Day 1 at Kiana High School

MONDAY


Mmmm.... coffee... I've always denied being a coffee addict but I think I may be slightly dependent on it...


Yesterday was exhausting. We got up early and walked around the school introducing ourselves to the teachers. Rachael and I have been thrown in on the front line and have been assigned to teach English for the week. Yesterday Rachael and I read the class a poem "Ode To Mi Gato" and then read them a version in Spanish (which we frantically translated before class.) They really like to hear other languages and the kids were totally engaged into the poetry lesson that included a poem about a cat and a poem about a dog. There was lots of giggling, sharing of drawings, and talking about their pets. The Social Studies/English teacher has been assigned to be our contact point so we spent all of yesterday observing her classes. She is very passionate, caring, and extremely patient.


I have to admit I'm a little jealous of these classes....
1. The classes are so small, 8 or so kids tops.
2. The kids are so comfortable with each other - there is no fear of presenting, working with each other, or sharing ideas.
3. They're pretty eager to work - sometimes I feel like I'm herding cattle at home, but these kids are ready to go! Especially the middle schoolers
4. They're so incredibly kind and laid back. The teachers have no real issues with stepping out for a second to grab something from another room. Everyone continues working as if nothing happened. 


I also love how laid back the school is. I get to wear jeans! Staff meetings are an absolute hoot. The teachers are hilarious. I think that every teacher has a few screws loose (myself included) but out here I think there is so much more freedom with what they can teach and how they can teach - the classes are full of energy yet more relaxed than at home. They also talk about some huge issues in class. I can see how some rural teachers wouldn't feel comfortable going back into the urban schools. I also find it interesting that pretty much none of these teachers are from Alaska, and for most of them, teaching in rural Alaska has been their only teaching experience.


After school Rachael and I were so tired that we basically passed out on whatever we first landed on in our room. Two or so hours later we woke up feeling like we had been hit by a car. I think that all of these new experiences, new information, running around town... it's just exhausting.  Mrs. Nagy (our contact teacher) invited us over for dinner last night for soup and corn bread and after dinner we went on a long walk out to the cemetery.


I'm feeling a little conflicted right now. I really like this so far... a lot... but could I do it for a year or more? There's a lot I want to write about... the real inside accounts from teachers, the frustration, sadness,   achievements, setbacks, the passion each teacher has, the reality of teaching in rural Alaska. About two years ago when I was working in the School of Education I received a phone call from an author. She just so happened to be wanting to write a romance novel about teaching in rural Alaska. I'm not sure who I forwarded her to, but it seemed like a joke to me. There's nothing "romantic" about it but it sure seems like an absolutely rewarding and exciting experience that I'm finding myself more and more interested in.