facts they have yet to master.

Summative assessment in education

What it is: A summative educational assessment is given at the end of a unit or a term to measure students’ mastery of content they were taught. This is often used for grading and reporting on progress toward mastery of academic standards.

Classroom assessment example: A 5th grade science class has just finished learning about natural disasters. Students spent time building dioramas, experiencing simulations, and presenting about each natural disaster. To close the unit, the teacher uses a summative assessment unit from the curriculum as a measure of growth. This class assessment is a few pages long and is a comprehensive measure of understanding about natural disasters. The teacher scores each assessment and reports this in the schools grading system that is made transparent to families.

Formative assessment in education

What it is: Formative educational assessments are ongoing forms of assessment that happen during instruction. They are designed to monitor students progress, and address misconceptions, extend knowledge, and provide purposeful feedback. This type of assessment then helps inform the next steps in teaching.

Classroom assessment example: A kindergarten teacher is working on sight words. The students practice each word as a group, and are then tasked with practicing writing the words on their own while the teacher walks around providing support. After the lesson, the teacher asks the class to share how they felt about writing these words on their own. The students close their eyes and hold up a thumbs up or thumbs down. The teacher gathers this, along with their observational data, and uses this to gather a small group later in the day to support writing these sight words.

Performance-based assessment in education

What it is: A performance-based educational assessment is where students demonstrate their understanding through something they create. This can be a product, a task, or a performance. These are often open ended scenarios that relate to real world applications, perfect for primary grade evaluation that values creativity and communication.

Classroom assessment example: A 3rd grade class is learning about communities and the roles of community helpers in social studies. Instead of a written test, the teacher assigns a project where each student chooses a community role (like firefighter, doctor, or librarian) and creates a short skit, poster, or interview presentation. Students present their work to the class, showing what they’ve learned about that helper’s responsibilities and contributions. The teacher uses a rubric to assess content understanding, creativity, and communication skills.

How to Become an Educational Assessment Pro

1. Leverage tools that automate your workflow. No matter what type of assessment you’re using, tools that streamline the process help you focus on what matters most: teaching. Many K–5 class assessment strategies can be enhanced through digital tools that save time and organize data efficiently.
2. Balance your approach. Relying too heavily on one form of educational assessment won’t give you the full picture. Embed different class assessment types throughout the year to build a more complete understanding of student progress.
3. Be mindful of over-assessing and under-assessing. Measuring growth takes time and balance. Formative class assessments should happen daily to guide instruction and prevent misconceptions, while summative assessments should happen at the end of a unit or term to evaluate learning over time.
4. Consider your students’ learning styles. Students don’t always show what they know the same way. Emotional, developmental, and environmental factors can influence their performance. Use your professional judgment when reviewing data. Sometimes, what looks like a lack of understanding is actually something deeper.

Assessing What Matters

Assessment in education is about so much more than testing. It helps teachers understand their students and refine their craft. From diagnosing readiness to measuring mastery, these elementary assessment types give you the insight you need to teach smarter, not harder.

Seesaw’s flexible assessment tools have been created to  help teachers embed best practices into their year. Your students will grow, your instruction will improve, and your confidence in K–5 assessment strategies will soar.

The post The 4 Types of Assessments Every K–5 Teacher Should Know appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

Almost immediately, you get overwhelmed with building a simple birdhouse.

What should have been a simple and fun project for you leads to frustration and unnecessary struggle. This birdhouse can eventually be built, but at what cost? The process is hard and confusing, rather than focusing on the excitement of building this project.

This mirrors the experience of edtech tools being rolled out to elementary students. Many learning management systems are designed for secondary learners, but elementary students need learning management systems designed specifically for their age and skill level. These tools have navigation systems, multi-step processes, and interfaces designed for teenagers who can juggle multiple complex tasks. These tools are hard to use if you are nine. What should be joyful and meaningful learning moments quickly turn into frustration from wrestling with the system itself, rather than engaging with the actual learning. The tool becomes the barrier instead of the bridge.

In a world driven by technology, this experience should not be happening anymore. We can, and should, do better for our youngest learners. These critical ages set the foundation for lifelong growth and success. In this blog, we will outline the importance of choosing an LMS for your elementary learners.

