Google Summit sparks classroom innovation

Seventy District 62 teachers and administrators were part of a community of 400 educators who spent the weekend of Jan. 9-10 sharing and exploring teaching tools to transform the classroom.

District 62 hosted the "Illinois Winter Summit Featuring Google for Education" at Algonquin Middle School, giving a special opportunity to teachers to tap the knowledge of experts from around the country and as far away as Australia.

"There is so much technology available that we can't possibly know it all," said Cathy Sears, a reading interventionist at Chippewa Middle School. "One of the benefits of this opportunity is to learn about new tools, share it with our colleagues and also learn how to enhance the tools we already have."

Educators collaborated and discovered new strategies to disrupt the traditional classroom and engage students in new ways while teaching core subjects. Best of all, most of the software they were learning about is free and available online.

Lynn Mierkiewicz, a 12-year special education teacher at Algonquin Middle School, said she's always looking for new ways to reach her students. "I'm excited to start implementing some of these things and see how they work."

Sophia Garcia Smith, a teacher at Orchard Place, presented a workshop on how to facilitate an "Hour of Code" activity for students. "It is something I am passionate about, and everyone's response (to the session) was awesome."

"I'm getting so many ideas that I can take back and make my own," said Elizabeth Moravec,who teaches art at Orchard Place and Terrace schools.

Jennie Magiera, chief technology officer, was integral in bringing the summit to District 62 as she often participates in summits and professional development for educators as a Google for Education Certified Innovator, Apple Distinguished Educator, and Google Education Trainer.

"It was an honor to host the Summit here at District 62 as it provided an invaluable opportunity for our community of educators to connect, mingle and inspire one another," she said. "The conversations in and between sessions amongst D62 educators and attendees from around the globe were powerful and energizing. I look forward to seeing how this will positively impact our students, creating new and innovative opportunities for learning."

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