Teachable Moments

This past week marked my fourth week in Alaska, and it started off much better than the last.  This past Monday, January 23rd, was the best day teaching I have had thus far.  The wind was strong and cold, and only three students were brought to school.  Because of this, I was able to spend more time with the children individually, and more importantly, I was able to teach more because the distractions were less.  One of the students happened to be the child who attempted to stab me with a pencil the Monday before.  He is one of my toughest cases, but I know his behavior is a desperate cry for love.  There are four boys in particular who cause the most problems.  Separated, they are loving and kind, and I have had many good moments with each, but put them together...now, that is a deadly combination.  On this particular day, I was able to give him the attention he craved, and I feel that some gains were made.

A view down the coast of the village at sunset

The Head Start follows a curriculum that incorporates a different theme each week.  This past week's focus was titled, "Highlighting Heritage."  The subject each day centered around family life, as well as the differences between our families.

Being the third teacher to be placed into this classroom this year alone, as well as the cultural boundaries that are always present, I have tried not to deviate from any routines that were already set in place.  These children need as much consistency as they can get, and I did not want to change everything on them...AGAIN.  I am also aware that I am on their turf; therefore, I am mindful of my place, and do the best I can while still being "teacher".

The class already had a daily schedule.  I leave my apartment at about 8:15 each morning.  When I first arrived, the sun did not rise until about 11:00 a.m., but now it rises around 10.  It is dark when I walk to school, and the moon is still on the horizon.  The students arrive about 9 and eat breakfast at 9:15.  After breakfast, the students are scheduled to participate in various activities at the carpet, or something I call "Circle Time."  These  include a movement exercise, a daily message with review of the calendar, date, numbers, and letters of focus, a short introduction activity focusing around the weekly theme, and a book.  After "Circle Time," the students go to labs, which are stations set up to encourage play.  There is a drama lab, which contains a kitchen set with pretend food, baby dolls, and costumes.  There are a couple different tables containing various manipulative items, such as blocks, puzzles, and anything else that the students can piece together.  There is an art lab, a library area, and another lab with bigger blocks for the students to build with.   After lab is another story and then lunch.

During labs on this particular Monday, I worked with — we'll call him Peter (plus, he loves Spiderman, and his alias was Peter, right?).  Peter is one of the leaders in the classroom.  He provokes the other boys when it comes to their defiant, violent behavior.  Yet, on this day, he was engaged and willing to learn.  One of the labs the aids set up included figurines resembling various family/community members.  Peter went directly to this lab, and I seated myself next to him to discuss each figurine.  We talked about who each person's role is in a family, as well as what their occupation would be. For example, there was a doctor, a farmer, a pilot, and so on.  I also talked to him about the different names we call our family members.  I learned that in Yupik, their native language, "uppa," means grandfather.

After lunch, the students have journals that they draw in, and depending on behavior, another book is read and review of what was discussed that day takes place.  The three-year-olds are picked up at 1 p.m., and the four-year-olds walk with me to the main school to play in the gym till 2.  I really enjoyed my day with the students, but most of all my time with Peter.  When his "uppa" picked him up that day, he kept telling me he loved me.  Since his grandfather was standing right there, I was nervous how to respond, so I kept telling him how proud I was of him, which is another way of saying you love someone.

A view from the beach at sunset

The rest of the week returned to normal.  The chaos returned the next day, and Peter was back to his ways.  A woman from the state came in on Tuesday to evaluate the teaching environment, which is not of my own doing, but I was still paranoid the whole time she was there.  Anyone with a clipboard is automatically intimidating, if you ask me.  Friday, the power went out right before breakfast, and it was not just at the Head Start.  The entire village was affected except for the main school building because they have their own generator that kicks in during power outages.  Naturally, I thought that the students' parents would be called to pick them up since nothing could be accomplished in the dark (and the impending cold that would begin setting in from the lack of heat).  However, that is not what happened.  The students played at the various stations in the dark while the cook and two aids waited around for the power to return.  It began to get chilly so I put my snow pants back on, which is part of my daily attire walking to school. After about an hour, the power returned, and the day continued.  I am finding this place to be stranger by the day, and myself strange in it, but I cannot deny the amazing learning experience I am gaining.

