I'm Back (In the VAK)

So after a whole summer of relaxing (and not blogging) the school year has restarted, and things are just about fully settled down. So, time to start writing again!

This year I am teaching 3rd grade math and science. I am LOVING it! My students come in groups, AM and PM, and there are just 11 students in each group (How's that for an awesome student:teacher ratio?!?!) I really feel, so far, that I have been able to be a more effective teacher this year; it is so rewarding to see students being successful! I had a huge joy the other day hearing one student say, "Mr. Hutchinson, are we getting smarter?" Of course they are!

Winter has hit here in Chevak! Last night (Nov 2) our first blizzard moved in, it lasted about 24 hours and has since moved on. Last weekend I fired up my snowmachine and pulled it out of storage! I have been driving around here and there, we need a little more snow and some consecutive days of well-below-freezing temperatures to really make driving around more fun (For example, I got my ride seriously stuck in feet-high snow drifts 5 or so times today)

Finally, I am thrilled to be blogging from my new MacBook Air! :) I had been thinking about getting a new computer, so it was a huge blessing when the school wrangled up a DEEPLY-discounted deal! This is an amazing computer! If you have seen one (in-person or in pictures) then you have an idea of what I am talking about. However, until you actually have one of these machines in your hands you cannot understand the beauty. The computer is so thin and light-weight (especially compared to my old computer; see picture) that I sometimes forget that it is sitting on my lap!

I know, nothing too interesting this time. But hey, at least its something. You just heard me fawning over my new computer, hopefully it will inspire me to blog more! Stay tuned!

Old Meets New

Makes Me Wonder...

U.S. Teachers work more, get paid less

United States teachers work more hours for less money. I'm not as concerned with the money aspect as I am about the achievement levels of our students. If we teachers work more hours than any other in the world, why are our students underperforming?

The big thaw

So it's the middle of May and Chevak is FINALLY thawing! Of course this brings a lot of things:

1. Time to put the snowmobile away
2. No more winter gear!
3. Trips to the post office and stores are a lot longer now
4. It's once again time for mud boots
5. The end of the school year is near!

The lake (Picture taken 5/15-11:45p.m)

A Much Needed Update

I've been slacking on my blog, here is a general overview of April/early May...

Testing, Testing 1..2..3...
The beginning of April brought state standardized testing, always a hotly-debated subject in the education field. Without being able to see the test prior to test day (to deter "teaching to the test") I was nervous if my students would be prepared for the rigors. From what I saw and remember, and thinking back on what I taught, my kiddos should have been able to have success! I'm not sure when results will be back, so in the mean time I'll just be happy that standardized testing is done for the year!

Heritage of a Culture...
The week following testing was Cultural Heritage week. As I'm writing I don't have any pictures to post; either I'm really bad about having my camera or taking pictures, or they are on my other computer (probably both). The highlights of the week were two day-trips, one took my class towards the Bering Sea to go fishing, the other took us a couple miles south of town to go sliding (basically sledding without a sled). The other days were filled with mostly indoor activities such as NYO (Native Youth Olympics), beading, art, and listening to elders. Definitely a fun week to have to celebrate testing being done!

The End is Near...
After Heritage week there were only 5 weeks of school remaining! The week after Heritage week was highlighted by a visit from US Senator Lisa Murkowski (Not to mention Monday and Tuesday were vacation days!!!)!! I spent the last half of April cruising around on my new snowmobile, part of me can't wait for next winter so I can do even more riding. The end of April came faster than anyone could have expected, now the snow is (finally) melting and the lake is thawing! Its officially seal hunting season and seals are showing up all over town. I had the opportunity to try raw seal liver; i tried it plain as well as soaked in seal oil. Both were yummy! Now it is May and we are no longer counting down weeks; we are counting down days! Easter weekend was fantastic and I felt lucky to eat and spend the day with some very good friends! To friends and family in Indiana and Michigan: I'll be home soon, until then I'm gonna keep lovin' Chevak!

Senator Murkowski greeting one of my students in the hallway

Photo Courtesy of Kelly Stutheit
Seal Courtesy of Mother Nature
Dead Seal Courtesy of Ulric Ulroan  

Its all about the people

A shot of the crowd
As I write, I stand out like a sore thumb. I am writing from my school's gym where there has been a tournament going on over the weekend. I stand out because I am one of the few (if not the only) kasaq (white person) in the gym. I stand out; I feel right at home. Over the course of the tournament I have had the chance to get closer (and laugh A LOT) with friends, and meet so many other more people. To me, that is what it is all about. My teaching skills will only get me so far; the thing that will enable me to impact my students is the relationships that I am building. Several of my students are here watching basketball, and they have all seen me. They know that I am not the teacher who is here to just be a teacher; I am here for the people and experiences. To me, that is what bush Alaska is all about: people and experiences. As the tournament is wrapping up I cannot help but smile when I think of how many more of these I will get to experience, and the people I will get to know and develop relationships with! I am excited to go home and relax for the summer; I might be even more excited for August to get here!

