This morning, the Jr. Iditarod mushers arrived at Knik Lake early in the morning in order to pack their sleds and prepare to make their way to Yentna Station. The temperatures were brisk, and the sky was blue and incredibly clear. Yentna serves as the halfway point of the race and it is also the …
This evening was the 2019 Jr. Iditarod mandatory musher meeting. Now, don’t let the term “junior” make you think that these mushers don’t know what they’re doing. In fact, this year’s group of mushers collectively bring a tremendous amount of mushing experience and knowledge to the table. Additionally, many of the 2019 Jr. Iditarod mushers …
For the first several weeks while I am in Alaska, I have been and will continue visiting various elementary schools in the Anchorage and Mat-su Valley areas. It is an honor and privilege being invited to speak to the local students and share about the Iditarod. Although I am typically used to teaching older middle …
Whenever you find yourself in a conversation with someone about the Iditarod and prominent champions, more often than not, the name Mitch Seavey is brought up. Undoubtedly, Mitch is one of the highest achieving mushers in Iditarod history. To date, Mitch has completed the Iditarod 24 times. Out of those finishes, 16 were top ten …
One of the very cool responsibilities that the Teacher on the Trail™ is tasked to do each year is design a patch that’ll be sewn on both the Teacher on the Trail™ sleeping bag and also the teacher’s personal parka. Year after year of being in the classroom, educators often come to expect certain things …
“Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision.” –Andrew Carnegie As the 2019 Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™, one of the most rewarding things has been being able to engage students and teachers with the Iditarod. From a teacher’s perspective, it is unbelievable to see how students truly appreciate and take interest …
One of the most notably recognized names associated with the Iditarod is Redington. Joe Redington, Sr., “The Father of the Iditarod,” was a man who worked hard, dreamed big, and achieved success. His desire to preserve the history of Alaskan huskies, sled dogs, and the sled dog culture, and to also preserve the history of …
If you tell your students that their homework is to watch television, you’ll most likely be met with dubious responses and looks; however, closely analyzing television, specifically commercials, can be very valuable. Once students learn about the persuasive techniques that have been used for thousands of years, their understanding of rhetorical situations will drastically increase. …
One of the unique characteristics of the Iditarod is the fact that this competition attracts mushers from all different parts of the world. This year’s race includes mushers who are from the United States, Canada, Norway, Sweden, France, Finland, Switzerland and Japan, just name a few. One musher, in particular, who’ll be representing Sweden, is …
STEM education has become an essential element of the 21st century school and society. While STEM focuses on four significant subjects- science, technology, engineering and math- the skills that are learned through STEM instruction can be applied toward many other facets of life. It is essential that teachers integrate valuable and enriching learning experiences for …