I am not sure what my expectations were when I decided to make this journey.  I believe everything happens for a reason, and when things began falling eerily into place when deciding whether or not to come, I began thinking the Lord had plans for me here.  Wanting to make my mark on the world, I thought this would be an opportunity to make an impression in children's lives half a world away from my own.  I suppose in a way it still is, but every day I struggle to keep that dream alive.  It has all come down to grasping the small, teachable moments with individual students.  Large group activities will never happen, not with the "Fearsome Foursome" running around trying to kill one another, but I try to work with every child on an individual level as much as I can.  I also came expecting to grow myself as a person, and I certainly will not look at some things the same.  I am truly grateful for where I come from, and it amazes me that places like this village exist within the United States.  In college, we read about the conditions that many children live and learn in around certain areas of the country that would be shocking to most, but to experience it each day brings it all into perspective.  I only have 10 more working days left.  Lets see what the next two weeks may bring.

"Minor" Details

So, I have taken you along the path that it took to get here, but I am going to jump ahead a little bit to get into all the details of teaching in "wild" Alaska (although I do not know what is more wild:  Alaska or my students).

Upon accepting this position, I was under the understanding that my main focus would be on behavior.  The little tikes needed to learn that there are times at school when we have to SIT and LISTEN.  Fair enough!  Most three- and four-year-olds need to learn this, but there were a few other "minor" details that were left out of the job description, as well as what exactly I was getting into.

My first day began January 4th, the day after we arrived.  Since then, I have worked 12 days, and these past two weeks have been anything but easy.  I have had anywhere from 12 to 15 three- and four-year-olds each day, which is the highest number they have had all year, and these students are wild unlike anything I have ever seen.  They spit, punch, kick, curse, climb and jump off of anything, scream in your face, and the list goes on.  I know that they are only products of the environment that they come from, but I have never seen anything quite like it.

A view from my walk to the Head Start

The village is more like a "ghetto" that would be found in a major city, but on a much smaller scale.  There is a major problem with "home brew" and marijuana among the families in the village.  The main income for the natives is welfare, and there is a serious lack of work ethic because of it.  The elders who have lived in the village for centuries hold strong to their traditions and culture, but the younger generations want nothing to do with their heritage.  Most days, my students come to school wearing the same thing they wore the day before and have barely slept.  Of course, classrooms back home may have one or two students who fit this profile, but every student I am working with has been affected in some way.  I am teaching students born with fetal alcohol syndrome, along with other disorders from drug use, students who have been abused, students who have not learned how to play, and so on.  Despite their home lives, they have had little to no discipline because the culture here does not enforce it.  In fact, children are not regarded very highly until they reach a certain age.  It was explained to me like this:  Many years ago, when food would become scarce, children were the first ones to be left to go hungry.  Next, the elders would be left to starve.  This was due to the fact that neither could contribute to the survival of the group as a whole.  As sad as it is, this view still remains in a way.  Children are held in higher regard as they grow into their teens and become more capable.


The Head Start building where I am working consists of three other native women.  There is one aid, another aid that comes in at random, and a cook.  We also have a janitor.  The building is old and has no running water like the rest of the village, minus the main school building.  I have not stepped foot into the restroom there, and each day I wait until I can get back to my apartment.  Things get a little interesting at times when you really have to go, and you are wearing snow overalls, a long jacket with lots of buttons, gloves, etc....let me tell you!  The women who work at the Head Start have not warmed up to me quite yet despite every effort I make to be friendly and helpful.  It can get awkward at times.  On that note, I have run into some prejudice against people of my background around here.  There have been people pointed out to me that hate "white people," and I have heard the term "white bread" thrown around.  One day, during my second staff meeting, which was being held in the cafeteria, a woman barged in shouting about the "white trash" teachers who let her child come home without a sweater, as well as calling us "trash" teachers, a few other names were mentioned that I will not disclose (just use your imagination).

