Iditarod gives me all the feels.  It would be difficult to cover the range of emotions that I have been experiencing since arriving in Alaska.   I’ve been excited, nervous, overwhelmed.  I’ve felt admiration for the volunteers who make this event possible.  I’ve laughed so hard it hurt.  And yes, I’ve definitely cried a few times.  

Twice in the past 24 hours I’ve had the privilege of listening to two Iditarod finishers share their experiences.  And twice I’ve witnessed grown men, elite athletes stronger than most, choke back tears.  The first musher struggled as he talked about his dogs.  The musher connection to their animals is unlike any other bond I’ve seen.  Watching him talk about his dogs was to witness a depth of love that cannot be measured.   The second musher shared an on-the-trail moment of despair when the the miracle of nature and spirituality combined.  To run the Iditarod is to be fully immersed in the wild; beauty, wonder, and mystery inspire and awe even the most hardened musher.

These moments of emotion struck me as an important teaching tool, especially as we focus on social-emotional learning in the classroom.  Iditarod challenges all the stereotypes around feelings.  A steely musher can cry over his beloved sled-dog, or she can be strong and competitive.  This race provides examples to remind students that we can honor our feelings, and learn to manage them.  These examples remind me that stoic doesn’t equal brave, as the mushers I met this week are some of the bravest athletes I’ve ever encountered.  And emotional doesn’t mean weak; it takes someone strong to risk loving these dogs, loving Alaska, and loving this sport.  I feel honored that these mushers were willing to expose themselves to us, and humbled to witness the sweet emotion Iditarod brings out in us all.

Teachers:  Brainstorm with your class a list of emotions.  Challenge younger grades to expand their vocabulary by digging into more complex feelings than just happy, sad, or mad.  Encourage them to explore more nuanced emotions such as anxious, terrified, overwhelmed, or devastated.  Upper grades may not have examined or labeled feelings in a long time.  Support them in sharing and honor the diversity of emotions in their lives.  Once you have a list look at each emotion and identify times on the Iditarod Trail mushers might experience these feelings.  When are they frustrated? Discouraged? Excited? Heartbroken? Nervous?  How do they handle these feelings?  Discuss, or use a writing prompt, to help students share a time they had to manage difficult emotions.