MSTA’s newly appointed Executive Director used to be a dog musher in Minnesota?
“I did that for two years, right out of high school before I went to college,” Moe said. “Some people hitchhike across America, I was a dog musher. It’s a topic that I very much enjoy talking about and I don’t get to talk about it very much. This is probably the first time I’ve talked about it in years.”
If you were one of the lucky students at Bolivar Middle School late last month, you got to hear the story first hand.
After learning about Moe’s past as a dog musher, Susan Cantrell invited Moe to talk with the eighth-grade communication arts students about his experiences and answer questions during the annual unit on the Iditarod dog sled race. The unit is complete with several weeks’ worth of lessons.
“I think it is very creative. They do all kinds of fun stuff that the kids get into it. They track the race, which is anywhere from nine to 13 days depending on how awful the weather is up there,” Moe said. “It’s reputed to be the toughest race in the world, I never ran it. Although the middle school students thought I did. I had to clear that up.” Moe said
Everyone made him feel welcome, Moe said. The principal was particularly great. During the morning announcements the principal said Moe was their special guest and to look for him in the halls.
“I had celebrity status,” Moe said. “I don’t blend in with an eighth grade crowd.”
As the day went on, Moe said he suspected the students were talking about him because at the beginning of most class periods kids would come up, particularly boys, and want to shake his hand and introduce themselves.
“A couple of times they wanted their pictures taken with me,” he said.
In all Moe taught seven periods, four in the morning and three in the afternoon. One of the teachers he worked with in the afternoon was Alana Button, a first-year, eighth-grade communications arts teacher.
“When I got to the end of the day, I was exhausted,” Moe said. “I couldn’t remember what stories I’d told. I’d have to look over at Miss Button and say ‘Did I tell that story?’ and she’d say, ‘no you didn’t tell it. ‘“
Despite the memory lapse, Moe said he had a great time.
“I really enjoyed the kids,” he said. “They were great. They were engaged. They asked really good questions. They were helpful, very courteous. I’ve always liked middle schoolers and junior high, I think that’s a fun age.
This was an opportunity for the students to connect the lesson with a real person.
“I was thrilled I was able to offer that perspective and tell them stories that I think they enjoyed and had the virtue of being true.” Moe said.
Being in the classroom reminded Moe that teachers have to be on all the time.
“Each class is new, so the kids are fresh,” he said. “I might not be, but the kids are fresh for this topic and so I had to try and bring my A game to every class, all day. I think it got better through the day because I got more comfortable and anticipated more of the questions.”
In one of class periods, Moe got a glimpse into the possible future of education.
The middle school students turned on their iPads and connected with a student in the high school, who had previously done the Iditarod unit. A class of 25 quickly turned into a class of 50.
“Here I am at front looking at the students,” he said. “They all had their iPads turned so I could see the physical student and the virtual student. I don’t think they’d every tried it before it was kind of an experiment. It was interesting.”
Moe said he would be happy to be a guest lecturer again next year.
“I would do it again in a heartbeat,” he said. “If they invite me, I’ll go.”
