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 KaldenbergI 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
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
I really appreciate the excitement and the sharing in your post. I recently had the same excitement with a grant win and had the same luck with PLN/friends willing to share winning grants they had written. Paying it forward is kind and helpful, so thank YOU!
I'm so excited to be joining you at GTAWA! I don't know about you, but finding out I'd been accepted to GTA while at ISTE11, surrounded by all of my geeky friends, was so much better than reading the email at home where I had only the cat to frighten with my screaming!
What you wrote about the application process could have been written by me! That is exactly how I felt. That darn 150 word count was unbelievably challenging and I kept writing, revising, tweaking, removing words - day after day for about two weeks straight (on a Google doc, of course!) I kept desperately scouring the Internet for a "winning" application to see if I were on the right track. No luck with that, by the way.
I am am honored and thrilled and absolutely can't wait for this unbelievable experience.
Thank you so much for your kind comments! So excited to learn from everyone! I get inspired daily from our awesome PLN! (and if you're reading this, that's you, too!) We're all in this journey together, let's make it rich & FUN!!!! ~Gwyneth
Cathyjo your friendship & support mean so much to me! I loved spending time with you at ISTE11 and it was such an honor to sit on the same panel with you!! WOW! Such a highlight!
--- Bobbi - the esteemed, inspiring, & amazing Librarian by Day! Thank you so much fellow Mover & Shaker - it's been quite a year for you, too hon! Wish I had been able to be at that luncheon with you in NoLa! But yes, I'm gobsmacked, humbled and black & blue from pinching myself this year! I just wanna make my family, principal, & school proud! YAY! Cheers!
The hot new Makerspace Movement is NOT new to Murray Hill Middle School. Eighteen years ago we designed and opened the school with the idea that we would have creation labs in the Media Center, GT room, and the TV studio. We started with video production, iMovie, Specular LogoMotion, Hyperstudio, and animation with Hollyood High kids. Here's an example of an EARLY (2003) video production called Bookfellas, featuring some Guy Ritchie-esque film direction techniques. These kids are now all grown up and we've kept evolving, too! It's OK to Start Small!
We recently expanded upon our Makerspace offerings thanks to being inspired by several of my librarian friends in our amazing #TLChat PLN! (Pls see resources below!) Kids can come in during lunch or when they've finished their work to explore, craft, and create in the Library Media Center. I re-purposed some of my empty study carrels for this Makerspace center at the top corner of our library. The grouping includes a Lego C…
How to be a Teacher Librarian Rock Star - Branding Tips & Tricks First thing I gotta say, I don’t know that I really love the term Library Rockstars because I think ALL Teachers, Librarians, Teacher-Librarians, Educators....we're all rock stars or each of us has an inner rock star just waiting to come out. I also think it sounds a wee bit elitist. OK, a whole heck of a lot of elitist. But who doesn’t want to rock it at their job?
(BTW, I was asked to write this "Rock Star" article for another publication and using the Rock Star theme was their choice - So, I'm answering their questions - I did the best I could! They highly edited my responses, and I think I ended up sounding like a total prat, but here they are in their entirety.)
To what do you attribute your success?
I try to......
Work hard Be Reliable Be Reflective Be Positive
Hard work, a sense of humor, tenacity, and a stubbornly fought for positive mental and professional attitude. Yes, work hard - but …
(This is an example of one of my Daring School Library Edublogss postings- written in the style of Lemony Snicket for my students)
Hello dear readers, this is Gwyneth Jones - your one and only ridiculously humble Daring Librarian here with dire LATE Breaking News...that's right As
Sophia (the delightfully cheerful girl above) reported on MHTV News we must share something distasteful with you.
Why?
Because I recently awoke feeling a dreadful malaise and a lingering doleful fear about
something I just uncovered. When I say "uncover" imagine turning over a mossy rock expecting cute wriggly earth worms and
rolly polly pill bugs only to find a suspect piece of butterscotch candy wrapped in a
soggy cellophane wrapper...well, read below for our news story.
Oh, and don't be angry with me OR with the smiley Sophia...we HAD to give this news Here's the Script:
We
here at #MHTVNews usually like to share uplifting and heartwarming
stories about young people who joyfu…
I really appreciate the excitement and the sharing in your post. I recently had the same excitement with a grant win and had the same luck with PLN/friends willing to share winning grants they had written. Paying it forward is kind and helpful, so thank YOU!
ReplyDeleteI'm so excited to be joining you at GTAWA! I don't know about you, but finding out I'd been accepted to GTA while at ISTE11, surrounded by all of my geeky friends, was so much better than reading the email at home where I had only the cat to frighten with my screaming!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to learn with you!!
What you wrote about the application process could have been written by me! That is exactly how I felt. That darn 150 word count was unbelievably challenging and I kept writing, revising, tweaking, removing words - day after day for about two weeks straight (on a Google doc, of course!) I kept desperately scouring the Internet for a "winning" application to see if I were on the right track. No luck with that, by the way.
ReplyDeleteI am am honored and thrilled and absolutely can't wait for this unbelievable experience.
Thank you so much for your kind comments! So excited to learn from everyone! I get inspired daily from our awesome PLN! (and if you're reading this, that's you, too!) We're all in this journey together, let's make it rich & FUN!!!!
ReplyDelete~Gwyneth
Congrats my friend!!
ReplyDeletecongratulations! Quite a year for you! :-)
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThank you dears!
ReplyDeleteCathyjo your friendship & support mean so much to me! I loved spending time with you at ISTE11 and it was such an honor to sit on the same panel with you!! WOW! Such a highlight!
---
Bobbi - the esteemed, inspiring, & amazing Librarian by Day! Thank you so much fellow Mover & Shaker - it's been quite a year for you, too hon! Wish I had been able to be at that luncheon with you in NoLa! But yes, I'm gobsmacked, humbled and black & blue from pinching myself this year! I just wanna make my family, principal, & school proud! YAY! Cheers!
~Gwyneth