More views of the landscape surrounding the village
(to the left, you can see the crosses of a graveyard)

I have learned quite a bit about life in the village since my arrival, but my biggest challenge is my students.  Their behavior is proving to be more than I can handle on my own.  I feel very separated from the main school building.  For starters, I am.  The building is about half a city block away.  Second, the Head Start program is run by a group not affiliated with the main school, and there is some tension between the powers at each place.  These students need discipline, but because of the cultural boundaries, I receive little to no support when I try to enforce it.  The aids rarely back me up or stay consistent with the guidelines I try to provide for these students.  I have tried everything I have learned in my training up till now and nothing seems to work.  To paint you a picture of what life is like each day, let me tell you about this past week ... think "Kindergarten Cop," with a few shanks thrown in the mix.

On Monday, during breakfast, one student took his plastic butter knife and used it to cut the throat of another child.  That student was sent home immediately, but then, later that same day, the student who had his neck cut punched me, and then, proceeded to try and stab me with a pencil as I bent down to reprimand him.  He shoved the point into my sweater and ripped it down to my jeans.  I saw what he was getting ready to do, and knowing he could not hurt me (I had on a thick sweater, jeans, and other layers of clothes.) I watched just to see if he really would.  Sure enough, he did!  That child went home as well.  I had quite a few incident reports to write up that day.  Tuesday brought more incident reports plus some vomit, and three students peed their pants.  Correction: two students peed their pants, and one little boy peed on another's pants while using the restroom.  The lack of listening skills is one thing, but the violence is another.  The anger that I have seen in some of the faces of these four-year-olds is scary.  My heart goes out to them because only God knows what they have seen.

I try to go in each day with a smile, not thinking about the day before, and show these children as much love as I possibly can because they need it so desperately, but I am only one woman ... and I am exhausted.  I have never been so worn out in my life.  I have also been fighting a bad cold for the past week, which has not helped one bit.

The road to the airport

Do I regret my decision to come here and teach?  No, certainly not.  Through the good and the bad, I have learned and experienced so much that I would not trade it.  On the other hand, am I counting down the days till I head home?  You betcha!  These children need more of an intervention than I can give them alone, but I give it my all each day, and to be honest, some days I feel like I am teaching to the spawns of Satan himself (I guess it is true what they say ... Hell really does freeze over!)  But all joking aside, they are just children.  I would be angry too if I had my childhood messed with.  I do not know what kind of impact I can make in their lives during the short time that I am here, but I'll keep trying my best.  My favorite moments are the ones when I can pull a few of them aside and just read to them, or the spontaneous hug just because they want to.  In the morning, as they arrive, I let them pick a book to read with me.  This is one of my favorite parts of the day!

Next week, I am sure there will be more adventures to tell! As for now, welcome to Pre-K!

Welcome to Stebbins!

We arrived in Stebbins around six o'clock on the evening of January 3rd.  We were picked up by the assistant principal of the school where I am working.  He picked us up in a small, white truck.  Apparently, the school owns a truck and either two snow machines and one four-wheeler, or vice versa (I cannot remember which).  Each is used as travel to the airport or St. Michael's, which is about 15 miles from here and has a much better grocery store.  Upon arrival at the school, we were met by the principal and escorted to the apartment where I would be staying.  

Stebbins School (K-12)
...& if you look to the right, my room is the window that is third from the right of the picture, on the raised part of the school.

The school appears to be in great condition!  Just inside the door, we walk into the cafeteria, which is surrounded by student artwork.  The gym is next to the cafeteria, and next to the gym's entrance, there is a door leading to a balcony area overlooking the gym.  The balcony surrounds the gym on three sides, and contains various weights and cardio machines (which I have access to at all times-so exciting!)  There are two apartments just off the balcony.  I am staying in the smaller of the two.  My apartment is small, but is free during my stay so I do not complain.  It is perfect for what I need.  There is a bathroom and a bedroom containing a small kitchenette.  Anything else I would need for my stay can be found in the school.  There is a washer/dryer in the kitchen of the cafeteria, which I use on Sundays, and I am not lacking for a view.  

