[updated] 2008-03-20
At one point there were few teachers from the tundra regions writing blogs. Few enough I could put them all into one RSS feed mix in the sidebar as I came across them.
- [Kangirsuk, Nunivik] Not Obscure (John Higham from Nunavik, Canada) http://notobscure.com/
- [Kongiganak, Toksook Bay, Tununak] Alaska The View From Up Here, (Brett Stirling who also writes for the Anchorage Daily News) http://alaskatheviewfromuphere.blogspot.com/
This year there are quite a few new teachers writing about their experience teaching in rural Alaska. All the blogs are different in their approach and frequency of posting. Some are interested in hearing from readers; others are not. Margaret Avugiak and Kendra Krenz have unique perspectives.
I haven’t run across anyone using blogs in the classroom, yet. The Shageluk school is using their website, instead.
I wish more schools would use a blogging, especially WordPress.com and Edublogs.org, platform as that enables more communication between classrooms and between writers and readers. Plus, all the blogging platforms offer RSS feeds for subscribing; some offer comment feeds such as WordPress and Edublogs. (Blogspot.com or Blogger has too many hoops for ordinary folks who wish to interact with the authors. However, just about all the major blogging hosts are represented. MSN Live tends to be used more by missionaries. Xanga has too few representatives and TypePad tends to have Alaska journalists.)
Take a look at all and suggest others. The community names are in brackets [ ]. To view information about the Alaska communities, simply put the village or city name where the Xxxx are (case sensitive) in your browser address bar when you get to this link
http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/dca/commdb/CIS.cfm?Comm_Boro_Name=Xxxx For example, information about Bethel is located here: http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/dca/commdb/CIS.cfm?Comm_Boro_Name=Bethel
- [Alakanuk] Diane in Alaska http://dianneinalaska.livejournal.com/
- [Atmautluak] Jerry’s Dream Come True, http://alaskajerry.blogspot.com/
- [Atmautlauk], Alaska Place Based http://aan1atmau.blogspot.com/
- [Oscarville, Atmautluak] Tundra Teacher Tales, (Kip Layton, Jr also writes for the Delta Discovery newspaper) http://tundrateachertales.blogspot.com/
- [Bethel] Art Teacher in Alaska, http://alaskanteacher.blogspot.com/
[Bethel] Tom & Andrea Go to BethelPostcards from Bethel, (they also have a sidebar blogroll list of Tundra Teachers and resources for teaching science) http://learnscape.org/bethel- [Bethel] Andrea’s Virtual Science Teaching Adventure http://learnscape.org/blog/
- [Bethel] Alisha’s Bethel Blog, http://alishaadventures.blogspot.com/
- [Chefornak] The world of the Chicken Avenger (a Xanga user) http://www.xanga.com/wcbpolish
- Margaret Avugiak, (raised in the Village of Chefornak) http://avugiak.blogspot.com/ [Chefornak]
- Alaska = Home http://hikecamppaddle.wordpress.com/ [Elim]
- Emmonak, Alaska http://richalaska.blogspot.com/ Richard Brisco [Emmonak]
- Katielong’s Travel Blogs http://www.travelpod.com/members/katielong [Emmonak]
- Kristen in AK http://kristeninak.wordpress.com/ [Huslia, Norton Sound]
- My Adventures http://victoriasjourneys.blogspot.com/ Victoria [Kasigluk] I will be teaching 4th-6th grade and living in a house with no plumbing.
