Module 1 - Place and Pedagogy

Essential Question #1:
Why is an awareness of Place important?

An awareness of place is important for several different reasons. Place is where we’ve come from, where we are and where we’re going. Webster defines space as a physical environment or physical surroundings. We pretty much know and are familiar with the places we have been to the place we are now. They are a part of who we were and who we have become. They are filled with people who have influenced and molded us. It’s where we learned our culture and our beliefs. We learned how to communicate, socialize and survive in the places we have lived.

Blanket toss at Fur Rondy

Awareness of place changes as we grow and become independent. For example, I grew up in Illinois. I am very aware of many different things and places in Illinois and the Midwest because I lived there for the majority of my life. I have recently moved up to Alaska. This is my 2nd year teaching up here. I have had to become aware of the place in which I am living now. I am in a place where it is so different, physically and culturally, than I have ever lived before. I absolutely love exploring Alaska and immersing myself in the culture and everything it has to offer. Whether it be going to Nome for the Iditarod or learning about my Native students and where they come from and what their culture is all about or exploring Denali on a beautiful fall weekend.

Getting out with friends and exploring Alaska. (Hatcher's Pass)

I am hoping that I will be able to expand my awareness of place as my life moves forward. I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to enjoy the biggest adventure in my life so far. Place is always changing and adapting. It’s what makes life so exciting. I welcome the opportunity!









Essential Question #2:
How can an awareness of Place create better learning for Alaska students?

Students in Alaska can get a better understanding of where they live and the history of it if they are given the information they need to become aware of Place. Alaska just became a state in 1949, but it has so much history preceding that date. I feel that it is very important that students learn about their state and how it became what it is today. There were many trial and triumphs that are important to learn and understand. This education is not only important to Native students but Non Natives as well.

I just recently took a class called Passages 1. It was a class that gave insight into Alaskan Native boys. There was a panel of 3 Native men who came to discuss certain aspects of a Native boy’s life. They gave experiences from their own life and discussed how they lost some of their culture as they grew up and became adults because they had left their villages and pursued other things. Now they are working at getting it back. I feel that it’s important to teach our students in Alaska the importance of keeping their culture alive in their own lives. Living in Alaska is part of their culture and they need to take pride in that.

I think it’s great that it is required to take classes that focus on Alaska in order to teach here. I know for me, it has given me a greater understanding of Place. It has helped me understand my surroundings, the Native culture, and the history of Alaska. I take what I’ve learned and I bring it into my gym. I just recently finished a unit on the Native Youth Olympics. Not only did my students learn about the history of the games and how to play them, but I learned it as well and have a great appreciation for them. I am going to be teaching them about the Iditarod and have different games and activities for them to do around that time. I can also give personal experience because I have done some volunteering for the Iditarod. Which was an amazing experience and I will be going to Nome this year for the finish. I think about how much fun I am having learning everything I can about Alaska and I can’t help but know that students can enjoy it just as much as me.

I had the great opportunity to be a dog handler for Lance Mackey

Module 1 Extend Question:
How might you use content from this module in your professional practice?

Like I stated above in Essential Question #2, I would like to bring awareness of Place into my gym by teaching the students about different events that take place in Alaska. I just finished a Native Youth Olympics unit with my classes and all of the students seemed to enjoy it very much. They learned the history behind each game and why the Natives developed each game. They also have the opportunity to go and compete in the Junior Native Youth Olympics that are coming up. We have several students who are going to be participating in that. I am also going to bring the Iditarod to the gym. I will be teaching them the kind of training the dogs have to go through in order to stay in excellent condition. The responsibilities of the mushers before, during and after the race, and teach them about the trail where it goes and how far the race is.


Module 1 Evaluation:
I guess I’ve never really thought about awareness of Place playing a big part in our lives. This module has made me really look deeper into the meaning of Place and how important it is to understand it. Also, that it is important to help our students understand it as well. Being a PE teacher, there are only a few sites that I ever visit to get different lesson ideas. Most of the sites that I ever visit are for classroom teachers and don’t really have any ideas for PE. After looking over the sites given in this module, I now have some new resources I can look to for information.