At Alice Smith School, we believe in fostering a collaborative educational journey that connects school and home, making learning transparent and engaging for all.
We are excited to introduce Seesaw, a platform that provides a window into the classroom for families. We are extending this home access beyond the Early Years to include all students up to Year 6. This initiative marks a significant step toward strengthening the partnership between parents and teachers, allowing families to have a window into their child’s learning journey.
What is Seesaw, and how do you navigate it?
Seesaw is a digital workspace where students and teachers share "moments in time" through photos, videos, and voice recordings in a user-friendly environment. This provides parents insight into the child’s day and the thought process behind the learning as it happens.
To facilitate a smooth transition to this new platform, Alice Smith School is committed to providing a series of workshops and resources tailored for parents. These sessions will not only offer valuable information about Seesaw’s ongoing development within our school but also guide parents on how to effectively utilise its features to support their child’s learning.
Supporting Your Child’s Journey
The most powerful feature of Seesaw isn’t what happens on the tablet—it’s what happens at the dinner table. We view student posts as Conversation Cards that create new opportunities for meaningful conversations at home. Parents can engage with their child's learning journal by asking specific and informed questions about their learning at school.
It is key to understand how Seesaw does (and does not) fit within the classroom. Its chronological feed is a curated selection of "moments in time" rather than an exhaustive record of every activity. While we value timely updates, these are not intended to be "real-time" or instantaneous. Furthermore, the experience will not be uniform across year levels; the platform will be a flexible reflection of students' learning over time. Finally, these glimpses are for private viewing only and are not intended for social media reshares.
Encouraging Student Ownership and Pride
Seesaw also empowers students to take ownership of their learning by providing students with an authentic audience, knowing that Mom, Dad, or Grandma will see their work or hear their thought process. The resulting discussions help children reflect on their learning, reinforce key concepts, and build confidence in sharing their ideas.
The Future of Seesaw at Alice Smith
Our goal is to use this user-friendly platform to ensure that the bridge between school and home is stronger than ever. By working together, we can create a supportive environment that encourages student growth and engagement, as well as also empowering parents to take an active role in their child's educational journey.