A student feedback tool that writes on the work itself
You teach on your own layer, each student works on theirs, and you can open any student's layer to leave private feedback on their work without changing any of their marks.
Teacher and student layers, and feedback on them, are included on every plan, including the free Teacher Basic plan.
The problem
When a whole class writes on the same page, nobody's work is their own, and your explanation gets buried under thirty sets of notes. When students work separately, it is hard to see what they have done or to point to the line where they went wrong.
One lesson, many layers
Every lesson page in ClassKite carries separate layers. Your layer is the board: whatever you write on it, students can follow live in their Teacher view once you have shared the section with them. Each student also has their own layer, which classmates never see. There they work through the page, take notes and show their method without anyone else's ink in the way. To respond, pick a student from the layer menu and you are in Feedback mode. Their work is on screen, their marks are locked, and anything you write is saved to their layer alone. If the student is looking at their work, your feedback appears as you write it; if not, it is waiting for them the next time they open the page.
How it works
- 1
Teach on your layer
Write, highlight and explain on the lesson page as usual. Students follow along in their read-only Teacher view.
- 2
Students work on theirs
Each student switches to My layer to write their own notes and working on the same pages.
- 3
Open a student's layer
Choose "Feedback: <student name>" from the layer menu to see exactly what that student has written.
- 4
Leave feedback
Write your comments directly on their work. Only that student sees them, and they cannot erase them.
In the classroom
During independent work, a physics teacher opens Amira's layer from the layer menu, sees that she has dropped a minus sign in the second line, circles it and writes "Check the direction of the force". Amira sees the note appear on her own page, fixes the line herself, and her classmates never see the exchange.
An illustrative example of how a lesson can run, not a customer case study.
What you get
Separate layers
Your board and each student's work are kept apart, so nobody's notes get in anyone else's way.
Follow the teacher live
Students can switch to the Teacher view and watch your board update as you write.
Feedback on the work itself
Circle the step that went wrong and write the correction beside it, on the student's own page.
Private feedback
Feedback is saved only to that student's layer. Classmates never see each other's layers.
Nothing overwritten
The student's marks are locked while you give feedback, and students cannot erase what you add.
Every student listed
Every approved student in the class appears in the layer menu, even before they have written anything.
Explore more of ClassKite
Frequently asked questions
Can students see my annotations?
Yes, once you share the section with them. Students switch to the Teacher view to follow your board, and it updates live as you write. That view is read-only, so they cannot change it.
Can students see each other's work?
No. Classmates never see each other's layers. You can open any student's layer in your class.
Can I collect students' handwritten maths working and mark it up?
Yes, when they write it in ClassKite. Share the section, and each student writes their working on the PDF page, on their own layer, with a stylus or with a finger if they switch finger drawing on. Open their layer to see it and write your corrections beside it. ClassKite doesn't import photos or scans of work done on paper.
How do I give feedback to one student?
Open the layer menu and choose "Feedback: <student name>". You'll see that student's work with their marks locked. Anything you write is saved only to their layer, and you leave Feedback mode with the Exit button.
Does the student see my feedback straight away?
If they are looking at their own layer, it appears as you write. If they are not, it is saved to their layer and waiting for them the next time they open the page.
Can students delete my feedback?
No. Students cannot erase or move the notes you add to their layer, and you cannot erase theirs.
Do I need a live session running?
No. Layers and feedback work during a live session and at any other time.
Try ClassKite with your class
Start free as a teacher, or see how it rolls out across a whole school.
Teacher Basic is free, with no payment details needed