Getting Started With Seesaw
Helpful Links
What is Seesaw? Seesaw is a platform for student engagement. Teachers can empower students to create, reflect, share, and collaborate. Students “show what they know” using photos, videos, drawings, text, PDFs, and links. It’s simple to get student work in one place and share with families, and nothing is shared without teacher approval. Seesaw is the most practical platform to use with small children who are non-readers because you can make audio recordings of all activity instructions and videos to model how to complete activities. This makes Seesaw an intuitive platform for young learners to independently understand and use. Seesaw is NOT designed to be used for behavior management like Class Dojo. This is only a platform for learning.
***Teachers set up their Seesaw account using the Seesaw CLASS app. Parents will need to download and join the Seesaw FAMILY app. This is what parents will use to send and receive messages. YOU WILL NO LONGER NEED TO SHARE YOUR PERSONAL EMAIL ADDRESS WITH FAMILIES! All communication can occur via Seesaw. For remote learning each student will need AT HOME LEARNING CODES and will need to work on the Seesaw CLASS app. You will need to invite parents to join the Seesaw FAMILY app and students will need to join using the Seesaw CLASS app. Activities should only be assigned and completed using the Seesaw CLASS app. So…teachers and students use the Class app EXCLUSIVELY and parents use the Family app. You may post your video lessons and any read alouds in the journal or embed videos less than 5 minutes long in activities.***
How does Seesaw work?
https://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/articles/115003755186-How-does-Seesaw-work-
https://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/articles/115003713306-What-is-Seesaw-
Getting started with Seesaw with PreK tutorial 50 minutes (interactive and get a certificate)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8pasTT0OVs
Or…..follow these step-by-step instructions
How do I set up my class?
https://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/articles/115003713206-How-do-I-set-up-my-class-
How do I add students to my class?
https://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/articles/205070879-How-do-I-add-students-to-my-class-
How do I use Sample Student?
https://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/articles/360018068232-How-do-I-use-Sample-Student-
How do I use Seesaw for remote learning?
https://web.seesaw.me/remote-learning-for-teachers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsxDUABH8q4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vwba_E4g5lg
****To protect student privacy, turn OFF ‘Students can see each other’s work’ in Class Settings.***
How to get your class set up with At Home Learning Codes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWmXd3tYxtE
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oUDd0KM5rYWv1NTR7kML65qyBW9uYLU-H1FVEmN3dFk/edit
How do I add a teacher to my Seesaw class?
https://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/articles/203728745-How-do-I-add-a-teacher-or-co-teacher-to-my-class-
How do I communicate with families using Seesaw?
https://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/articles/115003336703-How-does-messaging-work-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpkBoHWe5gA
***Using the free app only ONE teacher will be able to receive messages from parents!! Please work out an equitable system with your co-teacher to make sure that you are both involved with and informed of messages from parents. You can copy and paste and text or use screen shots.***
Using the translation tool for Seesaw messages:
https://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/articles/218102343-How-does-translation-work-
Seesaw Tutorial For Parents:
How to use the Seesaw Activity Library
https://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/articles/360015093532-How-Do-I-Use-the-Activity-Library-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mK_XVwDgpa4
How to customize an activity on Seesaw for your needs
https://help.seesaw.me/hc/en-us/articles/115005282803-How-do-I-customize-activities-in-Seesaw-
How to create an activity on Seesaw
***documents must be pdf or google slides***
Shortcuts for icons
https://drive.google.com/file/d/14pkfZLzatOK1iUmIGWuo6sH5RkXDHToK/view
How to use the Seesaw blog for remote learning
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peofJ9DwDwI
How parents can save their child’s Seesaw journal
Seesaw professional development in your pjs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8pasTT0OVs
Tips for how to track activities and attendance with Seesaw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKmpE9NrzH0
Free Activities for Seesaw
lifeovercs.com – select Free Google Slides and Seesaw from menu at top of site
You can also search TPT: remote learning in the search bar, then check PreK for level and free for cost to tailor the search further
Technical Questions about Seesaw?
There is a new Seesaw Community Forum where teachers can ask and answer each other’s technical questions.
bit.ly/askseesaw
***IMPORTANT CONSIDERATION****
If we have a hybrid model and part of your class attends on some days and the other part attends different days you MAY want to set up TWO Seesaw classes for ONE class.