What your teachers are actually worried about

Many teachers aren’t resistant to AI because they refuse to try new things. They worry AI applications “for teachers” will replace them or expose gaps in their teaching. One of the most common fears about AI is that it will replace teachers, but AI classroom tools for teachers are designed to enhance, not replace, their role. The truth is the opposite—AI should support teachers, not replace them. Classrooms are deeply human spaces.

AI should automate tasks that can be automated, giving teachers more time for the human side of education. Your teachers need reassurance that these applications won’t replace them but will enhance instruction and lighten their workload. Give them permission to explore without pressure to be perfect.

What you’ll hear from families

Families will come with questions and concerns, especially if you are being proactively transparent about the use of AI in classrooms – so you should have answers ready. Some will ask how these AI applications are helping their child academically, or how their screen-time will be increased with the use of these applications. Parents may be completely resistant to AI and may ask that their child not use it. Some parents will be advocates, especially if they are familiar with the benefits of these applications in their workplace.

Be ready with clear, simple answers. Creating an FAQ or hosting family education nights are great first steps. Parents want to hear directly from you about how AI in elementary classrooms can improve student outcomes, and they want you to highlight the benefits clearly and positively. Find answers in our AI implementation best practices.

The reality of getting started

Like any new tool or curriculum, AI implementation strategies for school leaders require careful planning and time.. You can’t simply parachute in a new tool and expect it to succeed. Give teachers time to experiment, reflect, and grow their understanding. Even if you’re learning just ahead of them, lead with curiosity and empathy.

Your Teachers Need Encouragement and Guidance

Teachers will look to you and your team for guidance. Even if they don’t say it, they trust that the applications you approve are worth their time. They want to know their effort will pay off in their classrooms.

Lead with confidence and positivity. Create spaces for collaboration and honest feedback so teachers feel supported as they learn.

The Best Approach is an Integrated One

Every new technology takes up instructional minutes, and too much can reduce teaching time. Use those minutes wisely. Start by checking whether the applications you already use offer AI-powered learning features for K-5. Partnering with familiar vendors can create a win-win: teachers keep the applications they know while gaining more value to instruction from AI enhancements.

Common Pitfalls of AI

To avoid any missteps, keep an eye out for some of the most common pitfalls:

• Over-relying on AI and removing human intervention from the classroom
• Implementing too many applications, too quickly, or allowing full freedom for teachers to access the applications they think they need
  • “I feel like it’s happy hour all over again with all of the AI tools, but for K5 we are using Seesaw and that’s our official LMS.” – Joshua Ehret, Instructional Technology Specialist, Wichita Public Schools, KS
• Focusing on just technical training of how to use tech and not embedding t pedagogy, instructional design, or practical classroom applications
• Making the assumption that all AI applications are safe, equitable, and unbiased

When done right, AI can help

AI in classrooms can improve student outcomes. These applications can give teachers time back, streamline decision-making, and eliminate monotonous admin tasks. But the success of this technology depends on your leadership.

Prioritize support and sustainability over speed and novelty. When you champion the right AI applications, you’re not just adopting technology, you’re leading the way in AI strategies for elementary schools that build better learning environments. Learn more about AI-enhanced instruction for schools to lead with confidence.

The post What School Leaders Need to Know About AI-Enhanced Instruction 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.

The post Behind the Scenes: Expanding Access with a Regionalized Content Library appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

This blog will walk you through 12 powerful reasons why educators choose Seesaw as their trusted and secure AI tool. There are of course many reasons beyond these 12, but we will let you discover those on your own after falling in love with our tools.

1. It’s Part of a Trusted Tool

Teachers already rely on Seesaw as a classroom cornerstone for communication, student portfolios, and learning engagement. Seesaw’s AI features are thoughtfully embedded within this safe and familiar platform. This means educators can access helpful automation without having to learn a new tool, wasting precious classroom minutes.

