 Welcome everyone to the learning loop podcast your best source for educational insights and trends I'm Chris your host and today's special guest is Tracy. She is a seesaw og and a true educational rock star She's a technology integration specialist in Montana and a seesaw certified educator Special fact about Tracy. She and I have the same birthday So I am so excited to be welcoming her here to the show Tracy. Welcome. I'm so excited to be here Thanks for having me. Absolutely. We're so excited that you're joining We'll start with a basic question here. So when did you first hear about seesaw? I actually first heard about seesaw way back in 2015 I was on Twitter and that's when Angela was actually still in the kindergarten classroom and I was still in the kindergarten classroom and Just looking for a solution We had just gotten iPads and went to an iPads for my kindergartners and I was really looking for a Space where we could share our work and share with parents and I saw Angela Reading about this thing called seesaw and thought I'd better give it a try And have been using it ever since That's so awesome. That's the first way that I found it too is the same way as you're looking for a one-to-one solution You're looking to just capture everything that's happening with those students and that's how I got my entry into seesaw too So that's that's so awesome to hear that With your experience and being having use it as a coach and also as a teacher What are some of the biggest benefits that you've experienced from using seesaw consistently in classrooms? I love that you said consistently because I think that that's where we actually see the benefits Is when I get to go into classrooms, I can tell I can tell those classrooms where They've been using it consistently and that doesn't mean This much time each day or this much time each week. It could be one time a week, but as long as it's consistent I'm seeing where students just really can fluently use seesaw so it's not You know a difficult process to be able to show their learning and their thinking Because it's just sort of an automatic fluent thing for them to I'm gonna go grab seesaw and take a picture and use the microphone And explain this or I just made this thing. I can upload it to seesaw really fast I mean kindergarteners right are able to click that little green plus and Upload, you know something they made it another app or a picture of something that they did but again It's that consistent use where they know how to just go, you know grab their device And and and do that so I really love You know when I see that they're Consistently adding to seesaw because then you can look over time and you can see how far they've come and how they've grown Or maybe where they do need a little bit more practice on a certain skill And then of course, I think you can't overstate, you know, how cool it is that parents Get to hop on and see all this stuff that their students are adding into seesaw as a mom myself You know, I just love when I get those little notifications and I know that I get to see work That my daughter has been doing in class. So I think that piece Is just such a huge benefit of using seesaw again in a routine manner in those classrooms Absolutely, absolutely, so you spoke about a couple elements there But I want to lean into the first one you said and you know having this Portfolio of growth and development for the whole year How has seesaw really made an impact with your ability or your teacher's ability to really use that to assess students And to really help them to move forward academically. I really love Taking pictures of what they're doing Our math curriculum right now is just so hands-on like making sure our students are manipulating and touching and moving things around so I love that then they could take a picture of seesaw Add their voice and kind of tell about those things the counting collections and the things that they've made That formative assessment just walking around listening to kids observing what they're doing I think is such a great way of knowing where they're at and how we need to move forward But we don't always get the opportunity to walk around and listen into every single student and their conversations So I think seesaw kind of lets us clone ourselves a little bit in those classrooms where maybe I didn't get to talk to Chris One-on-one today, but I could look at his seesaw journal And see what he added and listen to what he was thinking and then I could follow up with him a little bit tomorrow So I love that piece. I also think our teachers have really been leaning into the formative assessments We've spent time again taking our adopted curriculum Either finding activities and lessons that are aligned or creating some things with that adopted curriculum Where they can be formatively assessing teachers are loving how they get that immediate feedback You know and they know right away if they've done it correctly if they need to give it another shot You know, they see that data right away So again being able to really align that with what our teachers are being asked to teach and expected to teach But still get that you know kind of engaging interactive Seesaw piece in there. That's been a real game changer. I think for our teachers this year So many powerful nuggets there. I'm gonna just again Just hone in on just one of those pieces that you said. I know you talked a little bit about The exact supports that have been used in your classroom and some of those assessments Can you share a specific example or a story of how seesaw just allowed one student who was struggling to really succeed With the support of seesaw Yeah, and I mean I think mine is more of an overview So I just kind of get to go into classrooms and and help teachers But I really think what sort of been an aha for our teachers is again We have a new curriculum they're feeling overwhelmed with this new curriculum and feeling like they can't get everything done Showing them again. There's already some stuff in here That's aligned to what you're doing or like look how easy it is to make this into a quick seesaw activity That's the piece where I'm seeing kind of those aha moments I don't get to always see the individual kids You know and those successes because I am in so many classrooms But to me the teachers are kind of my students and so when I see how they've been able to take something that they're You know, maybe struggling with a little bit or they notice their kids are struggling with and be able to present that to their Students in a little bit different way because they can put it into seesaw To me, I think that's been really Pretty awesome because they have been challenged There's a lot that they're being asked to do right now. So when they see like, oh my gosh This just made it so much easier. We have you know seesaw for schools And so we have that school and district library So something that's been really cool is they'll get in there and see something that another teacher You know has made in seesaw that's aligned to exactly what they're doing and they're oh my gosh, this is already made It's right here. I get to use it and it's gonna be so helpful That I think has been Really pretty cool to see and seeing our school and district library kind of explode with so many awesome Ideas and things that our teachers are creating to and and having that like collaborative community space That has been a pretty cool thing to see sort