Teaching in the Dark: A Memoir

by Genét Simone

A young teacher buys a one-way ticket to Shishmaref, Alaska. Within minutes of landing, she finds herself dealing with unexpected, rustic accommodations, and the culture shock of living in a remote Iñuit community. She relies on her courage, resilience, and wit while enduring freezing temperatures, power outages, loneliness, and first-year teacher anxieties and missteps, but eventually realizes that those challenges pale in comparison to the life lessons she learns about the heart of teaching—lessons from her students, their culture, and their community, on the vast, windy landscape at the edge of the Chukchi Sea.

Genres: Memoir

532 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 22, 2023

Reviews

[Courtney Preziosi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I went back and forth about rating this book. It feels unfair to rate a memoir - who am I to judge someone’s experiences!? I will say, I loved this book and would highly recommend.

[BooksCoffee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simone’s engrossing memoir is a captivating and insightful read that offers a poignant glimpse into the author’s first year as a high school teacher in a remote Alaskan community. In 1984, fresh out of college, Simone impulsively applied for a teaching role in the distant outpost of Shishmaref, Alaska.

With minimal teaching experience and a dash of camping know-how, she found herself navigating the rugged terrain and crafting a curriculum tailored to her Inuit students’ unique needs, whose lives revolved around fishing and hunting.

Simone’s storytelling is both engaging and heartfelt, drawing readers into the challenges and triumphs she faces in a vastly different environment. Her witty observations and lively dialogue invite readers to share in her journey and find joy in the everyday struggles. Through poignant encounters with her pupils and humorous mishaps, she grapples with the complexities of her role, discovering profound lessons about herself along the way.

As the memoir draws to a close, it reflects on a pivotal career decision and the uncertainty of what lies ahead, encapsulating a journey of personal and professional growth against the backdrop of the Chukchi Sea’s tranquil expanse. Throughout, the book navigates themes of diversity, personal growth, and resilience in the face of adversity.

The accompanying black-and-white photographs effortlessly capture the essence of the author’s journey, from sweeping landscapes to intimate encounters with the locals. Provocative and thought-provoking, the book invites readers to immerse themselves in the author’s experiences and gain a deeper understanding of navigating cultural complexities in a remote and diverse community. A witty and heartwarming exploration of resilience, cultural immersion, and the profound impact of education in unconventional settings.

[Maileen Hamto · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Teaching in the Dark’ is one woman’s memoir about finding her life’s purpose as a teacher while living in Shishmaref, Alaska, a city on an island on the Chukchi Sea. Genét Simone writes about her experiences as a first-year high school teacher from Seattle, traversing cross-cultural boundaries while interacting with the Indigenous Iñupiaq peoples. Simone shares detailed recollections of life inside and outside the classroom, from living in a cabin without a flushable toilet to teaching literature without a curriculum.

The memoir also highlights adventure. From witnessing the Iditarod dog sled race to taking a trip to Little Diomede on the Bering Strait, readers join Simone in exploring the wild places near the Arctic Circle that are remote and untouchable to this day. Where else could a first-year teacher gain wondrous, once-in-a-lifetime experiences like eating fresh whale meat and reindeer herding? In the wintertime, Shishmaref is a dark, far-flung, and frigid place with only about three hours of daylight. Living in the village, she gained a deep appreciation for the lives of her students and their families. Stepping outside of the comfort zone of her lower 48 existence, Simone learns valuable lessons about grace, selflessness, and humility. She understands the importance of trusting others and self-reliance in a close-knit Native community.

“Teaching in the Dark” showcases Simone’s heartful and genuine voice. I was touched by the numerous teachable moments—both heartwarming and heartbreaking. Simone shares her vulnerable realizations about how much she did not know about the art of teaching. Every encounter with the locals taught important lessons about being an educator and lifelong student.

[Teresa Janssen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genét Simone’s memoir is a beautifully written story of a young woman’s first year teaching high school in an isolated Alaskan village. Written with humor and humility, we soon come to learn that this educator is receiving quite an education, as are her students. Ever the learner, Genét comes to know about seal hunting, the drying of polar bear hides, reindeer herding, and what it takes to survive winter in this tight-knit snow-bound community. But overall, it’s a primer on the art of teaching. At one point she searched for her own North Star “reorienting me whenever I got lost in the sea of my own teaching, guiding me to grow into the kind of teacher I wanted to become.” This is an inspiring and instructive read highly recommended for any new teacher and any reader wanting to join in her adventure.

[Guy Pere · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny, well written, must read

My wife started reading the book after dinner and kept me up laughing. Laughing because we had been there, the kidding, the food, the weather, kids doing things no one would dream of in the lower 48 and of course, the wonderful people. ( except when the door was frozen at our place when it was below zero, I bashed the door knob with a chunk of wood till it fell apart) .
45 years of working in remote Alaskan villages and finally a book that tells it like it is.

[Joan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a teacher, I could really identify with new teacher Genet Simone's struggles during her first year teaching. Those struggles are universal in education. But the fact that she had to face those challenges far away from home, in a cold and remote place, within a culture that was unfamiliar served to multiply the challenges. Yet, her circumstances served to multiply the rewards, too. What an amazing experience she had! It took courage and determination and an open heart. A terrific read!

[Michelle King · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating memoir of an amazing teacher who spent a year working in rural Alaska! Loved her insights about teaching, her stories about engagement with colleagues & students and her descriptions about the rural town. The memoir was recently published, but chronicles a year in the early 1980s. I’m eager to learn more about the author’s career! One of the most interesting memoirs I have ever read!

[Kathryn D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Immersion into 2 Cultures

Genet Simon runs headlong into both the subsistance native American culture and the teaching culture. In the end the reader will deeply understand why education both erodes and preserves the way of life. True story recalled 40 years later.

[Gay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book.

[Stephanie S · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could not put this book down. Excellent! You do not have to be a teacher to read her memoir on her first year as a teacher.