What elementary students need in an LMS

• A Finger-Friendly Interface – Young learners are still developing their fine motor skills. The tools they interact with need to reflect this. Touch-first interfaces, large and clear buttons, audio cues, and visual instructions are not “nice-to-haves”; they are a foundation
• Intuitive Navigation – Younger students mean fewer cognitive leads. Platforms that require multiple steps to complete even a simple task lead to frustration and a lack of usage. Focus on learning with tools that emphasize intuitive workflows
• Prioritizes Engagement – Feature-rich interfaces and dashboards are not as effective for elementary students. Focusing on simple tools that spark curiosity allows for more effective exploration of learning instead of jumping over the complexity hurdles

The family connection factor

Parental involvement is a proven predictor of academic success in the elementary years. But when LMS platforms are complicated, hard to access, or filled with hoops, families are often left out. This is a missed opportunity that has academic ramifications. Choosing an LMS for your elementary learners will lead to positive adoption and family buy in.

Why family involvement matters:

• Boosts student motivation and performance
• Reinforces learning at home
• Strengthens school-home relationships

Why most LMSs fall short:

• Complex logins and interfaces
• Lack of meaningful updates or visibility into student learning
• Language and tech barriers that exclude non-digital-native families

What families really need:

• Tools that are easy to understand and navigate
• Real-time updates on their child’s progress
• A way to feel like a part of the learning journey

Introducing Seesaw: built for elementary from the ground up

Lucky for you, Seesaw is an all-in-one platform built for elementary classrooms, designed from the ground up to meet young learners’ needs. From the very beginning, Seesaw was designed with elementary students in mind. We know elementary students deserve a tool for them, which is why we built Seesaw the way we did.

Seesaw boards industry-leading interfaces that deepen learning, not complicate it. Large visuals and audio tools support early learners along their learning journey. Every update made to Seesaw is classroom tested with students, teachers, and families. This ensures that even the smallest update is being built to improve the classroom experience for elementary students.

Beyond visual and audio tools, Seesaw has a full suite of multimodal tools, including drawing, voice, video, and text. These ensure that every style of learner can showcase their authentic self with ease. Teachers can search our vast content libraries to find high-quality, grade-level appropriate content that can be customized to meet their classroom needs.

Finally, Seesaw values the family experience just as much as the classroom experience. The family interface includes classroom communication and family engagement tools with multilingual support, giving every family member a voice in their child’s learning journey. The seamless sharing of student work and progress creates a one-of-a-kind learning loop between the teacher, student, and family member. This unique window is supported by messaging and communication tools, leading to a full LMS experience built for elementary students.

What teachers say about seesaw

What do real teachers have to say about how Seesaw helps their classroom?

• Time-Saving Tool: “I work more efficiently since I started with Seesaw and get some of my personal life back.”
• Students are Engaged: “Students are empowered to take ownership of their work and reflect on their learning.”
• Families are Involved: “Seesaw makes it easy for parents to stay up to date with the same data I have.”
• Positive Instructional Impact: “Seesaw helps me meet the diverse needs of my students and find high-quality materials easily.”

When tools match, learning thrives

Elementary students are not just smaller versions of older learners. They are unique in how they think, process, communicate, and engage. Choosing tools that are retrofitted for secondary students is a disservice. Seesaw was built with young learners at the center. It makes a measurable impact on students ‘ growth, family engagement, and teacher effectiveness.

When your LMS fits your learners, everyone wins.

The post The #1 LMS for Elementary Students (and Why It Matters) appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

Seesaw Updates

*Updates here span all subscription levels

What is my Seesaw subscription plan type?

Updated July 10, 2025

New Layout for Teachers, Students and Admins

Our new layout features a streamlined left side panel. This panel gives you quick access to your classes, messages, saved activities and library. It also makes it easier to view your account settings, switch accounts, and access help.

Help Center ->

Teacher Homepage

A new landing page when teachers log in to Seesaw that is a step above the Class Journal.  The idea is to give teachers a space to go to for information and understand the use cases of Seesaw before they land in the class journal.  

Help Center ->

Library Updates

Search improvements get teachers to high-quality, ready-to-teach lessons faster by providing easier navigation, filters, and improved search. 

