Early childhood education is a space of play, friendships, and hands-on discovery. This is also a space where technology is carefully balanced. Today we listen to the story of Denise. She is a junior kindergarten teacher who has found the perfect balance with technology in her classroom.
Where It Started
Denise’s journey to become a junior kindergarten teacher was shaped from her upbringing. Denise grew up in a small town. In this small town, her mother ran a daycare out of their home. She was always surrounded by children and enjoyed their presence. As she grew, she naturally fell into a role as the leader. She was the oldest daughter and oldest grandchild within her family.
Denise always loved school regardless of how old she was. She also knew she enjoyed working with children. But she wasn’t sure exactly how these two worlds would come together when she went to university but she knew they were what she enjoys most. Her initial major was in physical education. She quickly learned that this was not the direction she wanted to go and shifted to early childhood where her true passion lied. Denise knew that the joy she experienced while around children combined with her love of school would propel her to becoming a great early childhood educator.
Flash forward to today, where Denise has been an international teacher for over ten years. Having designed and delivered innovative curricula and created play-based learning environments for young learners, she is an established leader in this space. “I find it really powerful to learn through play,” Mouton explains. “I find the children are so excited to be at school, and it’s a real honor to be a child’s first teacher.” Her teaching approach has been a clear model for the importance of engaging young learners and creating meaningful educational experiences.
Finding the Balance with Technology
The importance of purposeful use of technology was fundamental for Denise. Digital tools aren’t just entertainment in her classroom, they are tools for learning. “The iPad and Seesaw are not for playing,” she emphasizes. “It’s a tool that shares what they’re doing at school with their families.” This mindset comes from years of testing and trying different tools before landing on Seesaw.
Through her years as an educator, she has needed to find tools that fit her classroom needs. Three and four year olds are busy bodies who have rapid foundational skill development growth. For Denise, having a tool to capture this crucial stage of learning is essential, and she relies on Seesaw to do that. Often, she sits with a child to record their thoughts, capturing moments of growth and discovery. “We look back through their journal and think about the way they could color then versus now, the words they could write, and even the friendships they had or how they were playing,” Denise shared.
Capturing these moments is important for teachers. A number of stakeholders in the lives of children do not get to see all the learning that is occurring firsthand. Seesaw provides a unique connection to the classroom and transparent access to learning. Families can not only hear their child’s reflections but also support teachers with reporting and tracking progress at home. This makes Seesaw an irreplaceable tool for both skill-building and efficient classroom management.
Deeper Impact
In her tenure as a junior kindergarten teacher, Denise has found Seesaw to be a powerful partner. One particularly powerful example illustrates the potential for classrooms. Denise had a shy student who was nonverbal at school but talkative at home found her voice through Seesaw’s voice recording feature. She met with the family and discussed how they can work together to help this child. They worked together by allowing the student to record voice notes at home and gradually building her confidence, Denise witnessed a remarkable transformation. From starting with just a whisper in her classroom to not full participation, the purposeful scaffolds, started in Seesaw, paved the way for this child to find success.
Seesaw has also had an impact on Denise as a professional educator. During the pandemic, she became her school’s online learning expert, leveraging Seesaw to maintain educational excellence. Her dedication led her to pursue professional development opportunities from Seesaw and ultimately begin a Master’s in Educational Technology. “Through technology and learning with Seesaw it’s pushed me to want to learn more,” Mouton reflects.
Denise’s journey as an educator exemplifies the balance of fostering meaningful connections and leveraging technology to enhance learning. Her thoughtful integration of Seesaw showcases the power of technology to connect students, teachers, and families while emphasizing growth for all. From capturing children’s milestones to helping them find their voice, Denise’s classroom is a testament to the power of purposeful innovation.
Her story also reminds us that the most impactful educators never stop learning. By embracing new tools, methodologies, and professional development, Denise continues to evolve, inspiring others to reimagine what early childhood education can achieve. For those curious to dive deeper, the Learning Loop podcast episode offers an in-depth look into Denise’s approach, sparking ideas for educators seeking to transform their own classrooms.
