A Little R n' R

Boy, it's been such a challenge these past couple weeks. Learning how to teach is tough stuff, esp. with new kids in a new culture. Somehow I must find a way to connect with my students, my kids or irnianka. As I teach out here in the bush, I am believing more and more that it truly is important for these kids to learn this stuff. Although this may seem clear, it was far from being clear to me before I came out here. I almost believed that western society's stuff wasn't very important to these kids. As I travel more and more, I marvel not at how different people are throughout the world, but at how similar we all are: We're all people.

I finally relayed my classroom rules to my students: R+R. No, not rest and relaxation but respect and responsibility. My students have already taught me that it's of no use to lecture on these topics but to simply implement them in the classroom. Follow the policies and truly demonstrate these characteristic traits. The problem as I mentioned to them is that I'm still learning these. Many of my students have been very responsive but I had to be stern and Frank a few times this week. (Yes, I know my name is not Frank!!!) I told them what I believed to be true about my students, "You know, I don't think you guys are stupid at all. I know that you guys are very very smart. But...you take this stuff as a joke and that's why it's tough." Needless to say, we're working at it.

I really long to build a kayak and to do some more exploring of the area. However, I think that I'll have to wait till spring or summer to buy the wood to do so. That's ok since winter is quickly approaching. Without such equipment, a fellow teacher Ryan and I went out on the nunapik or tundra to camp a night. We started out through town with a plethora of kids following. The locals must have thought that we were nuts. We went out past the dump and through a small slough. Since I wore my tennies, I went barefoot through the slough only to put my shoes back on on the other side. We continued up a hill with a middle schooler. I enjoyed his company as he shared info about the land we were exploring. He carried a shot gun and a small backpack with a glass jar filled with red "juice" (really just kool-aid). To keep from spilling, he capped the jar with a plastic grocery bag as he twisted the lid shut.

After exploring some old qaygit-sod house ruins-our friend went down the hill to hund for some birds. Ryan and I continued on toward the second hill but quickly found ourselved at a slough too big to cross without swimming. So, we walked up it a ways and set up camp on the nunapik "tundra". It was so peaceful to be outside. I love sleeping outside! God blessed us with a stunning sunset and a delicious dinner before we hit the hay. I was out so cold I didn't even wake up to admire the stars and full moon. Oh well!

I'm looking forward to a new week and an extra day off-tomorrow. It'll allow me to rest and get some grading and planning done. We'll see how it all goes. Friday I take the middle school xcountry team up to Scammon Bay to return Friday. Everybody's a little antsy to get out and about.

Piurci