It has been a tough couple years for both teachers and students during the Covid-19 pandemic. In my house, the stress level was as high as my messy bun.
I have two things that saved my sanity. Yoga pants and the Seesaw app.
I have used Seesaw in my classroom for over seven years, and it’s a part of our daily routine. But there is a learning curve to it if you want to use it beyond a drawing tool. In this second post on the best apps for the classroom, I am going to give you 7 Seesaw app tips to make your life a little easier!
What is Seesaw?
Seesaw is a free online platform that works as an electronic journal. Students can interact with what you are teaching in class through pictures, drawings, and videos. It’s popular with grades K-2 but you can use it for any grade.
You can communicate with parents through the Family Seesaw App, and they can see and comment on their child’s work. It’s a one-stop-shop for all things digital! The best part it’s all on one app, and students do not need to hop from platform to platform. The free version has everything you need, but there is a premium version if you want a little extra razzle-dazzle in your life.
Teach your students how to use Seesaw with my FREE Seesaw Scavenger Hunt! This takes the guess work out teaching your kiddos something new.
This Seesaw Scavenger Hunt will give you confidence to teach your students how to use Seesaw in your classroom by taking each component in a step-by-step, sequential order that makes sense. I use this every year to teach the Seesaw components to my students, and I’d love to help you build confidence in your classroom!
Tip #2 Utilize the Seesaw Help Center
Bookmark the Seesaw Help Center. It is a wealth of information when you’re stuck. If you need help getting your class set up, or if you need help making an activity head over to this page. I’ve never been disappointed in a search there. Click here to go to the Seesaw Help Center.
Tip #3 Hop on a Seesaw Facebook Group
Join the Seesaw Family Facebook Group. Each grade level K-5 has it’s own group. Search Facebook for “Seesaw Teachers: (your grade level). It’s an amazing community of teachers who collaborate together and share ideas. You can post a question there and there’s someone who is going to support you. Its also a good place to be when you have writers block with your lesson plans.
Tip #4 Sign up for PD in your PJs
Once a month, Seesaw holds “PD in your PJs”. It’s a free webinar hosted by teachers who have tips about using Seesaw for your students. If you sign up and can’t join the webinar at the time it’s held, a recording is emailed to you. We learn better when we collaborate, so it’s great to hear fresh ideas from energetic teachers using Seesaw in the classroom.
Tip #5 Keep It Simple
Make it simple! Start by mastering one component of Seesaw with your students and when you’re ready, move to the next. I started with the camera tool.
Take a "Book Shelfie"
My first assignments at my reading center was a “Book Shelfie”. First, my kiddos read a book, took a picture of it, and recommended it to their classmates.
Here is one of my students doing his “book shelfie” about a book he enjoyed. After his classmates heard it, this book became a VERY popular part of our classroom library. You can click on the picture to hear what he thinks about the book.
Tip #6 Templates Are Your Best Friend
Templates! When you make an activity in Seesaw, make a template first so you make less work for yourself. I made a pocket chart activity and named it “Pocket Chart Template”. Then, every time I want to use a pocket chart in Seesaw, I choose “copy and edit” from the template. My work is done for me and I don’t need to spend time doing something twice.
Tip #7 Become a Seesaw Pioneer
Seesaw pioneers have access to more community resources. After you are a Seesaw Pioneer, you can apply to be a Seesaw Ambassador. Ambassadors receive Seesaw Plus for free and have early access to new features and webinars. You can apply for your Seesaw Pioneer status HERE.
I've been a Seesaw Ambassador since 2017
Need to see how to make a Seesaw activity?
I was honored to help Teacherpreneur Kayse Morris with a live training session on Facebook. Here’s the video!
Give it a Try!
Don’t be afraid to try these 7 Seesaw App Tips! I heard somewhere that when you are teaching new technology to give it three shots because the first time might be a hot mess. The second gets a bit better. If, by the third time it still is not working at all, THEN abandon it.
And lastly, don’t forget to grab the Seesaw Scavenger Hunt for your kiddos!
I hope this has been helpful for you. If you would like to know more things that Seesaw can do, check out my friend Brandi Chapman’s “7 Reasons To Start Using Seesaw Now!” post! If you use any of these tips, I would love to hear about them in the comments below!
22 Responses
I am so excited to learn more about Seesaw. Definitely adding it to my toolkit this year!
Exploring Seesaw has been on my list, I’d love to utilize it next year. Thank you for all of this fantastic information!
I need to check out Seesaw! I haven’t used many teaching apps besides ClassDojo a while ago and Quizlet. Thanks for sharing some key information about it 🙂
Thank you!!!!
How can I get the scavenger hunt for seesaw? I have tried email several times. It isn’t sending it to my spam folder either. Please help! I would love to use this!
Hi Jenny! I just emailed you the Scavenger Hunt! Please let me know if you’re still having trouble! I’m so sorry for the inconvenience!
I am also not able to get the download for some reason and it’s not in my spam either. Can you send it to me, as well? Thanks!!
Absolutely! We’ll check things out on our end, thank you for reaching out!
Check your email, I’m sending it to you now. -Rachael
Hi Rachael,
Thank you for all your tips for Seesaw. I’m having a hard time sitting the scavenger hunt as well. I sent a request, but I never received it, and it wasn’t in my spam. Thanks!
Karen
Hi Karen, I just emailed you the Seesaw Scavenger Hunt. I’m so glad you’re all reaching out about it!
-Rachael
Hey Rachael!
A shoutout from the other side of the globe!
I’ve tried out seesaw for a month or two now! It is awesome and my students loooove it!
I’m considering seesaw pioneer jhust wanna know if that has any “strings attached”.
– Jake –
Hey Jake! You should totally become a pioneer! There are NO strings attached. You do have to renew it once a year, but it’s FREE! Seesaw supports teachers so much so this isn’t more work for you, so being a pioneer means opportunities to see what the platform does and to connect with other educators. 🙂 Rachael
Awesome! Yes I’ve become a pioneer already! Fantastic support system! Thanks Rachael! 🙂
Hey Rachael!
Got another question! Are we able to download our student journals as teachers?