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How I Became Google Level 1 Certified Educator (Part 1)

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Level 1 Google Certified Educator Badge
Recently, I earned my Google Level 1 Certification and wanted to share the process with you.  To be honest, I never thought I would do this because I thought it would be a much more difficult process than it actually was. But first...

Why did I decide to become a Google Certified Educator?
There are several reasons why someone might choose to become a Google Certified Educator. For me, there were three reasons. The first reason I decided to pursue my certification wasn't necessarily a good reason...boredom. Seriously, I started this journey because I was bored. Being stuck at home with little stimulation is not good for my mental health. If my brain isn't learning and being challenged then I start to feel blue, so I figured this would be a good way to engage my brain. My second reason is one that I suspect that a lot of people may have and that is that it would look good on my resume. My third reason (which is probably the best one) is I have been thinking about what I want my career to look like in the long run, and have been exploring the idea of working towards becoming an instructional specialist. I feel like being a Google Certified Educator is a step in that direction. 

How do you get certified?
I would have probably done this early if I had known how easy it was to accomplish. You register for a certification test which is only $10. You take the test in the comfort of your own home. Pass with an 80 and boom you are certified for three years.  Google does make you recertify at the end of those three years, which makes sense since technology is constantly changing. 

How did I prepare for the test?
How much and how long you prepare for the test will depend on your comfort with the Google Suite of Products.  I have heavily used Google Products since I started teaching 8-years ago, so I already felt pretty confident in my knowledge and didn't spend a lot of time preparing. However, here is a quick look at how I prepared. 
  1. I started at the Google Teaching Center and went through their training. First, I would take the lesson check at the end of each lesson to test what I already knew. If I missed a question, I then went back and review the lesson. I then took the Unit Review tests for practice. If you are newer to Google you may want to spend more time working through the lessons. 
  2. I found free proficient checklists that Google trainers have published. I used these to evaluate my comfort with the skills tested on the practical section of the test.  I then spent more time honing the skills I wasn't as confident in. If you are looking for a proficient checklist I recommend Shake Up Learning's Level 1 Matrix or this checklist from Eric Curts. 
  3. Lastly, I watched through Brett Petrillo's Google Certification Educator Level 1 Playlist on YouTube. What I liked about this playlist is that each video focuses on one or two Google products and walks you through its features. So, if you are only looking to brush up on one or two products you can. When he came across something I wasn't familiar with, I would pause the video and work through it along with him. This helped me a lot in preparing to use Gmail and Google Calendar, which I felt were my weakest areas. 
Part two of this blog will goes over my testing experience and give you some technical tips for test day. Feel free to leave any questions you may have in the comments. 





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