Classroom Tag http://classroomtag.blogspot.com/ Victoria [Kasigluk] … Exchanging traditions, customs, beliefs, and other cultural identities. … Bringing together two classrooms that are separated by thousands of miles. - Out There(teacher, spouse) http://indefinitely.wordpress.com/ Peter Schneidler [Kasigluk]
- Rural Alaskan (Kendra Krenz raised in the Village of Kongiganak), http://ruralalaskan.blogspot.com/ [Kongiganak]
- Native Woman Educator http://nativeducator.blogspot.com/ Noel Strick [McGrath]
- Radiate Warmth, welcome home to the fireplace of thought (Kale Iverson) http://kaleiverson.blogspot.com/ [Mekoryuk]
- Fervent Verve {aka Ramblings} http://careyalaska.blogspot.com/ [Nunapitchuk]
- The Middle of Somewhere Teaching, living, and now gestating a baby in Nunapitchuk, Alaska http://smaccalaska.blogspot.com/ [Nunapitchuk]
- Shibby’s Kinda-Public Alaska Journal, http://shibbyalaska.blogspot.com/ [Nunapitchuk]
- Palmer Teacher-Librarian, http://robint.edublogs.org/ [Palmer]
- The Williamson-Logas in Alaska, http://otisandben.blogspot.com/ [Toksook Bay]
- Teaching in Toksook, http://dirksan.blogspot.com/ [Toksook Bay]
- Jimmy and Kerri in Toksook Bay, Alaska, http://jimmyandkerri.blogspot.com/ [Toksook Bay]
- fouldsy.com (teacher spouse) http://www.fouldsy.com/ [Tuntutuliak]
- AK Memories http://mariechristianson.blogspot.com/ [Tuntutuliak]
- Monica in Alaska, http://monicainalaska.livejournal.com/ [Tununak]
- The great white hype, (Jesuit Volunteers) http://sarahjones-thegreatwhitehype.blogspot.com/
2008 They’ve moved to Montpelier, VT, another great place to live but no tundra at that elevation.
- Alaska Mentor Pat http://alaskamentorpat.blogspot.com/ I work around the state of Alaska as a mentor teacher. I travel monthly to 8 different rural communities as well as working in Fairbanks. My job is to collaborate with first and second year teachers on their classroom practice.
- Alaska Professor http://alaskaprofessor.blogspot.com/
And there is this school, not exactly of children, but definitely learning and interesting.
2008-11-01 Nushagak has finally become aware– and moved to WordPress.com, http://nushagakkennels.wordpress.com
2007-12-27 Bringing the work dog back into mushing APRN.org news story from Dillingham
[revised 2008-03-17]
For another idea of what life in a remote school is like check out this news story. Be sure to read the comments posted at APRN as well.
Teaching in small rural schools presents unique challenges (mp3)
The Lake & Penninsula Borough has 14 schools but only 370 students. The smallest school has 10 students K-12. The largest has 75 students. Small schools in secluded parts of the state resent unique challenges to teachers who have to teach multiple subjects to multiple grade levels. Anne Hillman, KDLG – Dillingham 3/14/2008 06:17
Site Search Tags: tundra, teachers, Alaska, Alaska+Native, bush, Eskimo, Inuit, Athabascan, blogs, culture+shock, tundra+teachers, journal
54 responses so far ↓
1
Kale Iverson
// Nov 19, 2007 at 2:33 pm
I am using blogging with my three student writing class. It has proven to motivate students who have not otherwise done much writing previously. Julian Garcia is also beginning to have his 10 or so students start to blog. My students have received comments from his class and they in turn are commenting back. It is a work in progress but should hopefully work out!
2
CB
// Nov 19, 2007 at 4:50 pm
Hi, Mekoryak students. They are a pretty sharp group.
Just out of curiosity, are you using an Internet (public) web log or a wide-area network (internal only) like the First Class system (the old Tundra Net or Distance-Delivery)?
3
mpb
// Nov 28, 2007 at 7:30 pm
“Atmautluak, Alaska Place Based”
http://aan1atmau.blogspot.com/ [Atmautlauk]
4
Chicken Avenger
// Dec 2, 2007 at 8:23 pm
Hey! that’s my site at the top of the list! Take a look at the photos of the seal hunt.
