ActivWand

[jarred01]

Have you used the ActivWand? I saw it in San Antonio and LOVED it! I'd like to buy some for our PreK and SpEd classes. Are they more durable than the pen for little hands? Where do I get them?????

[Dug]

Durable? That depends. Our little darlings broke one on the first day. However, that was probably due to the excitement it generated and someone felt it hard to share the new, exciting wand.

We've been ok since and that was a couple of years ago.

I think they're great for drag and drop and 'painting'/arty type activities. Wouldn't dream of letting them write with a wand, though. That's why we've got a pen.

[markrobinson]

Wand is nice with the ArtRage software.. Really creative and fun for all ages...

http://www.prometheanplanet.com/blog/?p=264

[mrsb]

I really loved my Activwand. I was lucky enough to get a wand, Activotes, slate, and tablet with the installation of my Activboard. It lasted about a year and then it stopped working when clicked. The wand is great to use if students don't actually need to write an answer. My kids loved using it to click and drag, roll the dice, resize shapes, add pics from the resource library, and so much more. It even came in handy for those students who are shorter than their peers and have trouble reaching high up on the board. I have looked into purchasing a replacement..........and found out that one of the least expensive one will cost about $80 dollars plus shipping. But anyway, if you can get an Activwand, I encourage you to get one. The kids loved it, and all of them wanted the job of "Wand Master" for the day. That person got to pick the person who came to the board next by pulling someone's name from the treasure chest resource I downloaded from Planet.

[scwentworth]

I have a wand I've used for about 2 years now...my students LOVE it. My board is permanently mounted, so it is especially great for Kindergarten and 1st grade students who can't reach the top of the board. (It is also great for teaching student mouse skills since the button works like a mouse.)

My students love it. We call it the Magic Wand and they actually applaud each other when they get a turn with it.

Shannon Wentworth
Instructional Technology Teacher
6th Avenue Elementary
Aurora, Colorado

[Alison]

We've got wands in every class. (3-11 years old) I got given one as a present :D and didn't realise how much I relied on it until it had to be sent back a couple of weeks later, as it had stopped working. I bought one for every class and they've been fantastic. Dug & Leteshia are right though, you can't write with them, but they're fantastic for everything else. I espcially like them for moving the spotlight tool, as my little ones find it hard to move the pen on the board without exerting pressure and changing the size of the spotlight. The children now independently choose either the wand or the pen and within a matter of days they will choose the appropriate one. I love them! [clap]

[Dug]

My OH does 'Write Dance (http://www.paulchapmanpublishing.co.uk/booksProdDesc.nav?prodId=Book228415)' with her 3-5 yr olds and this is great on an IWB (sadly she's got a smart board).

I could imagine the wand being great for 'gross' letter formation swirls and patterns that her kids do as part of Write Dance.

[ccwombat]

I teach first grade and truly don't know what I would do without my wand now. The kids absolutely love the wand and since my board is mounted perm. it lets us use the entire board. Before the wand my kids were using a step stool (which always made me a bit nervous, I could just see them falling off). I, too, let the students choose if they want to use the wand or the pen. Most choose whatever tool works best for them. Of course they all use the pen for writing. I have only had my wand for a bit less than a school year, but we have had no problems with it at all. I highly recommend purchasing a wand for your room. Compared to many of the products, they really are not all that expensive. Enjoy!:D

[tenneyrm]

It's great with special ed. especially wheelchairs. It extends their reach so they can participate. You may want to consider using a rubber bland to hold down the buttons so the wand is always active. It's also great to practice "writing" or coloring from a wheelchair.

Regina

[ChristinaG]

I lent an Activboard and an activwand to a district 75 school in Brooklyn. The occupational therapist there made adjustments to the wand to accomodate their special needs students. She removed the orange button and replaced it with a larger raised button similar to a typewriter key. This was easier for their students to press down on. She also attached a velcro band that can be tightened in attempts to keep the button down permanently. Other plans include attaching the wand to a glove. These were great adjustments that are working nicely for her students.

Christina Godlewski
NY Sales Consultant
Logical Choice Technologies
christinag@logicalchoice.com