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Teacher's Journal
Right from the start, your students need to know they have walked into an Iditarod classroom. But they may not know much about the Iditarod. You could, of course, tell them all about it, which would not be a wrong instinct! What if we combined self-directed learning about the Iditarod using the go-to source, the …
Iditarod EDU welcomes Kate Newmyer as the 25th Iditarod Teacher on the Trail™. Currently Kate teaches 5th grade language arts and social studies in the Clear Creek ISD, in Texas. Her teaching experience is broad and includes music education, university art history adjunct professor, home school educator, and museum curator and she holds two master’s …
Holding back tears, I put my oldest on the bus for her first day of Kindergarten; the neighborhood moms laughed at me, joking that by the time this day arrived for my third child I’d be sending her off gladly, toasting to my newfound freedom. I was indignant – thinking I would never feel that …
With just a few more days left (7 to be exact, but who’s counting?) I am ready to close the door on this school-year and dive headfirst into summer. But before I know it, I will be prepping for the start of a new school year. Reflecting on my year as Iditarod Teacher on the …
Change is hard. It is also the one true constant in life. Although we often wish to hang onto the present, the comfortable, the expected, the known – it is inevitable that time will pass, and we will need to adapt to new seasons, people, places, and situations. Change can be monumental, like adjusting to …
It’s my birthday in a few days, marking another trip around the sun. It’s been a year filled with experiences, destinations, and adventures that a short time ago I couldn’t have even imagined being part of my life. Iditarod has given me many gifts this year, but the one I am most grateful for is …
When I returned home from the 2023 Iditarod multiple people asked, “What surprised you the most about your time in Alaska?” I know they expected comments about the cold, or the wildlife, or the dog teams. My actual answer isn’t flashy or shocking. The biggest surprise was the vastness of the remote Alaskan wilderness. Imagine …
Mother’s Day is just around the corner and elementary kids are busy creating paper posies and coupon books to let the “Mom” in their life know how much they are loved. You’ll notice I put the “Mom” in quotes, as this day has evolved to rightfully incorporate not just biological mothers, but any important female …
Iditarod dog teams provide a perfect opportunity to discuss the difference between equality and equity with our students. Dog Teams consist of diverse personalities all working toward a goal. Much like a dog team, the classroom is a group made up of individuals, all of whom need different supports to be their very best. Some …
The Iditarod Trail checkpoints are full of contrasting histories -some are villages inhabited by Alaska Native families who have lived there for generations while others are gold rush towns created by an influx of foreigners seeking their fortune. In the villages of Nikolai, Anvik, and Kaltag I witnessed the challenges and hardship of living off …