My #GTA SYD experience...

Sydney is a beautiful city. Not that I’m biased or anything. Where else can you sit, having a coffee looking over the world’s most beautiful harbour.

Sydney from one of the Google Cafes on the Rooftop

These past two days, I have had the marvellous privilege to be a part of the Sydney Google Teacher’s Academy. To add a cherry on top, the day was facilitated by the fabulous team from NoTosh. Two days ‘immersed’ in Google and Design Thinking – yes please!

Let’s start at the very beginning. I am fortunate enough to work in an education system that has embraced Google Apps for Education (GAFE) for every teacher and student. I have been using Google products for some time before the introduction of GAFE in my system. I believe it is one of the best investments that my educational system has made.

I am also fortunate enough to work at a school this year that have engaged the marvellous team from NoTosh to assist teachers to move through the Design Thinking process. I first heard of NoTosh when they presented as a keynote for the CEO Sydney Early Learning Conference in 2011. I was hooked.

I applied for the Google Teacher Academy last year and did not get in. Bummed. So this year I used the power of positive thinking to get in - and I succeeded. One unusual side effect that has come from my video is that I am now recognised for it ...and people are disappointed when they meet me for the first time because I am not in costume (and even more surprised when I say that most of that is my wardrobe!). The theme of my video was “Creative Leader”. So, I made my video creative and spoke about how I was a leader of ICT in my school. Obviously someone liked it!

This particular GTA is the first of a new brand of GTAs focused on Moonshot thinking - the idea that you can have a goal and work towards it even if there is no technology or means available to help you achieve it.

First impressions

I’ve been to the Google HQ in Sydney once before, but only briefly. I was looking forward to a behind the scenes peek of this mysterious crazy world only seen in The Internship. Google Sydney is in fact over a number of floors hidden three different buildings! My main aim was to see the old monorail (a bit sad I know).

The Google office is my idea working environment. NOTHING appears traditional! Writable walls, hidden goodies, free food, recessed working spaces, a games room, unicycles, unicorns..the list goes on. If only all workplaces promoted creativity with the environment as one of the drivers.

Hidden chalkboards that pull out

Mindblowing - Google uses oil with my name in it!

OMG! A Shrek pinball game!

Doors to the lift area

One of the little alcoves to work, rest or play. 

The Games room....

The Design Thinking Process

Prior to the main event, we were put into teams - mine was Team Black Sheep. Named so because our fearless leaders’ surname was Lambert and the brainstorming session started off as a play on his name and moved into out of box thinking.

Team Black Sheep

We worked independently on immersion tasks, touching base with our team via Google Hangouts. These immersion tasks provided a chance to critically look out our schools to define our moonshot idea. Mine started looking at my classroom environment. I always believe that the classroom environment is the “third teacher”. I spent the last three years in an open-plan flexible learning environment and have started this year at a school in my own room (yes the wall can come down but others are reluctant to do so) with very heavy, clunky, inflexible desks.

And so my moonshot evolved…

My goal is to create my dream learning environment, that has ease of flexibility and motivates the students to learn. I want to create an environment of collaboration between grade partners where the walls come down and you refer to your grade as a collective, not as separate classes. I hope now to look for ways to fund my moonshot as I know that funds is going to be the hardest hurdle in my moonshot. New furniture cost money, and one of my hurdles is to find out how I am going to find my moonshot. My first bet is to find out about grants or donations from local community organisations (hint hint?).

Watch this space as I work towards journeying into space to reach the moon!