Learning Goals + Standards in Google Classroom

Learning Goals in Google Classroom

We had a new staff member join our team during the summer. She wasn't too familiar with Workspace tools, so I added her to the Classroom I created to orient people to Google Workspace. While I was poking around, I found something new (or at least new to me).  I don't get to look at Google Classroom too often anymore as a teacher, so some updates I learn about later and this is one of those. Now you can use Learning Goals in Google Classroom. There are national and state standards available for the US, but also standards for Australia, Brazil, Canada, Italy, Japan, Mexico, and the UK (broken down in England, North Ireland, Scotland, and Wales). This is a huge step forward for Classroom. I'm happy to see this addition to Classroom and I hope they will continue adding national curriculums to the interface. I know many Korean teachers would love to have the Korean national standards available.

 

Director of Technology: Reflection on Year 1

In the fast-paced environment of an international school, it is tempting to view technology through the lens of urgency—constant patches, reactive repairs, and the perpetual hunt for the "next big thing." However, true innovation requires a shift in perspective. At St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju, we are recalibrating our foundation, prioritizing stability, security, and support to ensure our technological ecosystem serves our students for the next decade.

Created with Gemini

We are moving away from reactive cycles toward a structured, multi-year strategic roadmap. This isn’t just about hardware; it is about budget predictability and ensuring that every device, from our student iPads to our refreshed teacher MacBook fleets, aligns with a sustainable growth model.

Our infrastructure is undergoing a similar evolution. By phasing the replacement of our wireless access points and repurposing equipment for dormitories, we maximize value without compromising connectivity. Furthermore, our proactive commitment to data security, exemplified by the integration of dedicated backup servers, eliminates single points of failure, ensuring that our classrooms remain resilient against the unexpected.

Managing this transition with a lean, efficient team requires discipline, but the goal remains clear: creating a seamless, reliable experience that empowers teaching and learning.

Technology should be the invisible scaffolding of an exceptional education, not a source of friction. As we build this foundation, we must ask ourselves: Are we investing in the sustainability of our tools, or are we simply maintaining the status quo? At SJA, I like to think, we are investing in sustainability that will power further innovation in teaching and learning.

Closing the Academic Year: A Clean Slate for Your Google Drive

Created with Gemini

As we approach the end of another academic year here at St. Johnsbury Academy Jeju, the physical hallways aren't the only spaces needing a refresh. While we often focus on packing up classrooms and finalizing grades, there is a digital equivalent that is just as vital: closing out your Google Drive.

Over the past ten months, our Drive accounts have inevitably become digital junk drawers. We’ve accumulated countless iterations of lesson plans, shared documents from collaborative projects, and those "temporary" files that somehow became permanent residents. Failing to organize these now is just borrowing trouble from your future self.

Think of the "Drive Purge" as an essential part of your pedagogical hygiene. Start by archiving your "2025-2026" folders. Move them into a structured sub-folder system, ensuring that your current workspace is clear and ready for the inevitable influx of summer professional development materials and next year’s curriculum planning.

Don't just delete—curate. Ask yourself: Did this resource support student learning? Is it worth migrating to next year’s master folder? If not, let it go.

By taking an hour this week to audit your permissions, clear out redundant shared files, and organize your core assets, you are doing more than just decluttering. You are setting the stage for a more focused, efficient start when August returns. A clean digital workspace clears the mental bandwidth required for the innovative teaching we strive for.

How are you prepping your digital environment for the summer break?

Gemini AI Avatar

Very quietly, Gemini was updated recently and one of the new features is buried a little bit. The AI Avatar is now something you can create with Gemini. You use a QR code and enable your camera and microphone. You are recorded moving your head and reciting some numbers. You wait a few minutes and then Gemini is able to create videos of you. You need to go videos and then More Uploads to create it. Once it is created, it will be in the More Uploads menu. This is on Flash-Lite, not even one of the advanced models. To say the least, I was shocked... And you should be as well! Everyone should be shocked. It took a couple of seconds of video of me moving my head and reading some numbers. That's it! And now I can use it to create videos of myself saying anything (anything that Gemini will allow).

Korea's Basic AI Law for Educators