The Google for Education Certified Innovator Program began in 2016 with an Innovation Academy at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California. The program recognizes and supports educators passionate about professional growth, advocating for technology, and improving classrooms and communities. It recognizes and supports top educators excited to grow professionally, advocate for impactful technology, and innovate to improve classrooms, schools, and local communities.
Northeast Metro 916 is proud to announce that our Technology Integration Analyst, Emily Thomas, was accepted into the program and joins the other 2,200 innovators worldwide. She started her journey at the Google Innovator Academy in Chicago (#CHI24) over the summer, where she was introduced to the team she will be working with throughout the process. Her “Sparkle Squad” consists of six innovators from around the world and an Innovator Coach with similar projects. The team now chats regularly to support one another through the program.
Sparkle Squad - Chicago 2024
All Certified Innovators will work closely with Google and each other to implement, manage, and document creative education projects. Google encourages Innovators to collaborate on projects with other Innovators, and to choose projects that inspire and impact other educators and students.
“I am excited to work with Google as an Innovator,” said Emily Thomas. “I have been a Google Technology Trainer with them since 2017 and have enjoyed the opportunities and information I can bring back to our school district.”
Google Innovation Group - Chicago 2024
Emily’s project centers around the question: How can students with complex communication needs successfully share their voices and stories with the wider community?
Project back story: Max (a composite of several different students at Northeast Metro 916 and no personally identifying information is included) is a twelve-year-old student on the autism spectrum and also has a cognitive and developmental disability. Max has complex communication needs. They rarely vocalize, and when they do, it’s in response to a prompt. They use some basic ASL signs and will point to options on their vocabulary core board.
Max is learning to use an iPad as an Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). Max’s teachers and other educators at his school use a Teacher-Child Interaction Training (TCIT) model to validate and encourage any communication attempt. They try to honor the message and expand on what is being said.
Yesterday in class, Max used his AAC to press all of the different food options available: chip, cookie, apple, banana, juice, water. The teacher said to him, “You are thinking about lunch. We just finished lunch.” For the rest of the afternoon, they were offered some additional snacks and refused them but continued to say the different foods on their AAC.
What was Max communicating? Those who know them the best might know what Max is trying to say, but sometimes that may not be correct. This is frequently the case for students with complex communication needs and those with the most profound special education needs. They might use an AAC or have an interpreter to use a communication system that is more familiar to the general population. This brought forward the challenge that Emily will be working on - how can students with complex communication needs successfully share their voices and stories with the wider community?
“One thing that Google has stressed to us is that it’s not about the finished product, it’s about the journey,” added Emily. “This journey will bring a voice to students with complex communication needs so that we can support them at 916 and with the wider community.”