Two Iditarod teacher workshops are held in Alaska each year. One is held the week before the start of the race and the other is held the last week in June during the same time as the yearly Volunteer Picnic and Musher Sign-Up event.
The 2010 Winter Conference will be held in Anchorage March 2 – 5. Participants will attend sessions that will motivate them professionally and provide them with immediate lesson ideas for the race. An advantage to attending this workshop is that one can also see the start and the restart of the race. (March 6 and 7) Anyone— teacher or race fan– attending the start of the race should attend teacher conference events. For more information, email. Watch the website for the conference agenda and speaker list to be published soon. Do not miss these events.
If you are looking for a summer adventure, join us June 20 – 28th for the experience of a life time! Stay at a musher’s kennel. Learn about Iditarod, sled dogs, mushing, and Alaska. Build an engaging curriculum for your students. Learn more about our conferences.
Why Attend a Conference?
The Iditarod Education Department
- Strives to assist educators in connecting the Iditarod to content and cultural standards required by each state and according to NCLB.
- Recognizes that today’s teacher must facilitate learning and empower students to achieve. What a teacher teaches must be aligned to the curriculum one teaches.
- Dedicates energy to helping teachers be better teachers
We are dedicated to empowering educators to use best practices of education using research based instructional methods, develop quality standards driven lessons, create units of study that engaging students in the learning process, encourage them to practice basic skills, and to encourage the use of technology as a teaching tool and a tool for students to use as they complete lessons and projects.
- Iditarod is a tool of instruction that leads students to academic success.
- University credit is offered through the University of Alaska, Anchorage.
- Although these conferences are intended for teachers, race fans are welcome to attend as well.
Still wondering Why You Should Attend? Here’s what one of our ‘campers’ had to say about our summer camp.
Joy Davis, Educational Journalist
When I first read the information about summer camp I thought that it would be something fun to do ‘sometime.’ Little did I know that it would be this past summer. My husband encouraged me to sign up.
I am not a camper so I was hesitant. I had no idea of what to pack. Did I even have the right clothes? I made lists and more lists. Every time that I talked myself into going I would come up with reasons to stay home. The dogs needed me. It would be awfully expensive to fly to Alaska. And how was I going to get around? What was I going to do in my free time? Could we really afford this?
We concluded that I could not afford not to go. I needed to find my smile again. Let me tell you that this was the best investment that I had made in myself in a long time. I am finishing a master degree while working long hours as a mild interventions teacher at the high school level. I needed to find ‘me.’
I could talk for days about my experiences. But I will just list the highlights in no special order.
New friends
I met other teachers from across the United States. We shared a common experience and began lasting friendships.
An earthquake
On the second day at the Dream a Dream Dog Farm we had an earthquake. It registered 5.7. It cracked the wall above the window in the sleeping area.
The mushers
Attending the musher’s picnic was a memorable event. Up close and personal with the celebrities (in human form) of this sport. Everyone was so friendly. My students can’t believe that I know these people.
The dogs
Being pulled in an ATV by a team of 16 dogs is like nothing else you will experience!!
Challenging myself
I never dreamed that I would walk across a pole 40 feet in the air. Why would I even want to do this? I am glad that I made myself do it. I know that I can accomplish more than I believe I can. I am tougher in Alaska!
If you want to learn more about the Iditarod and/or yourself, then head north to Alaska for the teacher’s summer camp. You will have an experience that will be un’fur’ gettable.
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Enjoy this slide show from summer camp!