Help Center ->

Seesaw Instruction & Insights 

Exclusive Updates

What is my Seesaw subscription plan type?

Updated July 10, 2025

Focus Mode Update – Disable Individual Drawing Tools

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

Admin Learning Insights Dashboard

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

Video Tutorial ->

Help Center ->

School & District Library Collections

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

Tutorial Video ->

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Read-with-Me

AI-powered guided reading with built-in scaffolds. This tool narrates passages with word-level highlighting, supporting emerging readers and Multilingual Learners by reinforcing the connection between spoken and written language.

 

Tutorial Video  ->

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Reading Fluency Assessment Tool

This powerful tools gives teachers hours of time back. Students record themselves reading and our AI powered assessment provides teachers with valuable data on accuracy, words correct per minute, and specific reading challenges.

Teachers have the ability to override machine-generated accuracy scores to ensure fair evaluations.

Tutorial Video  ->

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Free Response Assessment Type

The Free Response Assessment Type adds additional flexibility to Seesaw AI 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.

Tutorial Video -> 

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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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Question Assistant

Effortlessly generate and deliver AI-Powered Assessments – all within Seesaw. The question assistant was added to the activity creation page called “Generate Quiz”

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Flexcard

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

Tutorial Video  ->

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Seesaw for Schools Updates

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

What is my Seesaw subscription plan type?

Updated July 10, 2025

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!

Assign Now ->

 

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! 

Tutorial Video ->

Help Center ->

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  ->

Help Center  ->

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

Artificial intelligence is everywhere, including classroom, but AI tools that amplify teaching are most effective when guided by educators.. Educators are tuned into how this will impact education. Families are concerned about how this will impact their children. These are real, valid feelings.. There’s no shortage of headlines declaring that AI will replace teachers. Some media sources push back saying teachers are irreplaceable because of the human relationships they foster. Here’s the truth: both are right, and both fall short.

AI is not replacing teachers—it’s amplifying them

AI can support and even amplify great teaching. But only when teachers are in the driver’s seat. Their judgment, creativity, and expertise must remain at the forefront.

AI should take some tasks off teachers’ plates. Using teacher-led AI in elementary schools for grading or generating practice problems can free time for meaningful instruction. Freeing educators from these tasks opens up space for what really matters: connection, creativity, and insight.

But while AI can generate prompts or analyze fluency, it cannot replace the human wisdom that drives learning. It can’t feel the hesitation in a child’s voice. It can’t know when to push and when to pause. It can’t read how a room shifts during a lesson. It can’t design with empathy or lead with equity. And it doesn’t know your students.

That’s why the question isn’t if teachers have a place in the age of AI. The question is,  “How do we elevate the teacher’s role so students truly benefit from what AI has to offer?”.

The new (and familiar) roles of educators in the age of AI

If we’re going to get this right, we need to reframe the conversation around human-centered AI in classrooms. Teachers are not just ‘relationship builders’. They are intellectual leaders in the classroom. As AI takes shape in education, here are five roles I believe teachers must own:

1. The Curator: Turning Content into Meaning

AI can generate an endless stream of lesson plans, examples, and resources. But it’s the teacher who chooses what’s relevant, developmentally appropriate, and aligned to student needs.

Example: An educator asks AI for storytelling activities that build empathy. The tool delivers 12 options. The teacher selects stories relevant to  her students’ cultural backgrounds and adds local community narratives to deepen the connection.

Why it matters: In a world of infinite content, selection is pedagogy. Teachers curate experiences that are developmentally appropriate and aligned with student needs to help deepen engagement, not just provide information. AI generates content. The teacher curates meaning.

2. The Orchestrator: Designing for Real-Time Learning

Orchestration isn’t reactive; it’s responsive, strategic, and grounded in deep expertise. AI builds the outline. The teacher choreographs the experience—a symphony of data, energy, and emotion. AI can provide structure, but it’s the teacher who choreographs the moment.

Example: It’s been raining all week. Kids are stir-crazy. A teacher ditches the AI- suggested video and sends students on a “walk and talk” outside to discuss habitats. The same standards, but more movement, more joy.

