Suzanne's Ed Tech Reflections

Yesterday Seesaw announced that you can now download parent invite letters in 10 different languages! It's the "official" parent invite letter with a QR code included. You can only access this letter option on a laptop or desktop computer. Example parent invite letter in Russian: Looking forward to Seesaw adding additional translations in the near future! Enjoy!

We want our students to reflect on their own work but also to be able to give effective feedback to each other. This is true for writing, conversations, or digital work. It's tough for us as adults and even more difficult for our students - no matter the grade level. As we have started using Seesaw ( https://web.seesaw.me/ ) and its student Comment feature, I've seen lots of "I like ..." and "That's cool" comments. Not very meaningful. I recently came across this simple strategy called T.A.G: Tell, Ask, Give. An easy to remember acronym and a good way to get students started in making effective comments.  I've seen several variations but like these descriptors for the acronym: Tell - something you learned or was meaningful ("like" if they are specific about what they like) Ask - a question Give - a compliment or recommendation (depending upon the purpose for the comment) Download a pdf here . Here are some additional

Seesaw has quickly become one of our favorite apps. It's a great way for students to create learning portfolios, make their thinking visible, and share with parents. This summer they rolled out a big update to their interface (Seesaw 5.0) and added several great features. Here are the biggies (for me at least!) Announcements and Messages Send announcements to families or students! Even privately message families! Personalize Classes Add icons and color themes Simplified Tools No more searching and digging for what you need! Family App You can now connect up to 10 family members - so grandma and grandpa can  connect too! In addition, Seesaw has created a variety of great teacher resources for using Seesaw in the classroom and communicating with parents: Ideas for Your Classroom: Access resources specifically for your grade level or grade band. These include a getting started guide, student challenges, task cards, and more. Pre K - 2 Grades 3-5 Gr