Module III-Cultural History

Essential Question—What is culture?  How can it be defined? 

Cultural Cartoon

Culture is everything that makes up who you are. It encompasses interests, beliefs, traditions, values, concepts (etc) that are shared by a common group of people. Culture is a way we come together with people and relate on so many levels. Culture also sets us apart from other groups of people. Often times, people in a similar area tend to have more commonalities than people living farther apart. For example, I come from a small town in middle Georgia. Here, the majority of us speak English, share similar tastes in foods, attend the same church, and vote in a similar manner. All of these things would be considered part of our culture. If you compared my town to a city on the west coast or in Alaska, chances are there could be more differences than similarities.

Food is at the center of many cultures 

Football is a big part of our culture in the South

Being in Alaska, it is important that I know about the different cultural groups located here. The more I know about them, the better I can understand their way of life. We all know that it is very difficult to teach someone that we know nothing about. Differences among cultural groups are quite beautiful. We should embrace them, learn them, and accept them. After all, if we were all the same, wouldn’t the world be extremely dull and boring?

Examine Question—Who and where are the indigenous peoples of Alaska?

Regions of Alaska

I really love visuals and these maps have been extremely helpful in my learning about the indigenous people in Alaska. The first map is a general picture of the 5 regions in the state. As you can see, much of the interior is Athabascan. This is the area I live so I am able to understand the dynamics a bit better. The second map is a more detailed breakup of the languages throughout the regions.  In the interior, there are many groups within the Athabascan tribe. My school district mostly covers the Lower Tanana and Koyukon area. This makes things a little difficult for our district-wide native language class. Instead of only teaching one dialect, the teacher has to be very familiar with both dialects as they can differ greatly.

Language Map

This link takes you to a wonderful website that gives a great overview of the groups of Alaska Natives and the corporations with which they belong.

Extend Question—How has your culture informed your concept of culture and how you approach cross-cultural communication?

London Markets

Where I come from, we place high importance on the value of education. Through education, I have learned to be more tolerant, accepting, and appreciative of other cultures. Several times in college, I had the opportunity to study overseas. This really jump started my interest in traveling. I really do think travel is the best form of education. You see things first hand and it allows for active learning. I think because of my love of travel and appreciation for new experiences, I was able to make my decision to come to Alaska with peace of mind. I often encourage my students to travel any chance they get. The district provides them many opportunities for travel throughout the school year. I love hearing their stories when they get back and discover that there is a whole world out "there", outside of the interior of Alaska.

MODULE II Reviews--

Exploring Alaska from the Coast - Chelsey demonstrates that there is more to culture than just being “American.” She talks about her religious background, her interests, her traditions, etc. These are all things that make you, you!

Education Exploration in AK  -I like the facts and image Kristin used to point out exactly how large Alaska is. I've seen that photo before and I think it is a real eye-opener for those in the Lower 48!

Exploring Alaska's Cultures - Shannon did a nice job of explaining how people in Alaska are dependent of their natural systems. For example, the people of the southeast are dependent on the oceans and the land. She gives insight on both the Tlingit and Haida tribes.

Evaluation—

I really like learning about the different groups of people in Alaska. Their way of life is so different from how I grew up so it is very intriguing to me. I especially enjoyed the Inupiaq whale hunting video that you posted. They believe that the whale gives itself to them so that they can survive and prosper. That’s an interesting concept to me. I really liked seeing the whole community come together afterward; they really put in so many hours of teamwork. It’s a pretty heart-warming concept. There were a couple links and videos I had trouble pulling up. Overall, I really enjoyed this module.

Module II-Natural History

Essential Question—How does knowledge of natural systems relate to the role of educators?

Seward, Alaska by W.Adams

When we look around, we see beautiful mountains, rivers, lakes, oceans, etc. It is important to understand how our surroundings impact us on a day to day basis. With this beauty comes responsibility. We must understand how to take care of and respect our land. Native Alaskans tend to be especially conservative when it comes to their surroundings simply because their survival depends on it. They use the waterways as transportation from place to place, for transferring and receiving goods, and most importantly, for food supply and nutrition. We need to teach the students how important it is to preserve our natural systems. It is important that they know the result of pollution and neglect. As educators, we get the opportunity to spend many wonderful hours with our students on a daily basis. We have lots of time to actively teach them the joys and responsibility of living in such a wonderful place.