5
CB
// Dec 3, 2007 at 12:00 pm
Native Woman Educator Noel Strick, [McGrath]
6
CB
// Dec 17, 2007 at 6:33 pm
http://dianneinalaska.livejournal.com/ Diane in Alaska [Alakanuk]
7
CB
// Dec 23, 2007 at 3:22 pm
Fervent Verve {aka Ramblings} http://careyalaska.blogspot.com/ [Nunapitchuk]
8
CB
// Jan 6, 2008 at 4:41 pm
Robert Dillon (http://alaskanabroad.typepad.com/an_alaskan_abroad/) has a group of Alaska bloggers on his blogroll, including a teacher or two
The Middle of Somewhere Teaching, living, and now gestating a baby in Nunapitchuk, Alaska smaccalaska.blogspot.com/ [Nunapitchuk]
9
CB
// Jan 22, 2008 at 8:02 am
Alaska Mentor Pat http://alaskamentorpat.blogspot.com/
I work around the state of Alaska as a mentor teacher. I travel monthly to 8 different rural communities as well as working in Fairbanks. My job is to collaborate with first and second year teachers on their classroom practice.
10
M Pamela Bumsted
// Jan 28, 2008 at 8:38 am
http://www.travelpod.com/members/katielong Katielong’s Travel Blogs [Emmonak]
11
M Pamela Bumsted
// Feb 15, 2008 at 9:32 am
http://richalaska.blogspot.com/ Emmonak, Alaska [Richard Brisco, Emmonak]
12
John Pokrzywinski
// Feb 18, 2008 at 7:47 pm
My daughter, Andrea Pokrzywinski, (Tom & Andrea Go to Bethel, AKA Postcards From Bethel) has created another blog recently. It focuses on her distance teaching of science. You can reach it by clicking on Andrea’s Class on the side bar of her original. I am already utilizing some of the resources she has linked for my training courses.
John Pokrzywinski
13
M Pamela Bumsted
// Feb 18, 2008 at 8:38 pm
Thanks for mentioning that. I knew Andrea was the distance science teacher, but did not have the feed set up correctly to keep up to date on it until now.
I’ve added that specific link above and have also corrected the title to the main blog.
14
COB
// Mar 4, 2008 at 12:19 pm
http://victoriasjourneys.blogspot.com/, My Adventures [Victoria, Kasigluk]
I will be teaching 4th-6th grade and living in a house with no plumbing.
http://classroomtag.blogspot.com/ Classroom Tag [Victoria, Kasigluk]
… Exchanging traditions, customs, beliefs, and other cultural identities. … Bringing together two classrooms that are separated by thousands of miles.
15
COB
// Mar 25, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Northern Lights (Shishmaref school blog on Wordpress.org platform) http://shishmaref.bssd.org/blog Ken Stenek [Shishmaref]
16
COB
// Mar 25, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Science News from the Lower Kuskokwim (another Edublogs) http://lksdscience.edublogs.org/ [Lower Kuskokwim School District]
17
COB
// Apr 16, 2008 at 2:33 pm
Teaching in Alaska, A young college graduate embarks on a year-long teaching experience in a remote Alaskan village. http://mrflarity.blogspot.com/ [Shaktoolik]
18
COB
// Apr 18, 2008 at 12:06 pm
http://lindaskk.blogspot.com/ Linda and Bud’s Alaskan Adventure [a principal in Shaktoolik]
19
COB
// May 12, 2008 at 7:14 pm
[Oscarville] Miss Christina Powers – http://misschristinapowers.blogspot.com/
20
M Pamela Bumsted
// Jul 5, 2008 at 1:05 pm
Nastasia’s Window to Rural Living – http://yupikteacherinprogress.blogspot.com/ [Russian Mission]
21
CB
// Jul 8, 2008 at 4:25 pm
J&M&8 http://jm8.blogspot.com/
Jeff and Monica Bauer [McGrath]
22
More historical resources, Mr Peter Nick of Russian Mission « Grassroots Science
// Jul 11, 2008 at 10:39 am
[...] (Nastasia’s Window to Rural Living – http://yupikteacherinprogress.blogspot.com/), one of the Tundra Teachers, writes from Russian [...]