Distance Education-Alaskan Style!

Chevak teacher aides work towards certification by distance

A Chevak Birthday

My room all decorated

Exploring the science of static electricity

My 5th graders Skype-ing with Iditarod champs Martin Buser and Deedee Jonrowe

Martin and Deedee

Time for birthday dinner @ Matt and Becky's!

My first birthday in Chevak was awesome! The day started with me finding my room decorated with balloons and streamers courtesy of Misty Nelson! Later in the morning my class got to have a Skype meeting with my mentor Kathy Chapoton and her husband Martin Buser (who is a 4-time Iditarod Champion) Deedee Jonrowe (an Iditarod champrion in her own right) and Magnus Kaltenborn (who has just completed his first Iditarod race). During the meeting Kathy and the three mushers sang happy birthday to me, that was a really special treat! School passed by quickly because we released at 1:30, seventy minutes earlier than a regular Friday! Since school got out early I was able to catch a nice nap before getting a present from my dad. After my errands I was treated to an excellent dinner of french fries and a turkey-cheeseburger before watching a movie to finish out the night! I had an awesome birthday in Chevak and look forward to many, many more!

Northern Lights

On my walk home after an interesting (and frustrating) night, I finally saw the aurora; clear, bright, and stunning!

After a unique series of events, I got to thinking about my future in Chevak. I love it here and plan on being here again next year. But living in rural Alaska is difficult and sometimes after a night like tonight the future needs to be contemplated. I have said that I would like to stay 7 years, to see my first class graduate; but it feels like being in a time capsule, the world goes on changing but Chevak remains the same. Do I want to be single for 7 more years? Do I want to live in just-OK apartments (possibly with a roommate) for 7 more years? Do I want to be far, far away from my family and a lot of friends for 7 more years? Maybe I'm just a little bummed from a disappointing and frustrating night, but I think these are all important questions (and a lot more could be asked). Today is Ash Wednesday so all I can do is pray that things will work out for the best and that answers will be shown to me.

"Everything will be OK in the end. If everything is not OK, it is not the end."
How true indeed!

March

Holy geez! March is here!  While it may be starting to warm up and unfreeze where you are (depending on where you are reading this) it is still cold and snow-covered here in Chevak. I've even heard that March here can be one of the worst winter months.

Regardless, I think this month will fly by. It is crazy to think that my first-year of teaching has gone so quickly and I will soon be "Back Home Again, in Indiana" with my friends and family! Here is a quick run down of my month:

5th-Anchorage for the beginning of the Iditarod race!

11th-End of the 3rd quarter

17th-St. Patrick's day (Mom and Dad's anniversary)

18th-MY BIRTHDAY

Okay, so maybe only the first half of the month will fly by, but before I know it it's going to be May and my first year in Chevak will be over. I'll keep you posted with pictures and writings throughout the month.

On Friends

I'm so grateful for my friends; today was definitely a day for friends new and old. Here is today's after school experience:

One of my best friends from Indiana called me from her bother's house. We chatted a bit but the weather was nasty and I was on my way out of the building, so I needed to put my phone away. I apologized for, "Not being a really good friend lately." She understood and said, "You are busy being a grownup doing grownup things." The 4 hr. time difference can make it difficult to talk regularly, but we know that we are still friends. It is good to have friends who understand.

Recently several friends returned from conferences in Anchorage. I am happy they got back because they are integral in my experiences here. We were able to get together at another friend's house and talk, laugh, have a great time, and catch a documentary about Alaska's Statehood. It is so nice to have friends to sit with.

After,--at a different house, and after i melted the butter lid on a still-hot stove, the power went out 3-4 times in a 45-minute span. We got to talking about some of our life experiences, and i talked about my college experiences. All of my Ball State experiences are priceless and all of the awesome people I met there are unforgettable! Although, in Chevak, we don't have any bingeing inspired activities, the crazy night of losing power was entertainment to us. It was fun we just sat around and laughed and talked. It's fun to have friends to go crazy with.

What a week!

What an exciting week! Starting with Valentines, followed by an awesome day of training (with NO STUDENTS!), a new teaching contract, and finalized with solidifying my trip to Anchorage to watch the start of the Iditarod dog sled race!

