Is there any real benefit to being a certified Google Educator? (I'm thinking not really.) I just signed up for my level 2 certification, and I can't help but think it's mostly a gimmick to get $35 from me every three years to renew my certification. It doesn't really help me do anything. I was using the products already, so all the benefit is seems to be getting a certificate to post in my classroom and a badge to put on my webpage. The district made a big deal about choosing a select few people to train to be Google Educators. (I was not one of the ones chosen, by the way. I just did it on my own, and even did the test before everyone who did the in-person training. ) Maybe I'm just getting old & jaded with all of the hoops educators jump through.
It's just something to put on your resume and email signature, as far as I can tell. And I say that as a Google Certified Educator.
I've been thinking about doing this, but the only real reason is, like Caesar said, to put it on my resume.
I’m getting Google Certified this summer. I was chosen to pilot Google Classroom last school year, and this year the district decided teachers must be certified in order to use Google Classroom. This also means I can keep a chromebook cart in my classroom and not have to share it with other teachers, if I’m certified. I’ll be reimbursed/small stipend which is nice. I don’t think I would have gone after the certification otherwise. Like OP stated, I already use google products and I think it is just something to add to the resume.
My district has "tech coaches" who are regular teachers who make extra money to be designated as a tech coach. I could see something like this giving someone a leg up if they wanted the position- although I suppose that's just version of using it on your resume! I would only do it if I was going to be seriously job hunting.
All of our students will be getting Chromebooks, so I think that is what spawned the interest initially. The students I had last year are getting their devices in the upcoming year, so I used Google Classroom with them at least once a week. I’m close to retirement, so I don’t see myself going anywhere. I haven’t had a resume in 25 years.
Lol I had to beg my admin to take the chromebook cart out of my room. I never used the damn things and it took up so much space. The chemistry teacher finally agreed to take it.
My district was offering an incentive for teachers to become Google Certified. Many teachers received a nice stipend for earning the certification! We’ve been 1:1 Chromebooks in grades 2 and above for the past 6 years, so the stipend was the only incentive.
I think I want to get Google Certified, even if it is just to make my resume look better. Is there an Apple version? The school I will be student teaching at is 1:1, with ipads in the middle school and macbooks in the high school. They also just had select teachers try out Apple TVs last year and my mentor teacher was one of them. I think it would be good to know how to work the equipment the school is supplying.
I have seen teachers identified as Apple Distinguished Educators, but I'm not sure what exactly getting that certification entails. I'm sure if you google it, you can find more information about it. My district is officially a no-Apple zone.
Does it really matter if you renew your certification? Is anybody going to check with them about if you were at point or up-to-date on it? I think what you can DO with that certification and how you're using it in your classroom is more important for your resume. If you're not doing anything with the certification, I wouldn't bother renewing it.
Would the Google certifications help to get an ITRT job for a teacher who is feeling a bit burned out by lesson plans, formal evaluations , and no family time? ... just asking :0)
I have mine. I was doing everything I did after the certification that I did before. People in the building know I'm the person to come to for tech problems, but it was that way before. Our IT people are not, and don't know anything, not that it has anything to do with anything. I did it because I was considering becoming an ITRT and thought it would help. I'll probably renew it when it's time, just so if it is important, and someone checks, it is up to date. It is really easy to get, so don't know how much it proves.