A view from my window

Ocean front views from the apartment!  (LoL)

I have a huge picture window that overlooks the Norton Sound, which is part of the Bering Sea, and a beautiful view of the coast that lines the village.  Just down the way is George Washington's Bluff, named for the resemblance it has to the President's profile.  It is a beautiful sight to see at the end of the day.  

George Washington's Bluff

We did not have much time to settle in.  With one look at the apartment, we were taken on a tour of the school, followed by dinner at the principal's apartment.  His apartment building, along with some of the other teacher's, is just off the wood shop in the school.  Dinner consisted of salmon and vegetables.  The salmon was delicious and was caught right off the coast this past summer.  Apparently, the school sets out nets, and then collects all the fish to filet and freeze for the remainder of the year.  During dinner, we learned a little more about the school and the village (the rest I would come to learn on my own).  We were also told that if we needed anything not to hesitate to ask.  So, naturally, Dad took the opportunity to ask if we could watch the bowl game on the principal's big screen.  We were welcome to it, and we were also given dinner that night as well!  It was weird watching a game from one end of the US while many of my friends were at the complete opposite end of the country in Miami, but what a game it was?!  I am so grateful we did not have to miss it.

Cheering on the Mountaineers from the top of the world!
How about those Mountaineers?!

The teachers and other staff at the school, for the most part, are very friendly and willing to help.  I will not have a chance at going hungry, or cooking some of the food I brought for that matter.  I have been invited to dinner (and breakfast) by some of the teachers at least five times since I have gotten here.  The teachers are family because that is all you have up here.  They will do anything for each other, and I was accepted into that right away.

No matter where you roam, you never forget where you call home <3

Once back to the apartment after our welcoming dinner, we were invited next door by three ladies staying in the place next to me.  They wanted to offer me some advice on my first trip to Alaska, and it quickly became apparent that I would not have to worry about downtime.  From the moment I have arrived, I have been very busy.  My first day of work began the very next day.  I was introduced to almost everyone who works at the school, as well as some of the villagers who sit around the cafeteria in the morning after dropping off their children.  After meeting the staff at the main school, I was escorted to the Head Start building, which is about half a city block's walk from the main school.  This is where I would be working, so I was excited to meet the staff and my future students.  

The Head Start building

Since that first meeting, I have worked eight days, and now, I have come to realize that the small planes were the least of my worries.    

Welcome to the Bush!

Most people might picture Australia when they hear about being in "the bush."  In Alaska, this phrase is used quite frequently as well.  Upon arriving in Anchorage from our flight out of Denver, we were now in the hands of "the bush" pilots.  


On January 3rd, we boarded our first bush plane to head to Unalakleet, Alaska.  From Unalakleet, we flew to Stebbins.  For those of you  familiar with the show, "Flying Wild Alaska," Unalakleet is the town where this show is filmed, and I even got to see some familiar faces.  The wife of the man whose family runs the airport there unloaded my bags, and I saw one of her daughters, as well. 

The plane taking us from Anchorage to Unalakleet, AK

I was more nervous than I had expected to be about flying in a small plane, but as it turns out, I felt much safer (and this plane is not even the smallest one we flew on).  The take-off and landing was so smooth, you barely realized the wheels had touched ground.  The plane that took us from Unalakleet to Stebbins was half the size of the one pictured, and you sat right behind the pilot and co-pilot's chair so you could see all the gears and switches of the cockpit.  Still, I felt safer.  I am not one to sleep on a plane.  Mostly, because I have not flown enough to be comfortable with it (this was my second time flying on a trip-the first was to Italy two years ago), but once in the air, it did not take long to doze off.  However, sleep only came after taking in the beauty of Alaska.  

Alaska looks wildly beautiful in pictures, but it is indescribable to see it for the first time up close. There is no sign of human life for as far as your eye can see.  They certainly do not call it the last frontier for nothing!  

