This past weekend teachers from around the country gathered in my classroom for the first ever Chicago Iditarod Teacher Workshop.  The workshop brought together teachers from Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Ohio, and New Jersey and what a great day we all had!  

Pat Moon presenting to the teachers.

Teachers began their day with presentations from Linda Fenton, 2013 Teacher on the Trail™, and Terrie Henke, 2006 Teacher on the Trail™.  Linda introduced teachers to ways they can incorporate Iditarod into their social studies lessons, while Terrie taught the teachers about the 8 traits of Iditarod.  Then, the teachers were treated to a presentation from Iditarod participant, Pat Moon.  Pat is a Chicago native, and a big part of how I got involved with Iditarod and Teacher on the Trail™.  Pat spent an hour talking with the teachers about the race, and what supplies mushers need to bring with them.  We even got to meet Hera, one of Pat’s Iditarod dogs.

The teachers with Pat and Hera!

In the afternoon we had two special Skype guests.  First, Iditarod veteran Charley Bejna Skyped us from his dog kennel in Knik, AK (Charley is also a Chicago native and spends half his time in Chicago and half in Alaska).  It was snowy and cold, and the dogs could not have been cuter!  Charley talked to the teachers about racing with diabetes, and how he wants to show others with the disease that they can pursue their dreams despite the challenges they face.  To learn more about Charley and racing with diabetes you can check out his website here.  Second, we Skyped with Mike and Lou who have been working countless hours on the NEW Iditarod edu website!  Teachers got to explore the site, ask questions, and make suggestions. 

Our day wrapped up with time for teachers to share lessons they use in their classrooms.  We spend nearly an hour sharing lessons, stories, and our excitement for the race.  Overall it was a fantastic day, and it got me very excited for the winter conference which is coming up in just over a month!  This is an outstanding conference, and we would love for you to join us!

Charley’s dog yard!

The teachers sharing lessons.

Community Involvement:
Over the last few weeks I’ve had a great time getting my local community involved in the Iditarod and my Teacher on the Trail journey.  Down here in the lower 48 dog sledding and the Iditarod are not common words, so introducing the Chicago community to it has been lots of fun.  

In December I had the opportunity to talk with Terry Keshner from WBBM talk radio in Chicago.  It was so much fun talking about the race, and my students even shared their thoughts on my adventure down the Iditarod trail.  You can check out the interview here.  Then, last week I spoke with a group from my home parish, Our Lady of Victory (OLV).  I shared pictures and stories from the race, and introduced them to Alaska and the last great race on Earth.  It was such an honor to be invited back to OLV and speak in front of so many people who helped form me into the person and teacher I am today.  

I encourage all of you to get the community involved in what you are doing in your classroom!  

Other Teacher News:
Join our Iditarod Classroom Club with your Skype account!  I will be sharing pictures and videos in the coming weeks as I prepare for Alaska.  To join in the fun, click here: Iditarod Classroom Club.

You can also join us in ALASKA!  The 2017 Winter Conference will be held February 28-March 3 in Anchorage, AK with the theme of “Making Sense of Problems and Persevering Through Them”.  Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from strong educators, and from the mushers themselves.  For more information on this conference click here.