23
CB
// Aug 2, 2008 at 9:40 pm
http://www.teachinginalaska.net/
Teaching In Alaska: A Journey of Self Discovery in the Wild North
Joe R. Costa [Tuluksak]
24
CB
// Aug 19, 2008 at 12:38 pm
2008–
new school year, new school blogs
Kevin & Dusti’s blog – http://kevindusti.vox.com/
Somewhere in the Kuskokwim, I think. Doesn’t say where, yet. From out of state.
25
CB
// Aug 19, 2008 at 12:55 pm
North to the Future! http://goeok.blogspot.com/ [Bethel]
another Jesuit Volunteer blog, but will be hosted with BABS (Bethel Alternative Boarding School)
26
CB
// Aug 25, 2008 at 8:43 pm
“Getting There From Here ” http://erinkavanaugh.blogspot.com/ Erin Kavanaugh [ Oscarville]
27
Todd Palin, Sarah Palin’s husband, and rural Alaska living « Grassroots Science
// Sep 1, 2008 at 8:21 am
[...] of various teacher blogs from those teaching and learning in the rural Alaska, Tundra Teachers – http://cerebraloddjobs.edublogs.org/2007/11/10/tundra-teachers/ Some post more regularly than others. Most bloggers are new to teaching and Alaska, but the ones [...]
[WORDPRESS HASHCASH] The comment’s server IP (72.233.44.27) doesn’t match the comment’s URL host IP () and so is spam.
28
CB
// Sep 3, 2008 at 8:33 am
“The Great Alaskan Adventure” http://bethyinbethel.blogspot.com/ [Bethel and region]
29
CB
// Sep 3, 2008 at 8:52 am
Tales of the Arctic http://arcticteacher.blogspot.com/ [Baffin Island, Canada] Kennie
Look, I-Quad
They have water trucks just like ours.
via–
The high cost of northern living
http://benmuse.typepad.com/arctic_economics/2008/09/the-high-cost-of-northern-living.html
Kennie, a blogger (Tales from the Arctic) and a teacher in Arctic Bay on Baffin Island, went through the grocery store and photographed product prices to prove something to her incredulous friends down south: Believe me now? $37.89 for six cans of Minute Maid juice?
30
CB
// Sep 12, 2008 at 7:25 am
northwoodspam – http://northwoodspam.livejournal.com/ [Hooper Bay]
31
CB
// Oct 14, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Adventures in AmyLand [Bethel} http://inamyland.blogspot.com/
Talent Search Director
32
CB
// Oct 14, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Emily’s Teacher-y Blog: Going to Kwethluk
“Literacy Coordinator for the Kuspuk School District.”
http://publicationsteacher.blogspot.com/2008/10/going-to-kwethluk.html
33
CB
// Oct 15, 2008 at 8:12 pm
North to Alaska – http://annbender.blogspot.com/
Ann and Tom’s experiences in Chevak, Alaska
Ann Bender
Tom and I are both retired, sort of, and we are spending a couple of years in Chevak Alaska for the fun of it, for the challenge, and for a change. Hope we live through it. My former blog – the one that details our trip up here from Georgia and the first couple of months in Chevak is located at http://web.mac.com/annbender355/ I had load of trouble getting it to update, so finally gave up and joined Google.
34
CB
// Oct 17, 2008 at 7:36 am
JBrodsky’s Alaskan JBlog, The adventures of a new teacher in Bush Alaska- http://jbrodsky.wordpress.com/ [Savoonga]
35
CB
// Oct 17, 2008 at 3:24 pm
“Moose, Mosquitos And Bears…oh my”, Donna
http://alaskanmisadventures.blogspot.com/ [Kuskokwim region?]
36
CB
// Oct 18, 2008 at 9:01 am
An interview by BBC with Grant Kashatok, principal at Newtok.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7668163.stm
37
CB
// Oct 20, 2008 at 11:41 am
http://sweatingthesmallstuff.typepad.com/sweating_the_small_stuff/ Lauren McClanahan
mostly not a teacher blog but there are recent posts about a student teacher based in Kwig that she is supervising from Washington.
