✨ Earn your Gemini Certification...Join me for Wednesday webinars! ✨ Hi Reader! After a busy back-to-school travel season, I'm taking a vacation with my family to explore Disney World in Orlando! I was able to type up this month's EDU Update right before we left. As you return to your schools and start the new school year, you might have noticed a few changes in Google Classroom. I decided to share a summary of some of the big updates and features that you can use this year. Everything listed...
10 days ago • 2 min read
✨ Join me for Wednesday Webinars with John! ✨ Hi Reader! As July wraps up, the start of the school year is right around the corner. This week I am in Honolulu, Hawaii to provide some back-to-school training for a school (rough assignment, I know 🌸). This trip kicks off my 2026 back-to-school tour! I’ll be heading to schools all across the US helping teachers just like you get ready for the 2026-27 school year! This month’s EDU update is full of FREE resources to help you prepare for the new...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
✨ I'm going on tour this summer! Join me for the Gemini Academy! ✨ Hi Reader! It's time for the April EDU update! I'm following all of Google's AI updates very closely because I'm getting ready for my Gemini summer tour! Trying to finalize this workshop in the midst of constantly shifting features and updates is a challenge! I'll be learning right alongside you! I'm also trying to prepare our campground for the 2026 camping season which starts in mid-May. So, it's been a full month on all...
4 months ago • 3 min read
✨ I'm going on tour this summer! Join me for the Gemini Academy! ✨ Hi Reader! Earlier this month I was able to attend the KAST conference in Kentucky and the MACUL conference in Michigan. It was great to get out of the office and see many of you in person! I'm on spring break this week which means heading up to our campground in northern Michigan to get ready for the summer camping season! Before I left, I put together a list of updates, links and lesson ideas to summarize the month of March!...
5 months ago • 3 min read
✨ Host the Gemini Academy for Teachers at your school this summer ✨ Hi Reader! I know you’ve been busy in the classroom, so I’ve been scouring the web for the latest updates, new tools, and tech tips for YOU Reader! Here are my top 10 updates for February 2026! 💡 Don't feel like reading? Watch on YouTube or Listen to the Podcast! 💡 1. Record audio and video in Google Classroom - the new “AVS” (audio, video, screencapture) button is now LIVE in Google Classroom for EDU Plus domains. This new...
6 months ago • 3 min read
✨ Master Google Gemini! Join me for the Google Certification Academy! ✨ Hi Reader! Welcome to 2026! Google kicked off the new year with a flurry of updates to their certification exams and programs. There will be some more exciting updates later this month! 🤫 2026 is a GREAT year to become a Google Certified Educator! Here are some important updates you should know. 🎦 Don't feel like reading? Here's my YouTube summary of these updates! If you are using tools like Gemini, Drive, and Google...
8 months ago • 3 min read
✨ Registration for my winter Google Certification Academy + AI is open! ✨ Happy holidays and Merry Christmas, Reader! The holiday season kicked off for our family last weekend with our local production of the Nutcracker featuring four of my five kids in various roles. It's holiday parties, family gatherings, and festive celebrations from here on out! For the December EDU Update, we'll look BACK at what happened in the past year and FORWARD to some new tools you can expect to see in 2026. Here...
9 months ago • 3 min read
🔖 BLACK FRIDAY Sale: 50% off my Wednesday Webinar Subscription! 🔖 Happy Thanksgiving, Reader! It's been a while since my last EDU Update, primarily because I was busy organizing the 13th annual miGoogle conference for 400+ Michigan educators. The event went well and now I am back in the office tracking the latest Google and edTech updates. This month we have quite a few AI updates and two controversial research reports on the impact of technology in education that are sure to spark some...
10 months ago • 2 min read
✨ Ready to explore AI? Check out Wednesday Webinars with John! ✨ Hi Reader! Over the past month I’ve been able to visit a half-dozen different schools across the US sharing tips and ideas for using AI in the classroom. While there are a LOT of AI tools available, there’s one that I think is at the top of the list: Google Gemini. This month I’d like to share some neat and surprising things you can do with Gemini, AND help you earn your Gemini educator certification! 🎙️Listen to the podcast...
12 months ago • 3 min read