[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
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!
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)?
“Atmautluak, Alaska Place Based”
http://aan1atmau.blogspot.com/ [Atmautlauk]
Hey! that’s my site at the top of the list! Take a look at the photos of the seal hunt.
Native Woman Educator Noel Strick, [McGrath]
http://dianneinalaska.livejournal.com/ Diane in Alaska [Alakanuk]
Fervent Verve {aka Ramblings} http://careyalaska.blogspot.com/ [Nunapitchuk]
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]
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.
http://www.travelpod.com/members/katielong Katielong’s Travel Blogs [Emmonak]
http://richalaska.blogspot.com/ Emmonak, Alaska [Richard Brisco, Emmonak]
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
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.
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.
Northern Lights (Shishmaref school blog on WordPress.org platform) http://shishmaref.bssd.org/blog Ken Stenek [Shishmaref]
Science News from the Lower Kuskokwim (another Edublogs) http://lksdscience.edublogs.org/ [Lower Kuskokwim School District]
Teaching in Alaska, A young college graduate embarks on a year-long teaching experience in a remote Alaskan village. http://mrflarity.blogspot.com/ [Shaktoolik]
http://lindaskk.blogspot.com/ Linda and Bud’s Alaskan Adventure [a principal in Shaktoolik]
[Oscarville] Miss Christina Powers – http://misschristinapowers.blogspot.com/
Nastasia’s Window to Rural Living – http://yupikteacherinprogress.blogspot.com/ [Russian Mission]
J&M&8 http://jm8.blogspot.com/
Jeff and Monica Bauer [McGrath]
Pingback: More historical resources, Mr Peter Nick of Russian Mission « Grassroots Science
http://www.teachinginalaska.net/
Teaching In Alaska: A Journey of Self Discovery in the Wild North
Joe R. Costa [Tuluksak]
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.
North to the Future! http://goeok.blogspot.com/ [Bethel]
another Jesuit Volunteer blog, but will be hosted with BABS (Bethel Alternative Boarding School)
“Getting There From Here ” http://erinkavanaugh.blogspot.com/ Erin Kavanaugh [ Oscarville]
Pingback: Todd Palin, Sarah Palin’s husband, and rural Alaska living « Grassroots Science
“The Great Alaskan Adventure” http://bethyinbethel.blogspot.com/ [Bethel and region]
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?
northwoodspam – http://northwoodspam.livejournal.com/ [Hooper Bay]
Adventures in AmyLand [Bethel} http://inamyland.blogspot.com/
Talent Search Director
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
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.
JBrodsky’s Alaskan JBlog, The adventures of a new teacher in Bush Alaska- http://jbrodsky.wordpress.com/ [Savoonga]
“Moose, Mosquitos And Bears…oh my”, Donna
http://alaskanmisadventures.blogspot.com/ [Kuskokwim region?]
An interview by BBC with Grant Kashatok, principal at Newtok.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7668163.stm
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.
http://keplerkids.blogspot.com/ What’s Happening A blog about Margaret, Kolin, Owen, and Spencer in Alaska [Bethel] Margaret Kepler spouse of teacher
“The Way She Goes “, http://brbethelak.blogspot.com/
b.r., I’m an itinerant CTE teacher in Bush Alaska. [Bethel]
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
Way Way Up http://waywayup.blogspot.com/
A blog about life above the Arctic Circle………Way, Way Up! [Arctic Bay, Canada]
The House and other Arctic Musings -, Clare [ Canada] http://kiggavik.typepad.com/
(semi-retired educator?]
Tales from the Arctic – http://arcticteacher.blogspot.com/ [Arctic Bay, Nunavut, Canada] Kennie
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???]
The Way She Goes – http://brbethelak.blogspot.com/ [Bethel] b.r.
I’m an itinerant CTE teacher in Bush Alaska.
http://erinkavanaugh.blogspot.com/ Getting There From Here
Erin Kavanaugh [Oscarville]
Erin’s Class Blog – http://eekclass.blogspot.com/
“Ay’atang’aq” http://yupikprincess.blogspot.com/ [Napaskiak]
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/
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.
Teaching In Alaska – http://www.teachinginalaska.net/ [Tuluksak] Joseph R. Costa
“Pam’s Adventures in Alaska! ” [Kotlik]
http://pamcalyn.blogspot.com/
Pingback: Tundra Teachers « Grassroots Science
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.
I think I counted him as educator in the broader sense. His stuff is interesting.