A small group of excited and enthusiastic Grade 4 students have been skipping out on their usual lunchtime recess for a little unusual activity - running a PD (Professional Development) session. These eager students have been busy preparing for their first experience of being teachers. And their students? Teachers at CIS. That’s right, these students have been giving up their lunches to teach their teachers more about using iPads for learning.

These committed students form our iPad Leadership Team. They recently organised the first Apple Bites Lunchtime session, where teachers were invited to come and learn more about some of the apps we’re using in class for learning. Apps included Explain Everything, Notability and my.CIS. Teachers came with an open mind to hear more about these apps that they were yet to explore themselves or to find out more about how to use specific apps within their classes.

This was just the first of a number of leadership activities that our iPad Leadership Team has planned to undertake. Currently in planning, students have been learning more about how to code using robot toys, Spheros and Dash and Dots. Once the team is ready, they will be working with English Language Learner (ELL) students to provide opportunities to build their conversational English in a real context.

Also in the plans are to set up an ‘on-demand’ professional development programme where teachers can request students to meet with them during the teacher preparation periods to provide training on apps, tips and tricks for using iPads in the classroom.

The students in the iPad Leadership Team have demonstrated excellent commitment to give up their lunchtimes to offer leadership in a variety of ways. The team consists of two students from each of the Grade 4 classes who were nominated and elected for by their class peers. Opportunity for participation from other students will be offered later in the year.