Why it matters: Learning happens in context. Only teachers can read the room and adapt in real time.

3. The Ethicist: Protecting What Matters

AI is powerful, but it isn’t neutral. Teachers must question how tools are used and who they serve or potentially harm.

Example: A teacher reviews auto-graded writing and notices tone-based feedback from AI disproportionately affects students of color. She rewrites the prompt to focus on creativity and contacts the developers of the auto-grading system to report the bias. Where AI moves fast, the teacher moves with wisdom. They ask: Is this fair? Is it appropriate? Who might be harmed?

Why it matters: Teachers are the moral compass of the classroom. They uphold dignity, fairness, and care…especially when tech can’t.

4. The Connector: Making Learning Personal

Teachers bridge curriculum with identity. They make learning real. Anchored in place, community, and culture.

Example: The teacher takes an AI-developed unit on climate change and personalizes it with stories of Indigenous land stewardship and a visit from a local environmental leader. The result? Relevance, pride, and belonging. Teachers go beyond the generic to make learning personal and motivating, tying curriculum to students’ lives, cultures, communities, and identities so that every child feels seen and valued. AI offers the shell. The teacher brings it to life.

Why it matters: Students learn best when they see themselves in the story. Teachers make that possible because they know their students deeply and can make these connections. When students feel they belong, engagement and achievement rise.

5. The Architect of Relationships and Joy

Let’s not forget: connection is cognition. Emotion drives learning. In a world of personalized pathways, teachers build the community that sustains growth.

Example: AI data shows the teacher that two students (who are not normally paired together and are at different reading levels) are both writing about bravery. The teacher uses this opportunity to pair them for an “author chat” to share personal stories and provides some prompts to get the conversation started.. A moment of vulnerability becomes a bridge with human connection. Why it matters:  Teachers craft environments where joy, safety, and human connection fuel learning because emotion isn’t separate from cognition; it’s essential to it. 

AI can align tasks. But only a teacher can create a sense of community and shared belonging.

We are better together

Teachers are already doing this work in classrooms every day. But as AI becomes more present in our tools, our curriculum, and our decisions, we have a choice: we can let it reshape education for us—or we can shape it ourselves.

AI needs teachers’ insights, boundaries, and brilliance.

The role of the teacher hasn’t diminished—it’s been elevated.

In the age of AI, we must rely on teachers’ uniquely human expertise even more, because our students deserve nothing less.

The post The Age of AI Needs Teachers More Than Ever appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

Here are five strategic spring-cleaning moves you can do now, without touching even one single glue stick.

1. Audit your routines, not just your supply drawers

Skip the bin-sorting for now, start with the things you do behind the scenes. Which routines made your classroom run smoother? Which caused constant stress? Take note of these things:

• Arrival and dismissal routines
• Small group transitions
• Core subject transitions
• Tech logins or tool access issues
• Home communication rhythms

Write it down while it’s fresh. You’ll avoid reinventing the wheel come August.

2. Build a better template library

Your future self doesn’t want to hunt for last year’s parent night slide deck or classroom expectations doc in August

Take 30 minutes to:

• Gather commonly reused documents (syllabi, newsletters, seating charts). Seesaw’s classroom platform makes it easy to organize lesson templates, newsletters, and student portfolios digitally for back-to-school preparation
• Drop a copy of them in a clearly labeled folder like:
  ? Back to School Templates 2025

Pro tip: In addition to the “blank copy”, add one “example” version so you’re not starting from scratch.

3. Digitally declutter just one thing

Digital clutter is sneaky and stressful. Taking one look at your computer desktop may reveal the problem. Choose one thing to clean up:

• Rename or organize your cloud storage folders
• Archive last year’s digital portfolios or Seesaw classes. Using Seesaw’s multimodal tools, you can easily archive student work, clear clutter, and prep your classroom for a fresh start.
• Clear your desktop, trash bin, and downloads folder

Start small. One clean space will lead to more.

4. Make a “future ideas” parking lot

Spring is when inspiration strikes but can quickly get lost in the end-of-year rush. Create a simple document or note titled “Ideas for Next Year”. Write, doodle, or craft your ideas about:

• That project you want to expand into more
• A classroom layout you want to try
• A new tool or book to explore
• A parent engagement strategy that hooked families

Don’t plan how you are going to embed these, just collect the ideas before they leave. This gives you a springboard when you start prep later.