Mt. McKinley 

The mountains are what amazed me the most!  They are so high and covered in snow!  The snow was beautiful and untouched (the word majestic comes to mind when looking at them). The land is breathtaking, but treacherous at the same time.  It does not take long to realize your chances of surviving in this type of wilderness.  This was something that Dad and I discussed during our flight (why, I do not know) but we did.  If the plane were to crash, and by some miracle you survive, then what happens next?  

The landscape changed from jagged snowy peaks, to frozen tundra, to landscape covered by a thousand different rivers.

I did my best to take it all in before sleep got the best of me.  All of the planning and preparation leading to this moment was well worth it, and it was as if I could finally rest knowing I had finally arrived in wild Alaska!

Alaska Bound

For some of my friends, tonight marks the last night of freedom before Spring semester begins.  A few weeks ago, I would have expected to find myself in their shoes.  However, tonight, I find myself preparing for my fourth day of work teaching in the small village of Stebbins, Alaska.  It amazes me how quickly life can change.  Thankfully, so far, this life-change has been a wonderful experience.  It has been made easier with the help of my family; blood-related and not.  I have received such an outpouring of love and support that bridges the gap between home and Alaska.  My dad was also able to fly up with me for the first week, which helped with the transition, and the easing of worried minds.

Dad & I on the flight from Dulles to Denver, CO

On January 2nd, right after the start of the year, I left everything I've known to head into the unknown.  I had done quite a bit of research on the school district via their website, as well as speaking with teachers in Stebbins who offered helpful advice.  No matter how much research or pictures I googled of Alaska (or how many reality shows watched on the state) nothing could fully prepare me for what I was about to encounter, or the preparation it took to get there.

I was...

Once the decision was made to come, my family and I had quite the task ahead of us.  Not only did I have to invest in a VERY warm wardrobe, I had to begin buying food to ship up ahead of me. The village has a small store containing basics and some frozen items, but the prices vary.  Most things in Alaska are quite expensive.  Produce, diary, and other frozen items are best bought in Anchorage along the way.  In the days leading up to Christmas, shopping for gifts was mixed with shopping for essentials for my trip.  Mom and I spent two long nights scanning the aisles of the local grocery store for what I might need.  Things I bought included soup (LOTS of soup), oatmeal, pancake mix, packs of water-tight salmon, spaghetti/sauce, canned vegetables/fruit, boxed rice milk, various 100-calorie snack packs, you name it.  Also, Friday before Christmas, my boyfriend, Daniel, took me to Cabela's to buy me the last of my wardrobe necessities for living in -30 to -40 degree weather.

Despite added hustle and bustle to an already busy season, the peace and joy that comes at Christmas was not lost.  I was grateful for the peaceful Christmas I spent with both my family and Daniel's.  It's my favorite time of year, and I was glad that the preparation for Alaska did not overtake the importance of the season.

The week after Christmas flew by, and before I knew it, January 2nd had arrived.  Daniel, my parents, my brother, and my grandparents had breakfast before Dad and I headed to Dulles International Airport.  Our flight was scheduled to leave at 2:50.  The district scheduled all our flights, as well as our stay in Anchorage.  Having a midday departure time helped with the goodbyes.  We were able to take our time, but not too much time that it became hard to leave.  I do not like goodbyes even though this was not a sad occasion.  It was a very bittersweet day.  The extent of my trip had not yet sunk in, and I think that made it easier for me to say goodbye.  Like I said, I had no idea what to expect.

We arrived at the airport and checked our bags without any issues.  I was nervous my luggage would exceed weight limit because I am NOT the best packer.  How do you even begin to pack your entire life up for a 6-week to possibly 5-month move?  It was hard to narrow it down to, "What do I need/want the most?"  "What should I take to make it feel like home?"  The only glitch came when we went to board the plane.  I, as well as Dad, am use to turning right after boarding a plane.  We did not even think to look left.  We almost reached the back of the plane before realizing our seats were up front, and we SHOULD have turned left.  Needless to say, we had quite a few people irritated with us as we maneuvered our way to our correct seats.  It was well worth the effort, though.  The school district hooked us up with some of the most comfortable seats I had ever experienced on a plane-lots of room and leather...sigh.