2. It’s Easy to Use, Just Like Seesaw

Seesaw’s AI-powered features are designed with simplicity in mind, just like the rest of Seesaw! Whether it’s quickly translating a message into 100+ languages, or getting suggested assessment questions through the Question Assistant, the experience is seamless and intuitive. There’s no learning curve or technical complexity, just benefits to classrooms around the globe.

3. Students’ Information Is Secure

Seesaw’s commitment to data privacy is industry-leading. AI features are built with student protection at the core. Data is never used to train AI models without explicit consent. Seesaw ensures every AI application aligns with strict safety, privacy, and abuse prevention policies, so educators can confidently get the most benefit from Seesaw. Seesaw is a leader in AI tools for student data privacy in education, ensuring teachers never compromise safety for convenience.

4. Students Never Interact Directly with AI

Unlike tools that put generative AI directly into the hands of students, Seesaw ensures that young learners never engage directly with AI systems like chatbots or text generators. Instead, every AI-enhanced experience in Seesaw is mediated by a teacher, creating a protective buffer that maintains security and developmental appropriateness.

5. There’s Always an Adult in the Loop

AI in Seesaw never operates on its own. Whether it’s translating messages or suggesting questions, there’s always an educator reviewing and deciding how and when to use the content. This “adult in the loop” approach ensures Seesaw’s AI features support, and not replace, teacher judgment.

6. It Was Designed for Elementary Learners

Many EdTech products are designed for older students. They have complex user interfaces that allow for complicated and robust work products. When they are asked if they have a solution for elementary students, they will often retrofit this interface for younger students and more often than not it is not the ideal solution. Seesaw is different. From the beginning, we were built for elementary classrooms. Our intentional design is reflected in our AI tools. Building safe, purposeful, and helpful tools for elementary classrooms is what we do best.

7. Educators Stay in Control with Human Edit and Override

Teachers always have the final say. Any content generated by AI, like an assessment question or reading fluency score, can be edited or overridden. This ensures that technology serves its role as assistant and not director. For example, if an automatic reading score doesn’t reflect a student’s true performance, the teacher can adjust it based on context.

8. Safety, Privacy, and Abuse Prevention Are Built In

Seesaw’s AI applications don’t just meet safety standards, they exceed them. Every use of AI undergoes a rigorous review process aligned with Seesaw’s privacy policies. Abuse prevention systems and clear safeguards are in place to protect all users, especially young learners.

9. Consent Is Respected

Unlike some platforms that use data by default to improve their AI. User data is never used to develop, train or fine tune third party AI models. Before using any customer data to train proprietary AI models, Seesaw will get your explicit consent. This gives schools and families peace of mind and transparency, and aligns with Seesaw’s core values around maintaining student safety and family trust.

10. Seesaw’s AI Is Designed to Save Teachers Time

Time is a teacher’s most valuable resource and Seesaw’s AI is designed to protect this precious resource Whether it’s automating tedious transcription for reading fluency assessments, helping scaffold instruction with Read-with-Me tools, or suggesting formative questions aligned to curriculum goals, Seesaw’s AI gives teachers more time to teach, reflect, and connect. Seesaw’s AI features were designed as AI tools for teachers to save time, helping educators focus on students instead of repetitive tasks.

11. It Makes Learning More Accessible

From language translation to audio narration, Seesaw’s AI features break down barriers to access for students and families. Multilingual families can stay in the loop with machine-translated messages. Emerging readers can benefit from highlighted audio support. With AI, Seesaw extends its mission of equitable learning further than ever. By offering language translation and audio narration, Seesaw stands out among AI-powered classroom tools for accessibility.

12. AI Tools Were Designed with Curriculum Experts

When building educational tools, it is important to ensure these tools will have impact. The Seesaw AI tools are co-designed with curriculum experts with decades of experience. This collaboration ensured the tools designed fit into classrooms, schools, and districts with more purpose.