5. Pre-schedule small re-entry moments

Mark one 60-minute calendar block in late July or early August titled “Back-to-School Reset.” This is a time to collect any new ideas that may have jumped into your mind during the break. Take off the pressure of doing everything at the end of the year. Create re-entry points to give your mind opportunities to download your latest and greatest ideas. Seesaw helps you capture your ideas and plan small re-entry moments efficiently with digital portfolios and templates, ensuring your classroom is ready for day one.

Let the spring cleaning Bbegin

Spring cleaning isn’t about packing it all away, it’s about clearing mental space and setting up systems your future self will thank you for. You don’t need a label maker to do any of these ideas. You just need 30 intentional minutes here and there to feel lighter later.

The post Spring Cleaning: What You Can Do Now to Make Back to School Easier appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

1. Create a “start of next year” bin

Designate one bin or drawer as your “Start of Next Year” toolkit. Include:

• Your favorite read-alouds for the first week
• Extra name tags, labels, and bulletin board borders
• Copies of first-day icebreakers
• Welcome letters or open house materials
• Using Seesaw’s classroom toolkit, you can easily store templates, activities, and student work for a smoother start to the year.

Come August, this bin will feel like a gift from Past You.

2. Take photos of wall displays & layouts

Snap pictures of your classroom before taking anything down:

• Bulletin boards
• Supply areas
• Student work displays
• Desk or table configurations
• Consider archiving your student work and classroom setups in Seesaw to make back-to-school planning easier.

Next fall, you’ll have a visual roadmap for what worked (and what didn’t).

3. Get your “clean-up crew” moving

Students love responsibility, especially when it feels important. Create small jobs and assign students to:

• Check, test and sort markers or glue sticks
• Clean up broken or old supplies
• Organize library bins
• Sort lost-and-found items

Add fun job titles like “Librarian,” “Supply Ninja,” or “Staple Remover Extraordinaire” and give these out with a fun randomizer to keep spirits high.

4. Label everything like you’re a stranger

This might sound silly but summer is a long time, you may forget. Use clear, descriptive labels with both words and visuals, especially if you move rooms or share materials with teammates. Labels that are helpful include:

• Clear time of year when this was helpful
• Subjects connected with what is inside
• How you used the supplies in the box

5. Inventory now, shop later

Use a simple checklist (paper or digital) to take inventory of what’s running low before you pack up. Bonus points for grouping it by subject area or drawer/bin. In August, you’ll shop smarter, not harder.

Try this format:

6. Prep your tech & digital files

• Archive or export student digital work you want to save
• Rename folders and clear out downloads
• Back up key documents to a cloud drive
• Make a folder titled “First Week 2025” and drop in lessons, Seesaw activities, or slides you want to reuse

Your digital self will thank you next year.

7. Leave a note for future you

Write a quick letter or checklist to your future self:

• What routines worked?
• What would you skip next year?
• Which students needed extra support early on?
• What made the first month smoother?

Tape it inside your “Start of Next Year” bin or store it digitally where you’ll find it in August.

8. Celebrate the progress—then let go

Take time to reflect on what you and your students accomplished this year. Consider creating a digital scrapbook or highlight reel. And then, breathe. Not everything needs to be perfectly sorted, just set up enough for a calmer start next time.

Final thought:

The end of the year can feel overwhelming, but a few strategic choices now can mean a smoother, more energized return. Use these classroom hacks that will save you time and thinking power to finish strong, and leverage Seesaw for end-of-year classroom organization and digital preparation for the next school year. You’ve earned your break, so go enjoy it!

The post End-of-Year Classroom Organization Hacks for a Stronger Start Next Year appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

Capture your year

My Year Scrapbook

Many classrooms create scrapbooks of the work they completed during the year. These can be individual scrapbooks from all subject areas or a whole class archive of the learning they achieved. Creating a scrapbook can take any shape or form that you would like it to. Some common scrapbook inclusions are:

• Favorite assignments or projects
• Photos from class events
• Personal growth milestones
• Academic achievements
• Friendship memories

Creating scrapbooks encourages students to think about their experiences this year and practice organizing these thoughts. Paper scrapbooks can be shared through digital tools such as Seesaw adding powerful layers to paper based projects.