With all of this beauty also come disasters. Alaska is prone to earthquakes, fires, tsunamis, floods, etc. It is equally important to teach students the causes of these disasters as well as the effects they have on our land. Which of these disasters can be prevented and which do we have no control over? What do we need to know if they occur? These are important questions that we, as educators, should be responsible for teaching our students. It is also important to enlist the support of the elders in the community. They tend to be passionate about their land so having their support in teaching our students about this topic (or any) is monumental. As educators, we have the power to make such a difference.

More information on Natural Disasters.

Examine Question—How are glaciers and sea ice different?

W. Adams trekking Matanuska Glacier

There are many different types of glaciers. Though they have been retreating, we still have tons of opportunity for glacial viewing in Alaska. A glacier is a large formation of ice formed when snow accumulates faster than it melts. Because of climate change, glaciers continue to get smaller and smaller. Many glaciers have signs indicating where the ice was in specified years. This is a real eye opener to see the changes that have occurred over the years. In Alaska, there are many valley glaciers and tidewater glaciers. These amazing formations bring tourists from all over the world.

Sea ice is frozen water. Because of the movement of the ocean, these chunks of ice can be formed into many different shapes. When freshwater nears its freezing point, it becomes less dense. Ocean water is quite the opposite because of the salt. When it nears freezing, the density of the water increases. Sea ice formation is much more time consuming than freshwater ice. This is because the salt water sinks away from the surface before it freezes. And because of the depth of the ocean, it takes a lot longer to reach the freezing point. About 15 percent of the world’s oceans are covered by sea ice throughout the year.

Here is everything you need to know about sea ice.

Extend Question—What kind of snow and ice data exists for your region?

Nenana Ice Tripod

Winter in Fairbanks typically starts in October and lasts until April. Sometimes it lasts longer and sometimes it is a bit shorter (likely the first of the two). The snowiest months are October-January. The average amount of snowfall is Fairbanks per year is about 67 inches. Average snow depth is 8 inches. Fairbanks data link. The average ice depth for the Chena River in Fairbanks is 27 inches for this time of year. Currently it is 24 inches thick. Click this link for more information on ice thickness. One exciting thing for all Alaskans to do is play the Nenana Ice Classic and guess when the river will break up. There are break-up logs and ice data available for the river from as far as back 1918. Nenana is about 45 miles from Fairbanks (toward Denali Park). I enjoyed the powerful YouTube video you posted of the river breaking up.

MODULE I Reviews--

Miss Mannen --Wendy did a nice job pointing out that awareness of place could be a matter of life or death especially in Alaska. I enjoyed hearing her stories about the North Slope as most of my work takes place in the interior.

Excited about Alaska -- Kelley did a nice job of using personal experience to emphasize the importance of place. I think the moose story she shared is a common sighting for many of us. Her blog is very organized and I like the pictures she chose to use.

Alaska - Learning the Culture and Natural History -- I like how Christy pointed out that "place" brings awareness to the connections we have among the people in our community. This is especially true in communities based solely on subsistence living. Her blog was easy and enjoyable to read.


Evaluation – The content of this module was interesting no doubt! However, it took me much more time to get through. There was a lot of great content but it was a little overwhelming trying to get a good grasp on all of it. I really enjoyed the YouTube videos you posted of the rivers breaking up. It is a great reminder of how powerful Mother Nature really is. I also loved all the pictures you posted, Clay. Great views!

Module I-Place and Pedagogy

Essential Question-- How can educators use new media to better reach and teach Alaska’s students?

Nowadays, technology and media are constantly changing and improving. As educators, utilizing this media can help us better reach our students especially when distance is a barrier as it is in much of Alaska. My school district consists of 9 river schools along the Yukon, Koyukuk, and Tanana Rivers. Along with those 9 river schools, we have a state-wide correspondence school with students ranging from Nome to Yakutat. One issue we constantly face is how we can reach all of our students and improve their educational experiences.