Making a thoughtful choice

AI tools promise many things. Time back, less work, better student achievement, and so on. These benefits need to be carefully weighted against the safety, ease of use, and overall philosophy of the edtech provider. Learn more about how Seesaw puts safety, ease of use, and student learning at the center of Seesaw AI.

The post 12 Reasons to Choose Seesaw as Your Trusted and Secure AI Tool 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 ->

Help Center ->

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  ->

Help Center ->

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  ->

Help Center ->

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 -> 

Help Center ->

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.

Help Center ->

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”

Help Center ->

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  ->

Help Center  ->

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.

Help Center ->

 

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.

Elementary learners were left out. Our littlest learning is fundamentally different. They require developmental support, engaging visuals, intuitive navigation, and frequent connections with adults.

Unfortunately, most learning platforms don’t meet the needs of elementary learners. The text-heavy design, complex workflows are designed to consume content and not create it.

So what should we be thinking about when it comes to an elementary learning platform? What things are critical to the success of primary aged children? This blog will outline the things that matter the most and how you can go about making the right selection.

Components of a Truly Comprehensive Elementary LMS

Finding a platform that offers the full feature set of a modern learning platform but customized and designed for the realities of an elementary classroom:

Instructional Tools Built for Engagement

Teachers need tools that are easy to design interactive, multimodal lessons. Tools like drawing, video, voice, and annotation are easy to access and friendly enough for any student to approach. Finding a tool that supports creativity, differentiation, and accessibility—without requiring advanced tech skills.

Time-Saving AI Tools

AI tools are everywhere. Finding the tools that are built with educators in mind is important. Tools that are flashy, may not have the desired impact over tools built for the classroom. Tools that save educators time through automation while still keeping the teacher in control is a great plus. Choose safe and trusted tools with AI enhancements for the right choice.

Assessments and Feedback That Make Sense for K–5

Leveraging tools that support authentic assessments elevates the learning and focuses on authentic understanding. Bringing this level of understanding provides clearer showcases to the teacher while ensuring students share without barriers.

Real-Time Progress Monitoring

Teachers need the ability to track growth over time, identify gaps, and plan instruction with data that’s clear, actionable, and relevant. This data is used for daily decisions along with report cards, conferences, or interventions. Progress monitoring does not happen at the end of terms, it needs to happen all the time.

Scalable, Secure, and Admin-Friendly

The learning platform chosen needs to be as friendly for you as an admin as it is for teachers. Platforms that integrate with an SSO (single sign on) tool help save time and headache with rostering. Find tools with powerful admin dashboards that offer visibility into usage, engagement, and implementation fidelity.

Making Learning Visible and Connected

Elementary classrooms are filled with hands-on, visual, and collaborative learning. This is often hard to capture and measure success. Choosing a learning platform that does this is critical for elementary classrooms to increase students growth and achievement.

Empowering and Capturing Expression

Elementary students are extremely expressive. If you have never walked into a Kindergarten classroom and talked to some students, you might not know just how expressive. Being able to capture this expression goes beyond building a cute memory. It captures their thinking, their excitement for a topic, or their missteps during a process. These elements are important to a teacher and help make better educational decisions.

Real-Time Family Engagement

Platforms with classroom communication and family engagement features give families visibility into their child’s learning, which supports higher student achievement. Every school wants this outcome, but not every classroom provides this transparency. Finding a learning platform that can do this for you in a way that enables visibility without criticism is a great step.

Designed for Access and Equity

Equal access is a non-negotiable when it comes to learning management systems. All families need this access without barriers. Finding a platform that provides this is good, but finding one that does this with ease is better.

Seesaw Stands Alone as the Premier K–5 Learning Platform

Seesaw isn’t just another LMS; it’s an all-in-one learning platform for elementary students, intentionally designed to support early learners’ growth, expression, and engagement. From PreK through 5th grade, Seesaw supports the way young children learn, express, and grow. All doing this while meeting the real needs of teachers, families, and administrators.

