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Tails from the Trail!
It is that time of summer when I start to think about the upcoming year. July is over, and the August build-up is here. What will my new class be like? How am I going to start the school year? What will I change from last year or keep the same? A million questions that bring excitement looking forward to the month ahead. As I plan for the year to come, I am always thinking about how can I integrate the Iditarod more? I am always looking for new inspiration. Being at Summer Camp this year gave me so many new ideas, and it was amazing to collaborate with such a great group of educators!
I also felt inspired and excited for the year to come when I visited Brooksby Village, a retirement community, in Peabody, MA. During my visit, I met many retired teachers, administrators, Iditarod followers, and fans, and even a few who had grandchildren involved in the Iditarod. About a hundred residents came out to listen as I spoke about not only my journey on becoming the 2020 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™ but how the Iditarod is used in the classroom. I was amazed by their questions, comments, and words of encouragement.
Several former teachers shared their experiences with using the Iditarod in their classrooms, and how engaged their students were during that time. A former assistant superintendent shared his excitement that teachers from all over the world are engaging students by integrating the Iditarod. As the conversations and stories continued my enthusiasm for the school year grew. A real highlight was when a resident brought me several news articles from Fairbanks, as she had been at the start in 2015. Thank you Brooksby for a fantastic afternoon!
Teachers, as we begin to prepare for the new school year, What will you try new? “Tails from the Trail” has inspired me to think about homophones and games I can use to help my students better understand them. Check out these games using the Iditarod to reinforce homophone understanding.