Mimi Liu-Leyco is a Design and Technology teacher, the Head of Technology, and the Technology Integration Coordinator at the British International School of New York (BIS-NY).
She recently spent two weeks working with the IGS Art and Design department, working alongside IGS Director of Art and Design Craig Malyon.
She said she was thrilled to be the first New York City Teacher to be selected for the BIS-NY and IGS exchange.
Much like IGS, Mimi’s school also has a large focus on languages and is in the heart of a large city.
During her visit, Mimi observed many classrooms, attended meetings with staff, and visited other Australian schools, universities, museums, and technical organisations.
She said she was especially impressed with IGS students’ knowledge, the plentiful resources and equipment, and the teachers’ hard work and commitment to their students.
She said it would be rare to find an international school like IGS in the USA with the same focus on both languages and 21st-century learning.
One of the highlights of her trip was being able to teach programming to Kindergarten teachers and students using the app Scratch Jr. Technology is a tool to apply knowledge in new ways not possible before.
Ms Liu-Leyco witnessed firsthand how IGS demonstrates many examples of innovative design through technology. She said she was sad her time in Sydney was over, but that her excitement for teaching and learning was renewed by all her exchange experiences.
IGS regularly hosts a wide range of practice teachers from schools all over the world.