What If We Left It Up To Them?

Recording Using The Livescribe Pen

Yesterday, I had the privilege of inservicing a wonderful staff in our Board on the use of the Livescribe Pen. All of the teachers in the classroom have their own Livescribe Pen now to use with their students. Their goal is to figure out how to use it and try something with it. At the next staff meeting, the staff members are all going to share what they did and set some new goals too.

That afternoon, I had a conversation with some teachers on staff about the Livescribe Pen. Teachers asked me how it worked. I explained that it can record written notes as well as audio associated with markings on a page. Many teachers were interested in seeing how the Livescribe Pen does this. I was about to reply as I usually do (that I’m happy to show them), but this time, I replied differently:

“If you want, I’m happy to loan you the Livescribe Pens one day. Give them to your students. Tell them that this pen will record what you write with it as well as audio. See if the students can figure out how to make it work. Challenge them to teach you.”

Why the change in my response?

1) On Thursday, I got to accompany my principal, vice principal, and a fellow teacher to RCAC: a fantastic symposium tha discusses the use of technology in education. On the bus ride back home, my principal was telling us about this great afternoon session that she attended. At it, the teachers discussed an Early Years iPod Touch Literacy Project. One example that resonated with her was when a student went up to the teacher to tell her that the book was being read aloud to him in French. How could he change this? The teacher said that she didn’t know and to see if his friends could help. And he asked his friends who did help him out. The teacher gave the students a chance to teach each other and to teach her as well. Maybe this could happen in the case of the Livescribe Pen too.

2) When teachers get tools into their hands and into the classroom, they use them more. We need to have access to tools to use them. If I had explained what to do, the conversation probably would have ended there, but likely nobody would have borrowed the Livescribe Pen to use in the classroom. Now the teacher said that she might. She seemed intrigued by the challenge. I’m hopeful that this might work.

Then I started to bring things back to my own classroom. My students know how to use the Livescribe Pen now. I let them initially explore it with me, and together we figured out what to do. I also had students that had used one before, so I let them teach the other students as well. This was a great leadership opportunity for them. Now though, I use the Livescribe Pen in a more prescribed way. I tend to give the students the activity, and I have them all use the Livescribe Pen in the same way (or at least in a similar one). When I work in choice, it’s usually the choice of a tool (i.e., a Livescribe Pen, a Nintendo DS, or an iPod Touch), but not a choice of how to use the tool.

I was thinking about this on the way home last night, and I’ve decided that I’m going to try to make a change. This week, I have some special literacy and science centres planned for Tuesday. My Grade 1′s will be discussing the seasons, and my Grade 2′s will be doing some introductory activities to liquids and solids. I wanted to use the Livescribe Pen as part of these centres, but how? Now I think that I know. Here will be my challenge:

Use the Livescribe Pen, iPod Touch, or iPad to share what you’ve learned about ___________________. (Students will be doing some research prior to this reflection piece.)

I’m not going to tell them how to use the Livescribe Pen, iPod Touch, or iPad. They can use any apps that they want. They can be as creative as they want. I’m excited to see what they’ll do. At this point in the year, they know many ways to use all of these tools. Which tool will they choose and how will they use it? I’m excited to learn as much from them as I hope that they’ll learn from each other.

Have you ever done an activity like this before? How did it go? I would love to hear about your experiences too!

Aviva