Who would have thought? Who could think that I would be where am I today, not even a year into my GAFE journey? I am still mesmerized by the fact that I will be officially a Google Certified Innovator in less than a month, after attending the academy in Toronto. I am just starting to realize how big of a deal it is! If last year was incredible, I just can't imagine what is ahead. But let's go back a bit...
I was lucky enough last September to move into a school where an amazing teacher-librarian had convinced the school district that we HAD to pilot GAFE. That was the spark of an adventure bigger than anything I could have expected. To be truthful, I have to say that despite the initial excitement, it wasn't that great of a start. And that is probably why I am here now. As a pilot school, we had no coach or mentor to help us. I was used to doing things differently, and at first, was seeing all the missing pieces or the bumps on the road. I felt the tools were great, but wasn't sure how to use them efficiently. So I had to seek and search and read and try and fail and eventually learn a lot.
Then twitter became part of my routine and I started to follow inspiring educators and innovators. And it bit me. The virus. The crazy thought of getting there. Of being part of it. Of this. The virus spread. It kept me going. It forced me to transform my relationship with risk. It made me "go public"...
And then I failed. The first time I make myself share my vision to the public on YouTube, it is to be told it is not good enough. But I knew it. It was a first try, a test, like a tiny bite of something new to get a sense of it before putting the whole thing in my mouth. Which I would never do!
The virus was barely a little bug at that time, but it liked the taste of that new food. It started to spread and ask for more. So the adventure continued and to the yellow badges, I added the blue. And it felt like new horizons rising up. But the quest was not over.
I had the feeling it was my time. I could have been wrong. I could have been so disappointed. So failed. I could have.
But despite the risks, I decided to believe, and to give it all, including asking for guidance and feedback. And here I am now. Just at the start of something so big that the first night, I doubted myself. Could I really deliver what I projected in my vision? Would I be able to balance all of my endeavours at the same time? Would I have the courage to do what it takes for my vision to live? From excitement to fear. From gratitude to disorientation. From light to fog.
Morning came after a few hours of sleep, and my virus was still alive. And I knew I was going to be amazing! Amazing at flexing and stretching. Amazing at failing and bouncing back up. Amazing at learning and learning again.
I think I caught the best infection I could have. I hope to make it multiply enough to make it contagious. I know what it feeds from now, and I bet that is what the year ahead will be made of.
Growing through challenges. Envisioning better ways. Transforming lives.
