Google Teacher Academy, DC 2009

Attending the Google Teacher Academy in Washington DC this past December and becoming a Google Certified Teacher has really brought about changes in the ways I approach my educational experience both as a teacher and a learner.  Challenge Based Leaning Activities including the development of our Career e-Portfolio are cutting edge ideas and we are forward thinking in those ideas.  Google Apps for Education has proven to be the right choose for our school and students. Having students email accounts and opening the doors for more collaboration with our kids using Docs, and Sites has once again proven to be a s smart innovation for building 21st century skills.
I met with many creative educators at Google and was inspired by their passion for using Google to push the envelope of creativity. Jerome Burg's Lit Trips in Google Earth is a prime example of connecting reading to places in the world.

We learned about SEARCH and Advanced Search and the Wonder Wheel.

And of course we collaborated in Google Wave. I added the sessions and links to sites in our PLC Wave.  Learn more about Wave in the Official Google Wave Blog. Google also has Google Blogs for Students and The Official Google Blog.  Check out Google Tutor for tips tutorials and advice.
Too experience all of our GTA day events, go to Our Google Doc created by GCT Robin Martin.

This year in our honors class, we have instituted Google's 20% Time Model to enhance student projects. Four days of content, fifth day to create. Our students are using their 20% time to write their project story, develop a script, explore 100 digital story telling tools and create Google Presentations on their favorite two.  We are collaborating on Digital Story Telling projects and creating a class Site Call the CAT THINK TANK where we all can add content to share our projects with the world.

I am excited as we continue on the journey of Digital Career Portfolios and how each one of these learning experiences enhances my professional goals of becoming a part of the collective whole. Our team is truly on the forefront of reform.