I already wrote about Valentine's Day, and I don't think my day of in-service training would be very interesting to you readers, so I'll skip straight to the good stuff! Mid-week I was offered another contract to return to Chevak school to teach for another year! As some of you may have known, I was nervously awaiting this time of year because I so badly wanted to come back to the village. From what I was told new contracts would be offered in March, so I was contently waiting for next month to come, but this year the news came early! I'm excited to be coming back to the village for another year, I have heard that I may be teaching 4th grade next year with a team teacher; I would teach math and science, my partner teacher would teach reading, grammar, and social studiesI can't wait to begin year 2!

Second piece of exciting news...I reserved my hotel today in downtown Anchorage, blocks away from the Iditarod action! I will arrive in Anchorage the evening of March 3rd and leave in the morning on March 6th. I think that this mini-vacation could not come at a better time. If you are in Anchorage you will probably find me at a local downtown bar, come find me! During the week I will be shopping, eating out, and relaxing around Anchorage, and hope to have a day trip to Big Lake to see my mentor Kathy, her husband Martin Buser (multi-time Iditarod Champion), and their 100+ dogs at their family kennel. I have been told there are all kinds of activities around anchorage such as ice sculpting and other Iditarod festivities.The main event, however will be the beginning of the Iditarod race on March 5th, when the dogs and mushers leave from 4th Ave. in downtown Anchorage.

I hope to keep this page updated frequently during my vacation so be sure to check back often!

Valentines

Valentine's Day huh?


Valentine's Day in bush Alaska, a very different experience. School today was just like any other normal day, some students were aware of the day but there was not the traditional aura surrounding the day like you would encounter in the lower 48. Very few kids brought Valentines for their classmates, few brought candy either. I did what I could with what I have to make the day special (Special thanks to my mentor, Kathy Chapton) I gave my students some love with candy and computer free-choice time (their favorite!)


Anyways...
Valentine's brings up thoughts of those you love and I want to share some of that love tonight!


Mom-I love you more than you can imagine, mom! I mean, what can I say to the woman who has given me everything I have [you know, the charming looks;-) ] I thought of mom today and how during every other V-Day of my adult life I would look forward to a card and a phone call. No card came this year; no phone call. It was bittersweet, nevertheless I will never forget the love my mother had for me, dad, and Ruth; today I remember that love and I smile. Love you mom!


My family-What else could I say about you that hasn't been said? You all are so special to me! I may be thousands of miles away, I may not call or write enough, but you are always in my thoughts; I hope you all feel loved as I feel loved!


Extended family-To all of the ladies who have "adopted" me as a son, I am eternally grateful. The love and support you provide me are invaluable to my life's journey and I am so glad to have you all! I'm sending you my love today!


Friends-To all my friends back in Indiana...I love you. I can say similar things to you about not calling or writing often enough, and I can also say that I love you. You all have changed and shaped my life so much, I don't know if I would have been able to move so far away from you if I didn't know how strong our friendships are and that we can reunite just like old times when I return! Much love!


Chevak family/friends-WOW! Been here almost six months and I can't describe the level of joy I have here. Just as I wouldn't be able to survive with awesome family and friends in the lower 48, I also couldn't survive without the new relationships I've built here. Its so nice getting a simple message, "I'm glad u r here" and it makes me so much more confident that I'm exactly where I should be! You guys are awesome! Love you!


I've told you all I'm thankful for and who I'm sending love to today. Who do you love? Even if you don't have a significant other to share the special day with, there are still those who love and are loved. On Valentine's Day take the time to tell those you love how you feel.


"All you need is love!"

Iditarod

How lucky am I?? My new teacher state mentor is married to a former Iditarod champion. He still races, she is a retired teacher, and they own a kennel with 100+ dogs in Big Lake, Alaska (About 1 hour north of Anchorage). My mentor Kathy comes to Chevak once a month to visit to help me learn about myself as a teacher. During her February visit, she mentioned it would be neat if I could come to Anchorage to see the start of the Iditarod in March. Seeing that I have been here since New Years I thought I would suck it up and go and today I bought my tickets! I'll be in Anchorage from. The racer I will be rooting for is Martin Buser! More information can be found at:

www.iditarod.com/

Martin Buser Bio

Martin Buser & Family Dog Kennel

Tournament photos from coworkers

String players came for the opening ceremony

The Comet Boys making an enterance

Group Dance

Beautiful Chevak Weather :)

A sun halo on a bright, sunny day!