Starting the Google Trainer Process

This past summer I started my journey of becoming a Google Educator. I had a hard time with the exams, just because I struggle with exams in general. To see my advice on how to pass you Google Educator exams, click the link.

I met James Peterson at the 2013 Edcamp Ottawa. We got along great right away and I asked him to help me with my Google sites. I chatted online with him many times through Canadian Edchat (@cdnedchat) and when I attended GAFE Ottawa Summit I got the chance to meet his friend Chris Webb (@Crippit). These guys together are so fun, so geeky (I mean that in the best way), and so insanely smart.

A picture of us and the amazing Emily Fitzpatrick at the GAFE Ottawa Summit.

At the GAFE Ottawa Summit, I decided to follow them around all day trying to learn as much as I could from them. After the GAFE Ottawa Summit they decided to come to Edcamp Ottawa 2014 and again made such an impact on everyone’s learning around them. They even encouraged me to apply for a Google Trainer position.

The boys and I at Edcamp Ottawa.

After Edcamp, I went home encouraged to apply to become a Google Educator. As I started my application I realized that I never have done any real Google training. I have helped teachers problem solve or quickly show them neat tricks for google but never a real training session.

I decided that my goal for this year would be to do some trainings in my school and help teachers use GAFE better professionally and with their students. I created a Google Form and am currently collecting information about when and what they want to learn about. I’m excited for this next step and I’m hoping to apply to become a Google Trainer in the next application process.