The daily meanderings of a teacher

Category: The Art of Learning: Using the Foxfire Core Practices as a pallette

  • Critical Pedagogy is not a dirty word

    Bird Droppings June 15, 2012 Critical Pedagogy is not a dirty word               This time of year I am traditionally back and forth to North Georgia the past four or five summers to a program taught by faculaty from Piedmont College and housed on the Foxfire Property in Mountain City Georgia. Teachers from literally…

  • An evolving pedagogy as I learn

    Bird Droppings June 14, 2012 An evolving pedagogy as I learn   “We would do away with examinations. They measure the inconsequential type of learning. We would do away with grades and credits for the same reason. We would do away with degrees as a measure of competence partly for the same reason. Another reason…

  • Finding the essential Bird Pedagogy

    Bird Droppings June 13, 2012 Finding the essential Bird Pedagogy   I walked out last evening just before dark tired from driving and little sleep but listening carefully to a sound filled world about me. The leaves and grass were still wet from two days of rain and the heat of the afternoon sun had…

  • Keeping the energy flowing

    Bird Droppings June 12, 2012 Keeping the energy flowing   I attend at least partially two Foxfire courses a year for teachers in Mountain City Georgia. This course is actually a graduate class of Piedmont College’s Education Department. Last night as I made my way back, this was as always invigorating for me. The experience…

  • Trying to understand why

    Bird Droppings June 11, 2012 Trying to understand why               It has been an interesting summer with everyone sort of going in differing directions almost all the time. I will spend a good deal of time at school. It gives me time to think and ponder when the hallways are quiet. Tomorrow we will…

  • Sitting at my kitchen table pondering

    Bird Droppings June 10, 2011 Sitting at my kitchen table pondering               I am up a bit earlier than normal on a Sunday morning but a trip ahead of me one of which for nearly six years now I try and make about this time each year. Very few times when teachers get together…

  • How about listening to John Lennon?

    Bird Droppings June 9, 2012 How about listening to John Lennon?             Yesterday I got home a bit after watching a movie with my son Prometheus, the new sci-fi film out sort of raising the question of how we got here. Earlier I ran some errands and did a little boxing and moving at school…

  • Should we plant annuals or perennials?

    Bird Droppings June 7, 2012 Should we plant annuals or perennials?   “We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change. And the most pressing task is to teach people how to learn.” Peter Drucker   I have read so many times that education should be about teaching…

  • Today should always be a first day

    Bird Droppings June 7, 2012 Today should always be a first day   “I have seen that in any great undertaking it is not enough for a man to depend simply upon himself.” Lone Man (Isna-la-wica)Teton Sioux    So often in life we think we are the one. We can do it all on our…

  • How difficult is it finding ourselves?

    Bird Droppings June 6, 2012 How difficult is it finding ourselves?   “The more sand that has escaped the hourglass of life, the clearer we should see through it.” Jean Paul Sartre   As I was looking for thoughts and ideas to start, I actually was going a different direction when by accident or should I…