New Years

We are in Kodiak now with Dana and Shannon, my Aunt and her husband, but soon we will be headed back to Akiak. Jamie, I think would prefer to stay in civilization. Dana and her family have been such great company, for Marlowe especially. We have been spending like mad shoppers. Groceries, tourist items, electronics, craft supplies, games, books; I think we have single handedly become a boost to the economy here. Someways even here in Kodiak, people have little idea what it is like to live in the Bush. I feel like the things we need to do are confusing to people and alien. The postal clerk didn't get why we would have to ship spagetti sauce to ourselves. It is bizarre. I wonder how much this experience has changed us.gs

We are half way through with the year, but there is much ahead. State testing is coming up and other high stakes assessments. Our district office is really under the gun to improve these scores. Teachers I know in the lower 48 are saying there will be more rifting going on next year and no highering. I am grateful to have a good paying job. If we are here next year. It will really be like we are raising Marlowe in the Bush. This idea is frightening. With health care and being able to buy things he needs.

My class is shaped up some. Still needs work, but I think we can begin to work together. There is so much that I would like to be doing with them, but I haven't figured out how yet. Things that kids in other schools would come ready for, are virtually from another planet than the kids in my class. Asking questions? Working together. Doing research. Using imagination. Writing about something you've learned. Thinking of a story. I have had many little victories, but I am still a stranger in a strange land.

My resolution is to fit into my class better, and improve my teaching skills.

The houses

This is a fairly accurate drawing of a house in Akiak done by one of my students. The second story windows are wrongish because most all houses are single story. One new house built by Amish volunteers working for FIMA has a second story. Houses are on stilts because of flooding and snow. All new houses should be built at a certain height to avoid flood damage.

Our house has oil and electric heat, but many still use wood. 2/3 have running water. Most all have power. There is phone and internet service, but most villagers have cell phone service through GCI.

Beginnings

"Things are getting worse here," was something a longtime non-native resident told me yesterday. I know what she means. Its loss self-respect, confidence, sense of place. But, I won't dwell on this in my first entry.

My class:

10 boys

2 girls

Those ten boys are like ten Huck Finn's wild, free, in trouble a lot, smear of dirt on the cheek, ready to fight, spit, cuss you. Well, they're hard to love, but they are lovable all the same. If not in school they would play all day on the dirt trails and sandy river banks, torture water bugs in a puddle, break windows in abandoned houses, and occasionally swipe the family 4-wheeler to do stoppies and wheelies until 2 in the morning.

In class they are never quiet, almost. I was told Yup'ik culture makes talking quietly and being quiet a virtue, but these boys are never that. They shout, they moan, they flop on the floor and scream. "I won't do this!" "I don't know!"

I am told the children of the other villages in our district will cuss you and throw a chair. At least it isn't that bad.

I am frustrated a lot, but they are also great in some ways. Its almost as if school brings out the worst in some of them. They will always help you. "Help me carry this box home from the p. off please." They do it. They want work to do. Many have never picked up a tool. They are fascinated by weed whackers, fishing rods, computer games. They love cleaning. At the end of the day I will have kids who prefer cleaning the room to playing a game.

They love the structure of a good worksheet. Many would rather do that than the most exciting hands on math that you can think of.

Kids always want to know about you. Your name, your dog's name, your baby. What are you doing? Where are you going?

My class has endured a lot of tragedy. Really hard stuff. Often they live with grandma or grandpa or auntie. They have brothers or sisters who have died as infants do to bad health or accident.

Somedays it is hard to remember all this as a teacher. Somedays you just want to be angry with them, but  then you get a reminder of why your here and how badly your kids need help not hollering.