Week One: A Recap

Well, y'all, I survived the first week, and I am loving it!

Some of you have asked if it feels weird to have my own classroom, and the answer is simply no.  It feels right and my own, and as though the timing is perfect for me to be here.  We have a strong set of teachers and a great support system within the school.  I have extremely bright students and others who need some extra guidance.  The one thing I will have to get used to is the fact that consequences really have no meaning here; causing trouble at school will not necessarily result in reinforcement for better behavior from home, which is disappointing.  We do not give grades.  Students must pass all standards in each grade level before they move onto the next level in each subject.  While this allows students to move at their own pace, it does nothing for those who are not motivated.  If anyone has any plausible solutions, please let me know!  I can't fight every battle, but I also want to be effective while I'm here. Trust me, I wish I could successfully implement meaningful consequences and keep my classes on the same page, but it just is not the way that things are done here.

Some of you have asked about my living situation.  The best way to describe it is this: temporary.  Right now, I am living in a 2-bedroom house on my own (I was the odd female out).  The other teachers are paired up in additional 2-bedroom houses.  At first I was worried about this, because I thought loneliness and isolation might set in, but I had nothing to fear.  We teachers all live within a 15-second walk of each other, so if I do need company, someone is always close by.  Students also often stop by in the evenings, especially the younger elementary ones, asking for cookies or wanting to play tag.  Really, the challenge is actually finding a few moments alone to myself!  Brand new teacher housing just south of the school is being built right now, which will consist of apartment-like units.  They claim we will be moving in during October sometime, but those who have been here a while say that January is more likely.  Call me crazy, but moving during January thisclose to the Arctic Circle just doesn't sound like a fun (or even pleasant) endeavor.  I'm praying that we move sooner rather than later, but I also hope that it doesn't coincide with quarter grades!  Yikes!  Time will tell.

Yesterday, Thursday, at about 4:42 pm, I finally got notice that my food order had arrived from Anchorage!!  Great news, except that the post office closes at 5 pm.  I flew out of the building and caught the principal just in time to ask him to take me there and pick it up (he has access to one of the few vehicles--a huge Ford truck--in the village).  Three students, bless their hearts, asked if I needed help and joined us.  They hopped in the back and helped me carry the boxes into my house, even helping to unpack them.  (Don't get worried; another teacher was there to witness the event).  I thanked them with chocolate (I FINALLY HAVE CHOCOLATE!!) and a roll of tape (there was an inexplicable amount of all kinds of tape left in my house), and they went on their way.  As soon as they left, I absolutely tore into random food items: a handful of dark chocolate chips, a bowl of chips and salsa, and crackers and peanut butter comprised the most excellent and random supper I've ever had.  I hadn't been "full" in about two weeks.   Now that I know that food orders can meander for a while before arriving, I plan on ordering more food as soon as I am paid.  For those of you who are curious, no, I haven't been starving--other teachers have been offering their extras, as well as the school counselor and the principal.  "Need" certainly takes on a different meaning when we all are rationing our reserves.  To repay their kindness, I plan on hosting a dinner at some point and bringing a popcorn cake to the lunchroom.

I must note the following story:  This Wednesday, one female student who had been keeping me at arm's length raised her hand and asked how long I planned to stay.  I replied that I'd like to stay five years, to which she grinned, because teachers average about two or three.  Then I joked that I might not even last the year if my food didn't come soon.  Instead of laughing, about 5 students became quite serious and offered to go hunting for me, clean the game, and put it in my freezer!  I was pretty touched by that.  When I told them all today that my food came, they cheered!   People take care of each other out here because they must.  It's just the way of life.

OK, enough blabbing.  I've had a wonderful first week and am so excited for the year ahead. I have a few pictures for you!

Here is a better view from my room on a sunny day. 

This view is to the north out of my classroom window.  Nice playground, huh?
The green area just to the left of the playground is actually a chunk of tundra.

This is a fish house that belongs to the family of a few
of my students.  The fish dry and then are handed out
like jerky.  It's called "chum" and is really tasty!

As promised, the boots picture.  This is Thursday morning, a mild day in terms of
muddiness. These "wellies" are about 2 sizes too big, so walking in them is both
challenging and very comical.  I pretty much do high-knees exercises all
the way to the school.  My track coaches should be proud!