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Could there be such a thing as Essential Education?
Bird Droppings July 23, 2026Could there be such a thing as Essential Education? It has been almost fifteen years since I was discussing various educational philosophies and pedagogies with my son. One happened to be essential education, which, according to his text, is only a slight step from perennial education, which basically is reading, writing,…
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Why do we use the word sacred?
Bird Droppings July 18, 2026 Why do we use the word sacred? “Teachers who do not take their own education seriously, who do not study, who make little effort to keep abreast of events have no moral authority to coordinate the activities of the classroom.” Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of Freedom I have been a student…
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Two Standing Bears
Bird Droppings July 16, 2026Two Standing Bears I was going through my library of books over the past week, looking for several references I used for my dissertation, and found this 1972 copy of The Ponca Chiefs. The following quote is from a courtroom dialogue about the first time Native Americans were legally recognized as…
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Placing each puzzle piece one at a time: Every puzzle in life has a solution if can figure out the pieces.
Bird Droppings July 15, 2026Placing each puzzle piece one at a time: Every puzzle in life has a solution if can figure out the pieces. “Most people would succeed in small things if they were not troubled with great ambitions.” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow How many times are we told, “take your time”? So often in…
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Why not continue the Journey? Freire and Foxfire both start with F’s.
Bird Droppings July 14, 2026Why not continue the Journey? Freire and Foxfire both start with F’s. “So I’d much rather get across the concept of freedom. It’s what’s important to Indian children. The only way you can be free is to know that you are worthwhile as a distinct human being. Otherwise you become what…
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Can we find learning in the Kalahari Desert?
Bird Droppings July 13, 2026 Can we find learning in the Kalahari Desert? While out driving this morning, I pulled over along the nearby dirt road, taking pictures of wildflowers and grasshoppers, among other things I find worth pondering. I spent several minutes trying to photograph a seed from a broom sage plant floating along…
The daily meanderings of a teacher 