Bird Droppings July 13, 2010
Pondering a bit more than usual today

Yesterday’s storm knocked out our internet and it is still down hopefully alive and well in the morning tomorrow. I have talked to an old friend today my former principal discussing many issues of life, politics and education. I sat down with a fellow teacher discussing doctorate topics and questions I have raised over the past few days in terms of how we educate children. I came by my room at school to check on animals feed and check email and all along keep wondering about the direction and frustration of teachers, students and parents in terms of education. I considered a good walk but humidity and air quality already are wreaking havoc with my head.

“All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.” Friedrich Nietzsche

‎”The continuity of any experience, through renewing of the social group, is a literal fact. Education, in its broadest sense, is the means of this social continuity of life. Every one of the constituent elements of a social group, in a modern city as in a savage tribe, is born immature, helpless, without language, beliefs, ideas, or social standards. Each individual, each unit who is the carrier of the life-experience of his group, in time passes away. Yet the life of the group goes on.” John Dewey, Experience and Education

Dewey knew education was a crucial aspect of how we pass on understanding and culture and democracy as a way of life. In a discussion with another teacher earlier today we talked about how critical language is and reading to educating kids. I was looking at Atlanta Journal Constitution’s front page this morning and one of the articles was about how kids reading, during the summer months and holiday from school has significant impact on education. The studies were pointed to drops in levels of reading levels and academic levels. I am always upset by kids that do not want to read and see this daily on Facebook and other sites where students under favorite book put I do not read. It is a fact reading builds vocabulary and helps in retention of academics.

“How people keep correcting us when we are young! There is always some bad habit or other they tell us we ought to get over. Yet most bad habits are tools to help us through life.” Friedrich Nietzsche

As I looked this morning for a starting place for my morning and was by a phone call from a friend I recalled a period in my life when I would get up every morning early and walk several miles discussing philosophy, theology and other relevant issues. It was an interesting time and actually many concepts that I hold now came to fruition during those walks. Over the years as I look back and truly most things considered “bad habits” which I had given up over the days past did provide tools for pondering ideas further pushing thoughts beyond where they were at that time. However many people simply get mired in that bad habit and it becomes part of their life not merely a stepping stone or tool but a crutch or support.

“Life affords no greater responsibility, no greater privilege, than the raising of the next generation.” C. Everett Koop

Probably most folks won’t even recognize the name of Dr. Koop formerly Surgeon General of the United States and former head of pediatric surgery at Philadelphia Children’s Hospital. As I thought of Nietzsche’s quotes and while not taking a walk today I did go and move cars outside so everyone else could get under way. Usually I write and then get cars moved around see the moon or sunrise etc. But today I was lazy and the internet was on the fritz. Nietzsche as you read his work is often self focused and negative and perhaps in some ways I like looking to his thoughts for contrast for adding a back drop to a brighter thought. Koop was instrumental in the cigarette laws and anti-tobacco laws personally he was surgeon for my brother many years ago when we lived in Pennsylvania. My father tells a story of Dr. Koop his staff and my father all gathered together around John, my brother who was born with cerebral palsy and later developed encephalitis’s and was approaching surgery. My Dad would tell the story having been in medic corp. and around death in WWII so much the aura around Koop was different he exuded life he thrived on life and when he asked all to join hands and pray around John he made my father’s day.
But one thing that has stuck with me from dads conversation with Dr. Koop was a quote very seldom seen “Having worked with terminally ill children and seriously ill children for many years in all of those years I have never seen a parent of one of these children who did not have faith” As I think back and remember bits and pieces Dr. Koop’s comment and discussions with my father he wasn’t referring to religion as much as to the idea of faith. Faith also parallels trust and it could have been trust in Dr. Koop or trust in the hospital. Dr. Koop was a man of hope of future and of faith.

“Faith has to do with things that are not seen, and hope with things that are not in hand.” Saint Thomas Aquinas

“Our faith comes in moments… yet there is a depth in those brief moments which constrains us to ascribe more reality to them than to all other experiences.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

That is an idea for another day or actually several ideas to ponder and mull over as we ascend the plateau to view the vista. As I sit here thinking pondering please all have a glorious day and keep all in harm’s way on your mind and in your thoughts
namaste
bird