John and BSSD students....THANK YOU!!!!

[boo]

I gotta say this....THANK YOU JOHN AND BSSD KIDS!!!! All it takes is spending a little time at ITC's forum, with lots of silly 'seeding' questions, jerks who must post with bold blue type all the time, and a high ratio of just plain not-nice people.....and I am doubly thankful for this forum. The NO JERKS atmosphere, people who may have different opinions but don't feel they must post repeatedly and bludgeon people with their opinions, lots of virtual goodies and laughter, lots of positive vibes to the mushers and dogs on the trail and just a sense of community. Everyone works super hard to bring lots of information from anywhere it can be obtained to share it with everyone....the race coverage here ROCKS!!!

As a teacher, I just had to say this, yet again. Thank you so much for coming to our rescue, doing the work so fast to get us into a home and for working so hard to cover this wonderful race. I for one am really looking forward to Mith's accounts of working with your students, all the details, etc. Since I handle when I'm there, I would never get the chance to view what your students do in the depth Mith did, so I am really excited to really hear all about it. Please pat each other on the back for me....I really really appreciate it. Good things don't get enough mention sometimes, and this is a really, really, really good thing!!!!

[Biggie]

I second what Boo has presented. Thank you John and all your students. It is so nice to know that people can be respected for differences and not made to feel like they are still rookies. My hats off to you.
Biggie

[tanglefoot]

here here!! so enjoying the 'feel' here, everyones views are respected, not nessecarily agreed with all the time, but theres not a nasty bone in anyones posts. so cool that we have this site! the idita-family just got bigger and better franks forum was fantastic and this one feels just as much a home for all us lot of nutters! im sure in time the ITC site will evolve and get a core of users in there but it'll never have the sense of communtiy world wide that we have here! john i'd love to help and offer any assistance i can with your schools, if we do manage to get over there next year i'd love to meet your kids and tell them all about the uk and spend some time helping them out! shame your several thousand miles away! are you doing the post card thing again this year?

[boo]

What a great idea, Matty....how can we give back to those who have given us so much? Even before next year's Irod, can you think of anything, John, that would help your curriculum that the Iditabuddies could do? Beyond the postcards? Just asking....something to think about. I'd really love to add to the wonderful learning environment you've spearheaded here. Matty, your accent would have ALL of us riveted....love it!!!

On that front, I had a fellow teacher in Anchorage who moved there from Georgia. She had a room full of junior highers the first day in her computer class and was explaining her classroom rules, grading policy, etc. etc. They were all sitting absolutely STILL, some with their mouths slightly open.....finally she got uncomfortable, and asked, "Do I have something on my face?" Finally one brave student said, "No, Mrs. Owens, I just LOVE your accent!!!" LOL

[fladogfan]

AMEN BOO AMEN

[deafcat]

I've already purchased some postcards of my part of the universe to send up to the kids!

This is what public school should be! Giving kids opportunities to learn practical skills and find thier place in the (global) community. Your kids will go far, John, because of the experiences you've allowed them!

[CynCyn37]

DITTO

I love this place!!

[Heidi]

What a great idea, Matty....how can we give back to those who have given us so much?

Hey Boo, great remarks!! This year we're asking people to send a little something beyond the postcard (see postcard thread).

Some other things have been suggested and discussed behind the scenes as well, but it's difficult because there are roughly 60 students on the SBT and they're scattered all over the district. If you have any ideas, feel free to relate them to John and Damon.