We flew from Dulles to Denver and then from Denver into Anchorage.

A view from the plane en route to Denver, CO

A view of the Rockies from the Airport

We overnighted in Anchorage.  I was so excited to finally be in Alaska!  I could not wait to step outside and experience cold like I have never felt before and was it COLD!  The moment I stepped outside, it felt like my eyebrows froze.  It was about 20 degrees below zero.  Other than the cold, Anchorage was beautiful at night!  It reminded me of Marietta, GA, the way the city was laid out, as well as the shopping centers they had.  It looked just like Marietta (where my Mom was raised) except covered in a TON of snow.  I have never seen so much snow!  I could see the mountains in the distance, but when I got my first glimpse of them the next morning, I was in awe.

Anchorage, AK

View from the hotel

The mountains & me

 The flights to Stebbins, AK, was next on the agenda.  This was the portion of the trip I was the most nervous for...the little planes...ugh!

The Call

On the evening of December 9th, 2011, the only concern on my mind was making it to a church Christmas dinner on time.  It was the Friday of dead week, and I was on my way home for the weekend.  Being a graduate student, dead week is more like finals week, and the only thing dead is my brain at the end of it.  I pulled an "all-nighter" the night before, staying up until almost six on Friday morning.  After a couple of hours of sleep, I packed my things and headed for home.


Crossing the bridge into town, I was thrilled to see the usual holiday decorations had been put into place.  It was that time of year again, and I was excited to focus on the Christmas season, which was one of the reasons for staying up so late.  I didn't want to be preoccupied with any other obligations except that of spending time with loved ones.  Then ... my phone rang.


The call came across my cell screen as "Unknown."  Usually, I do not answer those.  I was running a little late to the Christmas dinner being held by my boyfriend's church at the local high school, and the thought crossed my mind to answer the call in case he was calling from a landline there to make sure everything was alright.  When I answered there was a pause. I expected to be greeted with some type of recorded telemarketing message, but that was not the case either.  It was a man from the Bering Strait School District in Alaska whom I had interviewed with in October.  He was calling in regards to a long-term teaching position that had recently come open in an early childhood classroom.


Why Alaska?  To be honest, I have always wanted to visit the state.  When career services at the university sent out the mass e-mail one week prior to interviews saying the district was stopping by I thought, "Why not?"  The interview would not only give me experience, but I would be able to learn more about the district and the contracts it offers.  In the week leading up to the interview, I did extensive research on the school's website.  The district is broken up into 15 different villages described in short videos on the school's website.  I looked into each village, as well as their instructional model, and information on what it takes to make such a move.  If you would like to learn more, here is the link.


Bering Strait School District 


The interview went well, and I found out that contracts are signed on a yearly basis, which was what I expected, but after the interview, reality began to sink in.  The thought of being gone for a year from those that I love became a little harder to grasp.  Not only would I be gone for a year, but I would be located in a place where travel in and out depends solely on the weather, which is very unpredictable.  From that point on, I decided I would not stress over something that could possibly never come to be.  So, while the idea was somewhat exciting to consider, I quickly realized it might be too much for me to handle, or even want to consider handling.


Then ... the call.


The long-term sub position was being offered as a six-week contract in the village of Stebbins in their early childhood center.  The regular classroom teacher is on some type of medical leave for the time being.  Because of the sudden need, the district was going to pay for my round-trip ticket, a hotel in Anchorage where I would overnight, and my rent for six weeks.  The only thing I was in charge of was paying to ship my food, which is anything nonperishable.  Produce and anything frozen is bought in Anchorage en route to Stebbins.


The opportunity quickly turned into something that seemed too good to pass up.  Everything fell into place in such a way that I became nervous because it began to look more and more like something I was meant to do.  I have always heard that the Lord works in mysterious ways, but why I have been given this opportunity, I have yet to find out.  Nonetheless, here I am, and I am excited to see what's to come.  I just hope that these children will learn as much from me as I am going to be learning from them and the people of Stebbins.


That is a little background information on how I came to be here.  Pictures of the journey up will follow soon!