The daily meanderings of a teacher

Month: January 2011

  • Counting Knuckles

    Bird Droppings January 31, 2011 Counting knuckles On Friday a student asked what day of the month Monday would be and I responded January 31 and just as quick another said he thought it was the first. I said no it was the 31st and he proceeded to count his knuckles, “a knuckle has 31…

  • Walking and Listening among the cottonwoods

    Bird Droppings January 28, 2011 Walking and listening among the Cotton Woods I walked outside earlier today around four in the morning as I took our White Wetland Terrier Lil Girl out for her morning constitutional. The sky was bright this morning with a smile of a moon still hanging around and a few wisps…

  • How do we know if we are still human?

    Bird Droppings January 27, 2011 How do we know if we are still human? Perhaps it is from growing up in a situation where we were aware of special needs children and adults directly from the birth of our younger brother till his passing almost fifteen years ago that those in my family have had…

  • Into the depth of our souls

    Bird Droppings January 26, 2011 Into the depth of our souls I watched most of the State of the Union Address last night but being as I normally fall asleep about nine o’clock it was rough. I felt good listening to what was said in the first half hour. Part of my problem with staying…

  • Passion: Can be acquired?

    Bird Droppings January 25, 2011 Passion: Can be acquired? “To speak so listeners long to hear more and to listen so others’ meaning is grasped are the ideals of the impeccably great.” Tirukkural 65:646 When I first read the passage from the Tirukkural I thought of the Einstein quote I used to use at the…

  • The Journey

    Bird Droppings January 24, 2011 The journey “Who, then, shall conduct education so that humanity may improve?” John Dewey A very deep and broad question, I was thinking back to my own community and associations. We elect school board members who hire teachers and principals, they decide on schools to build and a place to…

  • Looking on a morning in a direction

    Bird Droppings January 23, 2011 Looking on a morning in a direction “Beginnings start in the east – from where the sun rises we begin a new dawn. Each day is a good new day with a fresh beginning, a new start. East is the direction of the physical body and newness including children and…

  • Sometimes I wonder what it is all about.

    Bird Droppings January 21, 2011 Sometimes I wonder what it is we are about. I started working with a small group of gifted students yesterday getting ready for the AP psychology exam in May. As I talked with them a question I posed as we talked was what motivates them to want to learn, to…

  • Trying to find a way back to normal

    Bird Droppings January 18-20, 2011 Trying to find a way back to normal “Tin soldiers and Nixon coming, we’re finally on our own. This summer I hear the drumming, four dead in Ohio. Gotta get down to it soldiers are cutting us down should have been done long ago. What if you knew her and…

  • Caregiving and cared for we need both

    Bird Droppings January 17, 2011 Caregiving and cared for we need both “To care and be cared for are fundamental human needs. We all need to be cared for by other human beings. In infancy, illness, or old age, the need is urgent and pervasive; we need caregiving, and we need the special attitude of…