of grow and develop That's when you know also let like the your your culture is also growing around this tool and supporting learning in different ways that You know might not have happened without seesaw being there to be some of those catalysts for you So that's super exciting to hear and and to just have that testament of how your teachers are growing But also growing together and moving forward as a group So super super exciting to hear We'll jump to a question that you kind of shared a little bit about earlier But you talked a little bit about the formative assessment tool I'm curious if you have a favorite seesaw feature that's been released or if the formative assessment tool is it And if you can share a little bit more about why that's your favorite tool in your district In the district I Think there's so many cool things lately. I really do like the frames. It's such a simple thing But I think just providing that structure and I work with littles mostly kindergarten through second grade but I think that has really been something that teachers are loving because It does just kind of provide that format and that structure so students sort of know exactly what's expected of them like I'm gonna go snap this picture or I'm gonna upload something right here I think teachers have really been enjoying that and I I know that's something that I've started incorporating into So many of the activities that I've created just to kind of have that format for students Making it as simple and as clear and as routine, I guess as possible So I think frames has been something that You know our teachers have really been and students don't even notice it, right? Like They don't even notice that we've made their lives a little bit easier But I think on the teacher and that's been really cool Frames is also probably my favorite with it too. I think regardless of the device that you have iPad or Chromebook It allows There to be no thinking from the student and they simply just click They can capture what they need to and then share that right inside of seesaw So I totally agree. I think, you know, if you if you are a Chromebook user Frames are even better for you and then they could be potentially on an iPad Just because you have so much ease of use for students and they don't have to guess and move around with their touchpad So it's really just a fundamental shift that I think is my favorite tool as well You have a quick question kind of reflecting back on the teachers and the impact that seesaw's had in your district Have you noticed any change in the way teachers approach their day? Because seesaw is now implemented in your district That's a good question. Um, I do think I guess two things one I think that parent communication piece is huge Just knowing they can put certain things on to seesaw with the intent that parents will see that and be able to kind of have that peak or You know, we always have the kids who are like, oh, I made this cool thing or have this cool story and being able to say Oh, awesome. Go, you know, share it on seesaw really fast because then your mom can see it that sort of thing So I think sort of being intentional about using it in ways that they can share and connect And communicate with parents. I think that part is huge and then also I think again kind of that cloning Piece we have so many things that we have to do throughout a day So sort of knowing like what I can offload to seesaw because I can put a video of me Or I can record some audio and start like I shouldn't have to sit here and Give all of this instruction. They should be able to go over there Open it up listen know what to do while I'm sort of taking care of this piece And then I can go, you know, review it at prep time or after school or whatever I need to do But I think that cloning piece and figuring out how they can leverage seesaw to sort of let them do Multiple things at one time. I think that really has made an impact on how teachers Are planning out their days a really positive impact Love how that's it's making a noticeable change in the way that your teachers are doing it and a more efficient change too Which is more important. Yeah, that just really helps them to give back Gain instructional minutes and that they have something that you know helps them every day. Yeah We have two more questions left that will fly through here The first one is going to be our loopy question And this is a question that we ask every guest that's here It's kind of a silly question that we just like to have a little bit of fun with My question for you is what is your favorite way to just unwind from a crazy teaching day? Oh, that's a good question Um, okay, my daughter's gonna say I'm a nerd, but I really just like to read I look forward to getting home Getting my kindle out and just relaxing and and reading. So that's sort of how I just kind of decompress At the end of a day Nothing wrong with that The final question we have here for you Tracy We probably have people here who are new to sisa. Maybe they're new to teaching What advice would you give these teachers listening to just help them get started with sisa and get to the point that you are What would you tell them to start with? Um, well, I definitely think baby steps I feel like sometimes um, you know, especially new teachers are introduced to so many things and feel like they have to try it all Um, but I think just little bite-sized chunks Um until you get more confident and more comfortable and just taking those little steps I honestly think just um first getting it set up Starting to use it to say hello and communicate with their families that I think make such a big impact on those relationships and connections and then Um, just learning how to click on that green plus sign and teaching kids how to you know Use the camera take a picture of what they're doing. Tell about what they're doing. Um, I think just starting with that small step Is going to have a big impact on Um, kids kind of feeling empowered that they get to share their learning Um, when I go into classrooms now if I'm not, you know, I always start with sisa is like my first lessons because that's sort of Where we begin? That's our basics. It's where we put everything and then I move into showing a mother tech tools Um, but they're always asking me like are we going to put this on sisa because I want my mom to begin So, uh, I think just knowing you know that that can be that space Where they share and make those connections and it doesn't have to be elaborate. It can be really simple But to me that's where I would start because it gets kids excited about it and then it gets parents excited about it too Yeah, so awesome. Unbelievable. I love love that advice and starting small and really just uh You've spoken about it this whole podcast, but really just streamlining a teacher's day What can you be more efficient with and how can you use one tool to do multiple things? That's really focused around learning for everybody. So I absolutely love it We're at time. Tracy. I just want to say thank you so much for being here. Thank you for sharing your expertise Thank you for being a sisa og here and just really bringing a ton of value To, uh, the community and to the whole company in general We just so appreciate your insight and your advice as we're going to provide this in this podcast here So thank you. Thank you so much Absolutely, thanks for having me always fun to chat with you. Absolutely. Bye. Bye