Happy Thanksgiving!!! Quyaayaraq

Agaayutmun Quyaunga Ciuqlirmek, Man-a Tekiilluki Nangengqaamta..... Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

This group of students are the Algebra I students that take a class through distance delivery via polycom. It's a conference that uses the latest technology of taking classes with the two way streaming from the District Office and the surrounding Lower Kuskokwim School District schools. We have a really good teacher that broadcasts out of Bethel. She is a certified Math teacher, and this is a requirement with our Highly Qualified Teacher policy through the state. All of these wonderful Algebra stars are up to par with their assignments and most, if not all are in the honor roll. I'm a teacher aide for the TV teacher, Kim. She's the most effective math teacher I ever saw and observed. In a huge part, I would like to Thank her because I think she helped me pass my Praxis Math test. I have had the priviledge of aiding her Algebra II, Algebra I, and Geometry courses all through the polycom and it has been a wonderful experience.

As for my after school students, I rearranged my schedule to start at 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. every night. It has been a success because our attendance has tripled. I even enjoyed the company of two boys since the extra-curricular activities started in September. So far, we have Native Youth Olympics, wrestling, Speech, Future Teachers, Robotics, and Migrant Education running after school. A demanding schedule for most kids, but an option which is so needed in our schools today. Oh, don't forget the student council that opens up the student store for 1/2 an hour 4 days out of the week.

Our semester is almost over and I would like to take the opportunity to thank all the educators within our lives, and most of all to Skip Via, our Tech. instructor from UAF!!

Warm Weather and Raging Waters

My snow machining hasn't started yet this winter. The weather has been so warm. The snow over the ice, isn't good at all. Especially because it insulates the ice, and isn't able to get as thick as it should during this time of the year. People have been going to Bethel back and forth, but it's extremely dangerous. The trail between Atmau, Nunap, and Kasigluk isn't common yet and I think we have to wait until it's super stiff. So frustrating, because it's usually safe by the time it's Thanksgiving.

The river was dotted with people that were jigging for fish, but I guess it's been too flooded to catch anything. Usually they have nets too, but I haven't seen any. Talk about global warming, it affects the fishing season. Even during the summer, they have to check the white fish nets more frequently than they do, because the water gets so warm now and for a longer period of time. But other than that, our fishing season was pretty good.

November has been a very challenging month for me, especially at work. It's hard when you try to make things better for your students but recieve no support. I'll try to remember that when I get to have my own teacher aide. I as a person, makes me no better than anyone else in our work settings. Sometimes it can be hard to remind myself that if there's no support, I have to take things into my own hands. I am so frustrated. My son reminded me that there is someone watching over me while I feel like I'm a ship being tossed out in the raging sea. I would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that even though things aren't working out at work or at school your family is there to stick it out with you and there is no better person to talk to than with someone who is already there.

Atmaulluaq History - WOW

I had noticed that I hadn't posted anything about the history of Atmautluak, AK since I started writing in this blog. So I decided to start tackling it today. Atmautluak, AK is located in southwest Alaska in the Kuskokwim Delta.

Atmautluak is located about 18 miles northwest of Bethel. Our area is called the Akula area due to our Tundra location. When we travel on Yute Air, you'll hear them refer our villages of Nunapitchuk, Kasigluk, Atmautluak as tundra villages. Atmautluak was first settled in 1968. Some people moved from Nunapitchuk, AK because the fishing grounds were better and closer to Atmautluak. When I had interviewed Oscar Nick, the man who settled in Atmautluak first, he stated that they almost called Atmautluak Wassillieville. I got a crack out of that place name. Atmautluak sounds so much better than Wassillieville right now! The first school, which was BIA was built in 1974.
Atmautluak is situated on the Petmigtalek River. The community is composed of Yup'ik Alaska Natives with a few Caucasian teachers that are needed to come and teach from other places. The people continue to live a traditional hunting and fishing lifestyle The school sponsors a Traditional Dance Team that represents the community in Traditional song and dance.
There is two churches within our community of 365. We have the Moravian Church and the Russian Orthodox Church. There are no roads between the tundra villages so people travel on boats, snowmachines, and airlines. There are two grocery stores in town, one laundromat, one community building, a post office, a tiny Police office/jail, board walks, fish racks, smokehouses, steam houses, couple school buildings, one health clinic, and one National Guard Armory building.
Seasonal hunting and fishing are lifestyles of the Yup'ik Alaska Natives. During the summer we fish for salmon, whitefish, and pike to dry and store for the summer. The smokehouses are used for salmon and white fish to smoke. We store them for winter use, along with berries and greens we harvest from the tundra.
Right now they are jigging for Pike on the river, and I wish I was out there right now. The pike they dry or eat frozen with seal oil. Yum Yum..... I'm hungry.
I wanted to mention that we have a new grave site past a lake and slough, but the old grave site can be seen by the airport.

The picture above is of students' sleds that the school purchased for outside use. The school also has a set of ski's that are part of the P.E. program.

Atmautluak,AK Place Based

Created with Admarket's flickrSLiDR.

Quiet Times Sometimes

This is a picture of some of the pumpkins that were in the class pumpkin contest. The Pumpkin with the grass hair won the annual prize for the best pumpkin. My daughter's class had won the contest this year.

Our community had just had a loss a couple of days ago. My childhood friend's Dad passed away from cancer. It's been so quiet here and I have been feeling for the family. I can remember when my own father died. It's so sad to experience it again, especially for a friend you care about.

When there is a death in our village, they have a viewing at the family's house. The graveyard is an island separated with a lake and slough, so I am trying to figure how they are transporting to the grave site. The weather has been so warm, and the ice is extremely thin to travel on. The families from Kasigluk, AK and Nunapitchuk, AK ,although close, had to come in with the airlines. There is no road system connected to the villages because it's tundra country. We have to travel by boat in the summer and snowmachines during the winter. Unfortunately, during this season they travel with the airlines, and it's not cheap. My deep condolensces to the family of the Nicholai's here in Atmautluak, and I think of you in my prayers.