Seesaw wasn’t adapted to meet the needs of elementary students—it was built specifically for them. This purposeful design sets apart Seesaw from those who are retroactively updating their tool to fit the needs of elementary students. Seesaw keeps the focus on what matters most; joyful, meaningful, connected learning. For a significant and positive impact during a child’s crucial early education, choosing the right tools is vital. Let Seesaw guide you through this journey.

The post What You Should Be Thinking About When Choosing an LMS for Elementary Learners appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

The post What You Need to Know about The Seesaw Shake-Up appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

Teacher satisfaction: what the research tells us

The satisfaction of your teachers as an educational leader is not a one size fits all number however, research shows that there are common issues that contribute to teacher satisfaction. According to the Learning Policy Institute, teachers who feel supported and effective in their roles are significantly more likely to remain in the profession. A 2022 survey by the National Education Association found that 55% of teachers reported workplace stress as a major factor in considering leaving the profession.

The role of technology in classrooms is to help make teachers’ classrooms more efficient and save them time to do what they do best, teach. When classrooms are not supported with sound technology integration plans, this leads to increased workload and stress about fitting in yet another thing.

How tech support directly impacts teacher retention

The relationship between technology support and teacher retention is clearer than it was once thought to be:

• Streamlining Administrative Tasks: Teachers spend an estimated 30% of their time on administrative tasks. Schools that implement streamlined digital systems for grading, attendance, and communication report higher teacher satisfaction and lower burnout rates.
• Academic Management Support: Technology that supports academic tasks enables teachers to focus on delivering differentiating instruction. Schools that use tools to support academic management report having more instructional time.
• Professional Development: Countless digital platforms offer personalized professional growth opportunities to help teachers develop mastery and confidence. Teachers with access to on-demand professional learning report feeling more valued and supported in their careers
• Access to Meaningful Data: When teachers can easily access and interpret student performance data, they can make informed instructional decisions more accurately and faster. This leads to greater feelings of efficacy and professional satisfaction.
• Purposeful Technology Choice: With the countless number of choices available in today’s edtech space, choosing the right tools can make a positive impact. Teachers who are part of the decision making process help to align on tools that fit best leading to deeper implementation and stronger satisfaction.

Achieving effective technology integration and increasing teacher retention

What are some ways to achieve effective technology integration and get to the benefits you are looking for:

1. Set Achievable Expectations: As with everything in life, being real about what you are aiming for is important. Misinterpreting growth for underachievement can lead to early abandonment. Lean into your staff, connect with your vendors, and create a plan that builds to deep usage in a sustainable way.
2. Build on Wins: The connection with defining what a win is comes first and directly connects with the bullet above. Knowing how to identify success leads to how you share these. Highlighting innovative ideas or practices for your teachers helps to spread inspiration and lead toward deeper usage. Make simple, share and share the right things to keep your teachers on the right track.
3. Fostering a Learning Community: A powerful learning community cannot be replaced by anything. This can be global, or a local network. Identify positive learning communities connected to use cases you desire or build on yourself in your school.
4. Connect with Stakeholders: Satisfaction of technology adoption goes beyond the teacher and administrator. Connecting with students and families about how the tools you are choosing gives you a broader picture of how these tools are helping your school.
5. Monitor and Reflect: As you connect with stakeholders, ensure you are monitoring usage and reflecting on your goals. This is an important step that helps you see the fruit that you bore during the school year.

Creating a technology rich, positive workplace

School leaders want what is best for their teachers. They want to have a positive work life balance, less workplace stress, while still having sound technology usage practices present. Being mindful of the technology integration factors that influence teacher retention is an important step. Thoughtful technology implementation with the teacher needs at the center can significantly improve teacher satisfaction, productivity, and career longevity.

The post Supporting Teacher Retention with Effective Technology Integration 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.

Below, we discuss 4 key takeaways from the UK Technology in Schools Survey and how Seesaw aligns to the survey results.

