Gene: The Raven Dancer
This has been quite the traveling week. Poor Tim probably feels like a Bachelor. Tim mentioned in last week's blog that I was in Fairbanks. I was still there at the beginning of this week. The last day of the Alaska Math and Science Conference was Monday. I spent Monday evening shopping, since I did't know when I'll see stores like that again. I filled up 3 totes. Tuesday morning I finally got to head back to Togiak. I was a little disappointed when it took me until after 5:00 pm to make it all the way home, but I was definitely glad to be back. I madly tried to get lesson plans finished for the next day so that I could spend some time with Tim and get some sleep.
Wednesday and Thursday were long hard days at school, so I had mixed feelings about getting yet another substitute for myself on Friday. As the Student Council advisor I got to chaperone 10 high school students to Dillingham for a leadership conference. I did have another chaperone with me, thank goodness. We were supposed to leave right after school on Thursday. When the plane wasn't there right away I let the kids start a movie in my classroom while we waited. We watched the entire movie and still and time to burn. We finally left at 6:00 pm.
Wednesday and Thursday were long hard days at school, so I had mixed feelings about getting yet another substitute for myself on Friday. As the Student Council advisor I got to chaperone 10 high school students to Dillingham for a leadership conference. I did have another chaperone with me, thank goodness. We were supposed to leave right after school on Thursday. When the plane wasn't there right away I let the kids start a movie in my classroom while we waited. We watched the entire movie and still and time to burn. We finally left at 6:00 pm.
Dillingham Leadership Symposium
I will admit, I was a bit nervous about chaperoning a bunch of Togiak kids for three days. Especially when they were expected to be in sessions from 8 am to 8 pm each of those days and I didn't think they would handle that well. I couldn't be happier with how the experience went. My group of students didn't cause any headache. For the most part they were where they needed to be when they needed to be there, they participated, and they enjoyed themselves. The biggest "problem" I had to deal with was reminding a few of the students that it was not okay to play on the elevator. (Who can blame a bush kid for wanting to play on an elevator.)
They had some excellent speakers for the kids. There were 3 native men from around the state that were very experienced in putting on workshops and presentations and a Caucasian boy from Anchorage (19 years old and already a successful owner of a worldwide business). The students bought in to all these speakers immediately and loved them. I felt like the content was pretty powerful as well.
I am very happy to be back home again. I'll avoid leaving town for a least a few weeks. (In fact, I just unvolunteered for a trip to Anchorage in two weeks.) I feel like I need to spend some more time in my classroom and with my husband.
Tim had quite the busy week himself. Wrestling practice started on Monday. Which consumes his time after school every day. He was also the only high school teacher that attended the entire week of school and the only high school teacher that was at school on Friday. (I can't even imagine how rowdy the kids must have been . . . sorry Tim.)
I am starting to realize how much my knowledge and appreciation of this native culture is growing. There is so much to learn and so much good once you can get past all of the miscommunications and frustrations you have as a newcomer. I'm exciting for our second year in Togiak to continue to get better.
They had some excellent speakers for the kids. There were 3 native men from around the state that were very experienced in putting on workshops and presentations and a Caucasian boy from Anchorage (19 years old and already a successful owner of a worldwide business). The students bought in to all these speakers immediately and loved them. I felt like the content was pretty powerful as well.
I am very happy to be back home again. I'll avoid leaving town for a least a few weeks. (In fact, I just unvolunteered for a trip to Anchorage in two weeks.) I feel like I need to spend some more time in my classroom and with my husband.
Tim had quite the busy week himself. Wrestling practice started on Monday. Which consumes his time after school every day. He was also the only high school teacher that attended the entire week of school and the only high school teacher that was at school on Friday. (I can't even imagine how rowdy the kids must have been . . . sorry Tim.)
I am starting to realize how much my knowledge and appreciation of this native culture is growing. There is so much to learn and so much good once you can get past all of the miscommunications and frustrations you have as a newcomer. I'm exciting for our second year in Togiak to continue to get better.
