Google+ Teacher Academy, Seattle!

So....even though I'm very transparent about my practice and profession here and on the Twitters I kept pretty mum about the fact that I was applying to the Google Teacher Academy cause I guess I didn't want to jinx it, humiliation, you know...the usual! You see, I missed my opportunity to go the Washington, DC 2009 GTA in my own backyeard with my mentor Joyce Valenza and my former student teacher the awesome Danielle Du Puis. The next one was in Australia - I didn't even try for that one...Cha Ching...Why? As one of my FB peeps said

"Kathy Kaldenberg I assumed you were already a GCT! I think you'll be teaching them a thing or two."  (Yeah, right!LOL)

Don't Miss It! 
Ha, ha..me teach Google? One can only hope! But that's how I missed the GTA in my backyard of Wash DC -everyone assumed I was in & I missed the narrow application window! DOH! (Srsly, I can't keep up w/everything!) But I *have* been preaching the Google message since 2003. My first Google App webpage (above) & ISTE affiliate preso was 2004 - Doing Backflips Over Google for Yahooligans - Go ahead and giggle about how it looks! (designed for computer screens that were only 900 pixels wide)
The excitement of discovery!
I was at ISTE11 in the Denver convention center - right before going onstage with our huge Learning Tools Family Feud preso when my dear friend Linda Dougherty aka Eleanor Anderton alerted me that the GTA emails notifications had been sent! I scramble to get to my Gmail...oh why oh way do those moments seem the most excruciatingly long? When there... to my amazed eyes I did spy:

"Congratulations! You have been selected to participate in the Google Teacher Academy - Washington. After reviewing your application, we believe that you have the experience and passion necessary to positively impact education in your region, and we are excited to have you join us at the Google office in Seattle."

Woohooo! Special thanks to Danielle Nicole Du Puis GCT & Trainer for her feedback on my application & video!! Danielle was instrumental in helping me "git er done!"
Within seconds I run to the new #GTAWA Twitter hashtag to reach out to the other 49 students! Within only a few hours a Googledoc was designed by Robert Madden @mrmadden77 to connect us all and get this ball rolling! He got the idea from @bmossholder who is a gctsyd. (GTA Sydney!)

Google Fangrrl
See, I really HAVE been a total Google fangrrl since the get go! But yeah, I'm terribly flattered, gobsmacked, & honored! This is total geek street cred & the opportunity to learn SO much! It's going to be an exciting time and I promise to bring cool stuff back to you, dear reader! And to my school, students, and teachers! Gotta say it again, Woohoo!
Hi, I'm Gwyneth and I've never liked Facebook. So, I thought maybe what I didn't like in FB I would be resolved in G+. I've been playing more with Google+ since I got back from ISTE11 on Thursday. I trust Google WAY more than Facebook when it comes to security & privacy! What I worry is that with as pervasive as Google is in my life...that the little black bar and red message alert will suck me into it over and over and run my life! [grins] I already have Twitter for that! And people, stop asking me for invitations to Google+!!! LOL
Google+ Tweets & Resources

• 9 Reasons to Switch from FB to G+ http://t.co/s2IxvbR & Will G+ make Twitter the next MySpace? http://t.co/Z8XyB4N Via @markwagner
• The Google+ Project
• 6 things google+ can do that FB can't: http://bit.ly/mimJiJ dpgreen via @pcmag
• 5 Interesting Ways to (possibly) use #Google+ to Support Learning http://bit.ly/kdRdq9 @tombarrett
• RT @rkiker Extended Share for Google+ Chrome extension allows posts to Google+ to go to Twitter/FB too. Perfect. http://t.co/1SYo10r
• Google Circles, Google's Radical New Social Network, Launches Today
• Google+ Circles "This Week in Google" http://t.co/AvrMv6U & listen for baking in "social cues" into how it works via @ijonpederson
• Google Launches Free Mobile Website Builder via @rww http://t.co/4Zkke2O Via Awesome @JamieCrager
• Comparing Google+ & Facebook (slideshow) via @AuntyTech

How to Apply for the Google Teacher Academy
The Google Teacher Academy Application was not overly long but it was challenging with word count restrictions for those of us who are ummm verbose? It also included some provoking & thought inspired questions. I created a Google Doc immediately and started writing... every night after school (and it was at the end of the school year!) I would add some more - re-write... trying to decide if I keep my normal conversational informal blog voice or stretch & try and sound hoity toity professional. You can see below which one I ended up on! LOL

Before applying I really wished I could read what a winning application sounded like. Not to copy of course but to be inspired! Many thanks to my very dear friend and super successful Google Certified Teacher Danielle Du Puis who shared hers with me...and who was kind enough to look at my shared Google Doc & write comments on the side. Now that I amazingly got in.. and upon reflection, maybe not everyone has a former student teacher who is as generous (and behholding a wee bit!) to share their winning Google Application with you...so here we go.

I'm gonna take the transparent leap and share the questions and my answers with you! No matter how vulnerably & squirmy this makes me feel I believe this is part of my philosophy of shameless sharing and "paying it forward" so that the next time there's a Google Teacher Academy maybe it can help in some way.
Gwyneth Google Teacher Academy Application

So, if you're going for it and applying to the Google Teacher Academy, good luck!!

Epic Photoshop Fail!

PS. If you noticed the lava lamp graphic above looks funny on the last text line (iSpy points for you!) it's because my Photoshop crashed just as I was saving it! Because I'm too lazy to start from scratch over again after working on one pic for 40 min I took a screenshot so I wouldn't lose ALL the work! See what caused me to let my epithets fly! LOL

Happy 4th of July!