Vikings in Nunapitchuk

When I woke up this morning on the floor in the Nunapitchuk voc ed room, the papers on the wall were blowing with the air coming in under the window. The wind was coming out of the North and blowing so hard that snow was being forced up into the spaces around the window. The wind coming through damper vent on the boiler flipped over and caused the breaker to shut off, so the heat was off to boot. The room was just a few degrees away from seeing your breath. The principal and I used wrestling mat tape to seal all around the north facing windows and school had a delayed opening so that kids could come in the daylight.

The students helped me write a haiku: (this should have been a 5-7-5, 17 syllable poem, but I took poetic license)

Cold, blowing snow
Making my cheeks frigid
My warm blanket calls to me

I did some foldables today in social studies on Vikings. We did a shutter fold book (see Dinah Zike's resources) to compare and contrast Vikings with Yup'iks. I'll give you a few, then you find some more. Both live in the northland, both have an oral tradition of literature, both invented unique boats adapted to their purpose. Contrast; Vikings were conquerors- Yup'ik are peaceful, Viking boats are wooden- Yup'ik boats are skin, Vikings were farmers- Yup'iks are hunter/gatherers, Viking culture assimilated into contemporary culture and lost their distinctive identity- Yup'ik culture has adapted and the people have a strong sense of identity.

Tonight the room is absolutely silent. The tape around the windows is holding and the stars are out. The ASB meeting was well attended and one happy attendee stopped me on the boardwalk to tell me that she won the stove oil drawing. The meetings are conducted in Yup'ik and are advisory in nature. Different school districts have stronger boards than others. In some districts, prospective teachers are flown out to meet with the board who makes a recommendation for hire or not. They also approve the calendar, approve the discipline policy, advise the principal, approve expenditures and lots more.

I have visited with lots of the teachers here. One teacher stopped by to talk and told me to look about the history of "The Last Great War", a Ph.D dissertation on the massacre by the Koyukon Indians on the people of Nulato and their Russian trading partners in 1851. I saw quite a few other teachers here with interesting lives and strong reasons for teaching here. The principal left the school at 9:00 (she arrived before 7) and another teacher was here until 10. It's not an easy job if its done right.

I added one more addition to my resources blog listing the NASA resources. It will take a nice relaxing Internet search for beef that up. Maybe when I'm in Anchorage tomorrow.....

Here is a plug for the movie, CHALK
Real Teaching Leaves a Mark

In the 'doc' comedy style of "The Office" and "Best in Show", CHALK pulls you into the frenetic and awkwardly painful journey of three novice teachers as they navigate one memorable school year. Director Mike Akel provides a rare and realistic teacher's perspectve into the absurd, provocative and occasionally volatile world of public education. In a country where 50% of teachers quit within the first three years, CHALK delivers an enormous dose of heart, hilarity, and hope for America's most important institution.

One last thought before I retire for the night. The bottom line question that parents ask is, "is this what's best for my child? " but teachers must ask, "is this what's best for all the children?". There's a huge shade of difference there and balance between meeting all the children where they are at and meeting the needs of individual children who need more is challenging.