Of going from clueless to fearless to Google

I had no clue.

In terms of technology in class, I believed that the most I could do was allow my students to use their phones to search the meaning of a word or to search information on a certain topic.
Little by little, I started to find out what more I could do for my students.




I started with Kahoot, an app which allows interactivity and it´s fun. But you use it once, twice, then it becomes boring. Becomes routine, which I despise! Not for me. Once or twice, fun. But then, what else?

So I decided to research more.

I started Googling (I love the new word) everything related to edtech. And I Googled some more. I kept Googling. I Googled my ass off. Then the answer came to me: Google!

I found an article by Clarissa Bezerra, who is an inspiration for me, about how they are using Google Classroom to develop their students' writings at Casa Thomas Jefferson, a binational center in Brasilia. That was mind blowing for me: no more paper? Students typing their compositions?

I needed that. ASAP!

To my utter surprise, I found ou that Google Classroom was available here in Brazil. I went into deep research as to how I could run it in the binational center I work for.

But the problem is, would they like it? Would my peers like to shift their entire culture of traditional teaching to edtech?
I was fearful.

But I strapped a pair on, and talked to my directors. To back me up, I´d called a Google Educator from my city to come and talk a little more about Google for Education for us, and she was more than helpful, she completely sold the idea that our institution couldn´t survive without this app.
Yes! They bought it! 
Now,  what? I had to start the process of setting it up, all by myself, and I still needed to find out how it worked, and find out how to sell the ideas to my fellow teachers, and with a very limited knowledge of technology, and I had my students to teach, classes to plan, assignments to correct. I was starting to get overwhelmed.

I was fearful again.
Then I said to myself, get that pair on, and get going! No room for fear. I signed up, and started the process.
At first, my board of directors didn´t really get what the app worked for: how are we going to use tech in our classrooms? Are we letting students use their phones and that´s it? How will it work?

I was bold: I told them to trust me. Sweat running down my back, I held on to my ground and kept going. Will it work? These questions kept coming back, every day I took one step forward, I asked myself: will it work?

I then finished the entire process of setting it up. Thankfully, Google support team helped me every step of the way, for I  had many many doubts, and they even helped me expand my tech skills.

Now I am about to get my Google Educator Certification, I have my eyes on becoming a Google Innovator. I am very proud to say that I took the initiative to implement the Google for Education learning culture, and that I tried to make the lives of my students and my fellow teachers, along with mine, better.

I am continually trying to get my peers to see the world in a digital way. I am not going to give up. I am fearless now.