Then something amazing happens in my classroom today. We are tracking our mushers. I am sharing information with the students about why mushers are scratching. We look at the GPS tracking and pictures and standings. We look at the analytics info on the website and talk about speed and rest time. My kids are engaged. They are taking all of it in. But are they understanding? Are they retaining it? Come by and see for yourself. Ask one of them a question and you'll see they are getting it. We've talked about problems and how the mushers have to be creative in solving their problems while out on the trail. We've talked about mushers and the qualities of their character. Sonny Linder came upon Aaron Buermeister out on the trail. Buermeister had dislocated his knee. Linder stopped to help him create a make shift brace so he could get into the next checkpoint. Linder didn't have to stop and help. He could have gone on by. The kids immediately made connections to our Lend a Hand traits. Other mushers have had parts of their sleds break along the trail and had to come up with ways to fix their problems all alone in the wilderness. Being brave, ingenious and willing to persevere through a problem are things my kids are learning from these mushers. But they are also learning that sometimes the best choice is to give up, for your own safety.
The kids think they are learning about mushing, Alaska, dogs, Arctic animals, and the Iditarod, but what they are actually learning are bigger ideas. They are learning about setting a goal and working towards it. They are learning about the importance of helping others even when that might interfere with achieving your own goal. They are learning about problem solving. They are learning about caring for animals and making the right choices for the safety of animals, as well as people. They are learning life skills that will serve them well in years to come. How cool is that? I'd love to say I planned it that way, but...