Currently we are utilizing a video conferencing system that allows us to connect to any of our schools or offices within seconds. This can be extremely useful because it gives a sense of presence allowing for a more personal approach to distance education. The system has allowed for greater learning opportunities for our students. For example—in a school with one high school teacher (grades 9-12), it is possible that the teacher might not be highly qualified in every subject area. Using the video conferencing system, that teacher can dial in to a classroom with a highly qualified teacher and act as a facilitator. The same goes for itinerant personnel—these staff members can be in more places than once with this system.

Though the video conferencing system has broken many educational barriers, the technology continues to get better and better. Now, many students use FaceTime or Skype to dial long distances from the comfort of their own home. It is amazing to see how far technology has come within the last decade.

Other ways I like to utilize media is through online videos. I like to research fun and entertaining videos that serve as supplemental resources for my teaching. Sites I have found to be especially useful include YouTube, TeacherTube and I must say, I am very impressed with www.teachersdomain.org. Finally, one last media source I like using to aid in learning is Google Docs. With this program, you can share files, photos and edit documents with people in other locations.

All educators should be highly trained with these new technologies. We need to reach the kids where the kids are! I was lucky to go to the Alaska School Counselors Conference this year and we had extensive training in some of these programs. Educators need to know how to properly use the resources in order to teach our children to use them and grow from them.

Examine Question—How are newcomers and outsiders regarded in your community?

Newcomers to Athabascan villages tend to walk a fine line in the beginning of their journey. Locals can sometimes be skeptical of newcomers, especially educators. They often wonder how an “outsider” can come in and teach their children while also instilling in them the values and beliefs of their cultural heritage. Many educators feel the need to prove themselves to the Native people. Though, I think they just need to see that we, as outsiders, are accepting and willing to learn about their land and values. Just like anyone else, the Natives want you to come in with an open mind, free of judgment.

The Athabascans prefer that you participate in community events such as potlatches, religious services, and village meetings. They understand that the best way to come to know a new place and population is by first-hand participation. Also, when you get out in the community, you get to know what the children face on a day to day basis. You come to know the joys they face growing up in a small village as well as the struggles they face. How can you truly teach someone that you know nothing about? I think the Native people have a right to be skeptical. Their land, traditions, and people are truly sacred. They need to have faith that you will ensure that it stays this way and that their most valuable resource, their children, are in good hands.

Extend Question—What are the population dynamics in your community?

The Yukon-Koyukuk census area, where our 9 villages are located, makes up approximately 1% of the state’s population. Of our 9 villages, the population is about 98% Athabascan Indian. We have 300 kids enrolled in these K-12 schools. Currently, I live in Fairbanks and work for our correspondence school. Fairbanks North Star Borough is 77% white, 4.5% black, 7% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 11.5% other races or mixed races. This number is a little surprising to me. Fairbanks is a big hub for Native people because of its centralized location. I personally thought the number of Native people residing here would be higher. This information is from http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/02/02090.html.

Evaluation—

I was a little worried about taking my first online class. When I read through all of the emails, I was overwhelmed and thought there was no way I could do this. Once I got set up, I realized it was very organized and well laid out. I enjoyed looking through all of the different resources you provided. I have also enjoyed getting to read responses from other educators. I am looking forward to learning more about Alaska through this class.

My Favorite Place

My favorite place traveled to thus far is Juneau, Alaska. This picture is taken at the Shrine of St. Therese during an art retreat this past September (2011). I kept hearing about how Juneau was always grey and rainy so I wasn't too excited about traveling down that way. However, when I got there, it was sunny, blue skies, and clear as far as the eye could see. I know this is rare but it sure made for an amazing weekend! The beauty of this place brings about a sense of peace and serenity. Just when you think it can't get any more beautiful, the sun begins to set over the calm water. The Shrine of St. Therese in Juneau is a perfect getaway for anyone that appreciates the natural beauty of the world.