1. Varied methods for evaluating technology effectiveness

The majority of teachers surveyed (63%) reported that they do evaluate technology use, with classroom observations as the most popular method of evaluation. Most survey participants who did evaluate technology used informal or qualitative means to determine edtech effectiveness, such as observations, student feedback, or personal reflection.

Seesaw helps teachers and school leaders track the effectiveness of technology through engagement and learning insights dashboards, making the task of measuring technology effectiveness data-driven, seamless, and straightforward.

2. Digital strategy adoption is increasing at the primary level

From 2020 to 2021, the percentage of primary leaders who said they had a digital strategy increased from 38% to 55%. Digital strategies increase the likelihood that technology adoption and implementation are purposeful. This trend indicates that more schools in England are using technology in a way that supports academic and student attainment goals.

3. Mixed feelings about technology’s impact on pupil attainment

Primary school teachers were more likely than their secondary school counterparts to report that technology had made no difference to pupil attainment (46% vs. 40%). Technology in schools survey report: 2022-23)

As one of the only education technology platforms built from the ground up for primary grades, we understand the challenges that primary teachers face when trying to use technology built for older learners. In fact, we explored this in our Reimagining Edtech for Early Learners white paper. The white paper found that only 25% of teachers believe that edtech was well-tailored to the needs of young learners. Many tech tools currently used in primary schools were initially designed for university.

While some improvements have been made to the design and implementation of technology for primary grades, it’s no surprise that many primary teachers continue to see limited impact on the educational attainment of young learners.

4. Key investment areas align with Seesaw capabilities

Seesaw aligns with most of the areas that primary leaders identified as investment priorities. We dive into each of those areas below:

Support pupils with SEND

According to a survey we conducted in 2023, 95% of teachers believe Seesaw enables them to modify instruction to meet their students’ diverse needs. Seesaw Instruction & Insights includes tools built for primary learners that help teachers differentiate instruction and promote student choice to meet the needs of all learners. Learn more about our capabilities here.

Delivering lessons

Teachers deliver lessons with Seesaw’s flexible multimodal tools and ready-to-teach lessons. From the previously mentioned internal survey, 98% of teachers found Seesaw helpful for delivering engaging instruction and capturing evidence of student progress.

Teacher training and continuing professional development

Seesaw provides flexible professional development options for school leaders to ensure effective technology implementation and promote effective instructional practices. Learn more about our professional development offerings.

Tracking pupil progress

Teachers can track student progress in a number of ways with Seesaw:

1. Pupils and teachers see immediate, auto-marked feedback with formative assessments.
2. Teachers and school leaders can assess class progress against curriculum standards with learning insights dashboards.
3. Teachers, leaders, pupils, and families can track progress with digital portfolios. Portfolio items and numerical marks paint a complete picture of student progress over the course of their primary school journey.

Planning lessons and curriculum content

Seesaw helps teachers streamline lesson and curriculum planning. Educators can use pre-made activities from the Seesaw Library or create their own. Teachers can also organize and categorize lessons for future use, making long-term planning more efficient.

Collaborating and sharing resources with others

Seesaw improves collaboration amongst teachers by making it easy to share activities and resources through Libraries. In School Libraries, here educators can browse, customize, and share lessons with colleagues. Teachers can create and organize collections of activities and resources, ensuring curriculum alignment and the exchange of best practices.

Seesaw supports co-teaching by allowing multiple teachers to manage a class, collaborate on assignments, and provide joint feedback to students. Additionally, Seesaw Instruction & Insights offers school and district-wide libraries where educators can share learning materials, promoting consistency across grade levels and subjects.

Seesaw is trusted and loved by 1.4 million educators, pupils, and families in the United Kingdom. We continue to meet the needs of British teachers and school leaders and have made significant enhancements for our customers for the UK 2024-25 school year. Learn more at https://seesaw.com/uk.

The post 4 Key Takeaways from the UK Technology in Schools Survey appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.

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.

The post 7 Ways Seesaw Helps Educators Become Teaching Experts appeared first on Seesaw | Elementary Learning Experience Platform.