38
CB
// Oct 22, 2008 at 6:58 am
http://keplerkids.blogspot.com/ What’s Happening A blog about Margaret, Kolin, Owen, and Spencer in Alaska [Bethel] Margaret Kepler spouse of teacher
39
CB
// Oct 22, 2008 at 7:40 pm
“The Way She Goes “, http://brbethelak.blogspot.com/
b.r., I’m an itinerant CTE teacher in Bush Alaska. [Bethel]
40
CB
// Nov 16, 2008 at 3:44 pm
http://four2alaska.blogspot.com/ Four to Alaska (Ward Family) [Akula, Kasigluk consists of two smaller villages, called Akiuk and Akula ]
We’re moving to Alaska. Two teachers, two kids. Join us for stories, pics and news of our adventures as we leave Oklahoma and head north.
http://www.commerce.state.ak.us/dca/commdb/CIS.cfm?Comm_Boro_Name=Kasigluk
41
CB
// Nov 20, 2008 at 2:09 pm
Way Way Up http://waywayup.blogspot.com/
A blog about life above the Arctic Circle………Way, Way Up! [Arctic Bay, Canada]
42
CB
// Nov 20, 2008 at 2:16 pm
The House and other Arctic Musings -, Clare [ Canada] http://kiggavik.typepad.com/
(semi-retired educator?]
43
CB
// Nov 20, 2008 at 2:17 pm
Tales from the Arctic – http://arcticteacher.blogspot.com/ [Arctic Bay, Nunavut, Canada] Kennie
44
CB
// Nov 24, 2008 at 6:46 pm
From NY to NC to AK – http://nyncak.blogspot.com/ Karen Travels A (MOSTLY) PHOTOBLOG [Anchorage. Well, many from the tundra areas are moving to ANC so maybe the city should count???]
45
CB
// Dec 5, 2008 at 10:11 pm
The Way She Goes – http://brbethelak.blogspot.com/ [Bethel] b.r.
I’m an itinerant CTE teacher in Bush Alaska.
46
CB
// Dec 5, 2008 at 10:17 pm
http://erinkavanaugh.blogspot.com/ Getting There From Here
Erin Kavanaugh [Oscarville]
Erin’s Class Blog – http://eekclass.blogspot.com/
47
CB
// Dec 7, 2008 at 6:49 pm
“Ay’atang’aq” http://yupikprincess.blogspot.com/ [Napaskiak]
48
CB
// Dec 20, 2008 at 2:05 pm
The Substitute Puppy (I couldn’t get a dog, so I got a blog.)
http://subpuppy.blogspot.com/ [Kasigluk (Akula)] Kyle Marvin
The classroom blog is
http://lksd.org/akula/Welcome.html/
49
CB
// Jan 26, 2009 at 6:31 am
Molly’s Weblog, http://mollydodd.wordpress.com/ [Tuluksak] computers, art, and study skills.
There are also a series of class-related blogs on her sidebar.
50
CB
// Jan 26, 2009 at 6:32 am
Teaching In Alaska – http://www.teachinginalaska.net/ [Tuluksak] Joseph R. Costa
51
CB
// Jan 31, 2009 at 6:00 pm
“Pam’s Adventures in Alaska! ” [Kotlik]
http://pamcalyn.blogspot.com/
52
Tundra Teachers « Grassroots Science
// Jan 31, 2009 at 9:48 pm
[...] Bumsted, Cerebraloddjobs, Grassroots Science, YKAlaska This list of teacher blogs started at Tundra Teachers November 10th, 2007 on my Edublog, I thought it might be easier to scan (peruse) if re-posted [...]
53
Way Way Up
// Jun 6, 2009 at 7:50 pm
Clare (http://kiggavik.typepad.com/) isn’t an educator (in the institutionalized sense of the word) but a retired member of the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police). He is, however, a wealth of knowledge on the history and fauna of the Arctic Bay area.
54
CB
// Jun 6, 2009 at 8:15 pm
I think I counted him as educator in the broader sense. His stuff is interesting.
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