About Google Teacher Academy

This evening I had the third person in a week ask me about how to become a Google Certified Teacher. Therefore, I thought I would revive a couple of things that I've shared in the past about how to become a Google Certified Teacher. You can read Google's official materials about GCT status here.

The first thing that you should know about becoming a Google Certified Teacher is that you have to attend a Google Teacher Academy. Google Teacher Academies or GTAs are events that are not held on a regular, published schedule. GTAs are part of some Google Employees' 20% time (time given to employees for projects of special interest to them that might not be a part of their regular job responsibilities). Follow this page to find out when the next GTA will be held.

Participation in a GTA is by application only. Typically there are hundreds of applicants (more than 400 applied for the one I went to) and only 50 are accepted. To apply you have to create an original one minute video on a topic specified on the application for that GTA. Each GTA is looking for something a little different in the videos, so read the application materials carefully. If you're nervous about making a video, please read on...

Republished from January 2010:

Prior to submitting my own application for the GTA in Washington, DC I had my own apprehension about creating and submitting a video. I don't consider myself to be a terribly creative person when it comes to multimedia presentations. I have the technical know-how to create multimedia presentations, but I don't think have the creativity for making dynamic videos such as those created by multimedia geniuses like Marco Torres. Yes, I've posted videos of myself on this blog before, but I tend to think that I'm too stiff on camera. None-the-less, on the last day that applications were accepted for GTA in DC, I plunged ahead and made a short video that included me talking on camera. I knew that I couldn't compete in a video making competition, but I was confident that my written content and overall body of work would offset a lack-luster video. It turns out that I was right.

Reflecting on the GTA application process, here is my advice for those who would like to apply but are apprehensive about application process.
1. The video is just one part of the application. The GTA application process is not a film production competition. If you're not great at video production, just remember that it's the message of the video that is more important than fancy animations and transitions. Make sure your video accurately portrays your thoughts. Watch my video and you'll see that I lacked fancy transitions, but I made sure the audience got my message.
2. The application is designed to get a sense of your overall body of work in the educational technology community. Focus on your strengths in the application. If you have a large following on your blog, on Twitter, or you work with 3,000 teachers a year, make sure that is clear.
3. Look at other application videos for ideas. You can see mine here, this is Kevin Jarrett's, and this one is Tara Seale's. You'll see three different approaches in these videos, but all three of us were accepted to GTA.