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2006 Summer Teacher’s Conference

Teachers get ready for Iditarod 2007

by Diane Johnson

06/15/2006

Roll Call: Wisconsin, Minnesota, Virginia, New Jersey, New York, Washington, North Carolina, California, South Dakota, Alaska, and Florida!

Present.

Iditarod’s Educational Conference, held June 19 – 24, brings educators from around the United States together, connecting Iditarod as a theme in a fast growing trend in classrooms today. Iditarod is on the cutting edge of assisting the educators by providing a conference for them to further develop their teaching skills while attending ‘class’ in Wasilla, surrounded by nearly 24 hours of daylight in an Iditarod Alaskan teaching adventure.

The conferences focuses on assisting educators to develop curriculum based on the standards they must teach, in a thematic- Iditarod- approach to teaching and learning. Classroom fieldtrips to area museums and to Vern Halter’s Dream a Dream Dog farm, are among the opportunities for participants at the conference. Special guest speakers such as Ramy Brooks, Gary Paulsen, and Dr. Stuart Nelson Jr., DVM will provide information to help educators create their teaching units that are themed around The Last Great Race®.

Special guests and speakers, 2007 Wells Fargo Teacher on the Trail™ Kim Slade, Vero Beach, Florida and 2006 Wells Fargo Teacher on the Trail™ Terrie Hanke, Ear Claire, Wisconsin, are successful at creating thematic lessons and have great ideas to share with conference participants.

Educators are challenged today to use technology as a teaching tool and a means for students to research and show skills they learn. Iditarod’s INSIDER is one such 21st century teaching tool that brings a real time event in a ‘place far away’ right to the classroom environment. Students can be virtually on The Iditarod Trail as they get a personal, behind the scenes sight and sound experience. (For more on IDITAROD INSIDER go to www.iditarod.com and join today!)

Educators can earn university credit from UAA for attending the conference.

Iditarod and Alaska are the background setting, as educators strive to meet NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND legislation. To learn more about Iditarod’s Conferences for Educators, view the Kids and Teachers section of the website.(www.iditarod.com)

Be a part of the Last Great Teaching Race, Iditarod in the Classroom! Join us at our future conference or attend our special speaker sessions before the start of the 2007 Iditarod.