/ 2008 Archived Material / Change of Plans

Target Iditarod Teacher on the Trail^™ Change of Plans

by Jane Blaile

Iditarod mushers spend 7 or more months preparing to run the Iditarod, but only 9 or more days completing it.  They arrange to get up early and to train their dogs in the summer mornings when it is cool.  Then in August, when it begins to cool down, they design winter training schedules.  Ideas of which dogs their teams will be comprised of are in a constant state of revision as training progresses.  By mid-February they need to have the contents of their drop bags decided as well as a plan on where to have all of them sent.  Along with that, mushers set up a running schedule; it is their strategy on how long to run and where and for how long to rest.  All of this planning before the actual race starts!

 

Does this sound familiar?  Reflect on what you have made plans for:  weekly lesson plans, vacation plans, plans for your children's' futures, maybe even retirement plans.  I'm a planner.  I make plans for each day and each weekend.  But the number of times my plans have changed is more than the number of plans I've made.

 

Consider the Iditarod musher again.  Once race day comes, plans become sketchy thoughts as the reality of circumstances set in.  A dog gets a sore wrist and can't even begin the race.  A sled runner breaks before the checkpoint where replacement parts are waiting.  A whiteout changes the run/rest schedule dramatically.  A trail marker is missed and a wrong turn adds 4 hours to the race time.  A crash in the Dalzell Gorge leaves bruises and cuts, making common movements painful.

 

Does this sound familiar?  The reality of our circumstances set in, too.  We face challenges in our classrooms which change the course of our original daily or even weekly plans.  Special opportunities arise and our family plans must be rearranged.  Maybe health concerns change our usually normal lives, making them painful.  The joyful news of a new baby or child's engagement reroute the upcoming year. A job is lost or restructured, throwing newness into every minute of every day.

 

During the Iditarod, a seasoned musher goes through unplanned events with an open and flexible mind.  S/he evaluates the restrictions or opportunities presented by these changes in plans, and might consult with a fellow racer about possible future actions.  A key to success in navigating these changes is to deal with the situation at hand and then move on.  Maybe move on to another unforeseen change in plans. And maybe to make a decision s/he doesn't want to.

 

These are qualities to be admired.  Mushers are athletes performing under extreme circumstances.  They feel excitement, stress, fatigue, hunger, and responsibility for their team.  Yet keeping a level head is vital for success.  They evaluate, observe, consult, revise, and move on.  Try these skills in your life, and teach them to your students.