As the end of school draws near (1 more full week!) I tend to get more and more work completed so my time becomes free especially after school. Kids start to feel the oncoming pressure that summer is arriving and they won’t see me for a while so I take more and more students afterschool to hang out until their buses are called. During this time they are allowed to do things they would not normally do during class time. An iPad club has been formed!

  I have multiple iPads. I do not have enough for a full class or even a  full class to use in small groups, but I have enough for a few kids to be working on them at a time. One of my wishes for next year is to acquire more iPads or more iPod touches to be able to do more with the students in a full class setting. Since I have a handful of iPads, of course I have multiple students want to use them. I have a few certain students who asked me to come after school and of course I said yes. In our school it is required for them to have a note to come hang out with me so I have prewritten notes I can put their name on and sign.

   So what do they use the iPads for afterschool? Oh, multiple things.

         – I have a few students who come into record using the  app Pocket Wavepad. They will record using anything from their voice to a band instrument or even a recorder. As I’ve stated before, they know how to use this and they know how to be in my recording studio so I trust them.

           – I also have students who are testing a practice app called Jammit where they can choose from one of my electric guitars I have on a table. Then they can practice a rock or pop tune in the Jammit app with the guitar. Since I am testing this one, they have to give me one thing they liked and one thing they did not before they leave so I can give proper feedback.

            – I also have students come to play with the Joytunes apps to practice and/or learn piano. If the piano is free they can use the piano with the apps or most of them use the touchscreen piano inside of itself.  The one app they have been fixated on is their new Piano Mania app.  They are also welcome to bring their recorders to play the Recorder Master app as well.

              – The students also play a plethora of different apps as well, anything from Toca Boca Band to QDancer to even just games like Temple Run.

   It turns out everyday that I get a really good group of kids come in, but I always have a couple rules just incase:

          1.) Carry the iPad with two hands and never use it by holding it and standing up. Always have it on a hard surface where it won’t fall.

          2.) SHARE!

          3.) Treat it like your own iPad, make sure it is safe and if you are done with it leave it on the desk.

          4.) When you’re bus is called, make sure you put the iPad away immediatly and go. The bus will not wait if you are being a slowpoke on purpose.

          5.) If you are here to test an app, you MUST give Ms. Dwinal your feedback. She reports to companies on how you like it, give her good stuff to say!

     It feels pretty cool to have so many kids want to come create music on technology. I feel so happy to know my love of music tech is rubbing off on these guys. We call this group the iPad club, do you have something like this in your classroom or school?