Highlights Collection

This collection of Seesaw lessons offers timely journal pages where students can reflect and capture their best work. These lessons vary in format from a quarterly reflection on each subject, to individual subject based pages. Regardless of the lessons chosen, students have the tools to deeply reflect on their growth.

As this is a Seesaw activity, students have the benefits of the creative canvas. They are able to upload videos or photos of their work and add powerful layers such as audio recordings or drawings. These layers create robust posts that can be used for years to come. Families can save these and listen to their child’s best work for years to come.

Create together

Class Mural

A mural is one opportunity to allow student creativity to blend with reflection. Murals can take on different forms. From painting, to photo walls, there is no one way to create a mural. Allow your classroom to decide on what the focus of the mural should be and let them create. Your teacher’s heart will be filled when students decide to create a mural on the laughs they had this year.

Reflection Activities

Guided conversations are a great way to reflect on the school year but they can sometimes lack the excitement you are seeking. Don’t worry, Seesaw is here to help! We created an engaging conversation activity that is sure to keep your students engaged while facilitating deep conversations. Questions you will may uncover include:

• “What’s something you learned this year that has nothing to do with school?”
• “If you could relive one day from this school year, which day would it be and why?”
• “What moment made you laugh the most this year?”

These reflections are easy to use and student friendly leading to rich and joyful conversations as you start to reflect on the year. 

Celebrate achievements

Classroom Talent Show

Talent shows are great ways to allow each individual student to shine just one last time. You may be surprised to discover a special talent that has been hidden the entire year! Talent shows don’t have to be limited to musical or performative contributions, they can be whatever you want. Alternative talent show themes might be:

• Academic presentations
• Unique hobbies or skills
• Time machine talents
• Talent tag team
• Minute to win it challenges

Thank You Messages

Reflecting on the year would not be complete without expressing gratitude. From creating paper notes and letters to sharing a video recording, there is no wrong way to do this. Focus any thank you message on the growth your students were able to achieve.

• Letters to family members
• Notes to other teachers or staff
• Appreciations for classmates
• Video messages for school administrators

Sharing thank you messages builds gratitude and helps students recognize the community that supported their growth.

Final thoughts

The end of the school year does not have to be a time of disengagement. Use the remaining time to make a final memory with your students. Create something special that will carry these students through summer and be something they remember forever. Honor the growth that was achieved this year, celebrate achievements, and prepare students for their next chapter.

If you take one thing away from this post, know that there is not a wrong way to close your year. Any activity you choose should maintain student engagement, provide closure to the year, and serve as a bond for the community you created. Send students off to summer with a sense of accomplishment and enthusiasm for what is to come.

The post Creative End-of-Year Reflection Activities for Students appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

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The research-backed impact of family engagement

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

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

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

Overcoming common engagement barriers

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

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

These steps create parent-teacher communication strategies that go beyond newsletters and build authentic relationships.

Metrics that reflect connected families

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

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

Moving beyond the newsletter

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

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

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

Next week: “The Psychology of Family Engagement and Why It Matters“

The post Going Beyond the Class Newsletter for Stronger, Connected Family Experiences appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

Our Mission Turn Reading from a Chore into an Adventure

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

1. Sound Detectives Master Phonemic Awareness

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

Strategy Aligned Challenge: Turn sound learning into a classroom mission

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

2. Phonics Power Build a Solid Reading Foundation

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

Strategy Aligned Challenge: Implement a systematic phonics approach

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

3. Vocabulary Expeditions Expand Word Horizons

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

Strategy Aligned Challenge: Launch vocabulary-building adventures

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

4. Fluency Fuel Read with Confidence and Expression

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

Strategy Aligned Challenge: Make fluency practice exciting

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

5. Comprehension Detectives Unlock Deeper Understanding

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

Strategy Aligned Challenge: Turn reading into an investigative experience

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

The Big Takeaway

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

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

Did You Know?

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

The post Unlock Reading Magic With 5 Literacy Strategies to Try This Month! appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.