Handmade Native Alaskan Moccasins
Background
Gifts are often give to teachers as a way to express appreciation for their service to the community. Sometimes gifts are part of rituals such as on Teacher Appreciation Day. Sometimes the gift is personal and heartfelt for the teacher’s hard work, helpful insights, patience, kindness, knowledge, and thoughtfulness. Teachers often reminisce that the times that have made them feel most appreciated were by personal notes or handmade items that were specifically created for the recipient. (See Learn More! below.)
A Personal Story
by Joan Tanner
I started teaching classes over the summer open to local natives of all ages at the University of Alaska. I realized that the tools to teach my students didn’t represent their lifestyle and their culture. However, this didn’t discourage me; I was only more driven by this challenge. The books given to me by the university could not be used, and therefore I ended up doing a lot of observing in the actual villages where my students were from. I then came to the conclusion that the standard methods of teaching could not apply here. I discovered the main form of communication among these people was storytelling—powerful storytelling.
From there, I encouraged my students to share their own stories. One story I remember was from a boy who told about hiding from a bear. Others just described daily life, and when it was berry picking time, we would all go pick berries. I learned that several did not now how to swim, for the waters in Alaska were just too rough and cold. Drowning was more than likely. As I taught, my late husband would tend to the medical needs of my students to ensure their overall well-being. Through this, we slowly but surely gained the trust of the parents of the younger ones attending my class.
Before I left to return to my home in California, a mother whose daughter was a student of mine, handmade these moccasins for me as a token of her gratitude.
Gifts are often give to teachers as a way to express appreciation for their service to the community. Sometimes gifts are part of rituals such as on Teacher Appreciation Day. Sometimes the gift is personal and heartfelt for the teacher’s hard work, helpful insights, patience, kindness, knowledge, and thoughtfulness. Teachers often reminisce that the times that have made them feel most appreciated were by personal notes or handmade items that were specifically created for the recipient. (See Learn More! below.)
A Personal Story
by Joan Tanner
I started teaching classes over the summer open to local natives of all ages at the University of Alaska. I realized that the tools to teach my students didn’t represent their lifestyle and their culture. However, this didn’t discourage me; I was only more driven by this challenge. The books given to me by the university could not be used, and therefore I ended up doing a lot of observing in the actual villages where my students were from. I then came to the conclusion that the standard methods of teaching could not apply here. I discovered the main form of communication among these people was storytelling—powerful storytelling.
From there, I encouraged my students to share their own stories. One story I remember was from a boy who told about hiding from a bear. Others just described daily life, and when it was berry picking time, we would all go pick berries. I learned that several did not now how to swim, for the waters in Alaska were just too rough and cold. Drowning was more than likely. As I taught, my late husband would tend to the medical needs of my students to ensure their overall well-being. Through this, we slowly but surely gained the trust of the parents of the younger ones attending my class.
Before I left to return to my home in California, a mother whose daughter was a student of mine, handmade these moccasins for me as a token of her gratitude.
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Donation Details
MOTAL’s Native Alaskan moccasins were donated by Joan Tanner in 2006. The story above was told to Leezel Ramos and Greta Nagel and written down by Leezel Ramos. Joan had a career in early childhood education at Fullerton College that took her into many educational settings. Her love of adventure and travel took her to many places in the world. |
Learn More
If you would like to learn more about the teacher gift giving, we recommend the following:
If you would like to learn more about the teacher gift giving, we recommend the following:
- We Asked Teachers: What is the best gift you have ever received? (PBS Teachers Lounge, May 7, 2017)
- Inuit Gift Giving Traditions, Etiquette and Culture (GiftCanyon.com, December 31, 2015)
- Book entitled Julie of the Wolves by Jean Craighead George (Harper, 1972)