When you place 36 strangers from 11 different countries in one room, you feel all Googly inside!
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| PHOTO CRED: Mark Wagner | LON17 COHORT |
I do feel all Googly. Like BIG, SQUISHY full of love kind of Googly. Why?
For the last week, I have shared life with AMAZING educators, coaches..and now, family.
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| PHOTO CRED: Tinashe Blanchet | My Shoes designed by Studio 22, Anderson, SC USA
Less than 24 hours off of the plane and I am still flying. I have always used the word surreal to describe experiences I have had, but honestly, there is a whole new level of how I perceive the word. On Wednesday, April 19, 2017, I officially met my tribe. A cohort of thirty-five incredible educators that challenged me and my love for education.
I was a member of the ConNext '17 team, led by Andrew Caffrey, an Assistant Headteacher at The Streetly Academy (Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham UK) My team taught me more than they will ever know. Believe it or not, I am socially-awkward when it comes to new situations and new people. Yes, ME, awkward. But what I learned first was our purpose was the same and everything else just fell into place. Among our team I found brilliance, empathy, collegiality, and the want to launch their Google Innovator project to the world.
We spent three intensive days Breaking Out (BreakoutEDU), eating the whole apple, design thinking, looking at the big data, ideation, examining critiques and iteration, repurposing what you have, prototyping, defying gravity, discovering our Lagniappes, speaking motivationally, gallery walking, reflecting, and finally GRADUATING!
 THANK YOU...
Allow me to introduce the incredible people that made our Innovator Academy happen: Becky Evans and Wendy Gorton (Innovator Program Managers), Our Coaches: David Hotler (#MTV16), Andrew Caffrey (#MTV16), Tinashe Blanchet (#LON12), Claire Lotriet (#LON14), Sway Grantham (#LON14), Dean Stokes (#LON13), Les McBeth (#MTV16), and Mark Wagner (CEO of @EdTechTeam)
There is so much more to share on the LON17 week and my Google Innovator journey...allow me to absorb ALL of the awesomeness so I can put the experience into words!
For now, I leave you with the most incredible tweet of all times from my coach! He is so tolerant of a Southern Googler in his space...
Whoops and Cheers,
Google Innovator (#LON17)
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