Bird Droppings August 24, 2014 A spiritual side to teaching “Solitude does not necessarily mean living apart from others; rather, it’s never living apart from one’s self. Not about absence of other people – it is about being fully present to ourselves, whether or not we are with others.” Parker Palmer Dr. Parker Palmer is…

Bird Droppings August 22, 2014 The head of education in the US should not be an idiot It was four years ago I was reading an article an interview with Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education. I selected a few choice quotes from his interview to savor and ponder for a few days. As I…

Bird Droppings August 21, 2014 Could there be such a thing as Essential Education? It has been almost two years since I was discussing various educational philosophies and pedagogies with my son. One happened to be essential education which per his text is only a slight step from perennial education that is reading, writing and…

Bird Droppings August 20, 2014 Trying to teach an unteachable child “Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation.” John F. Kennedy As…

Bird Droppings August 19, 2014 The next great teacher: A new reality show with significance I drove back to school about nine o’clock last night to run some copies and check on a few things. Walking out of the building the smiling moon was glowing through a patchwork of clouds. I did not have my…

Bird Droppings August 18, 2014 What is the Sixteen Hour Syndrome and should we embrace it or find a cure? I was away from my computer for several days other than downloading some photos from the weekend so I may be a bit wordy today letting it all out. It has been nearly fourteen years…

Bird Droppings August 15, 2014 Staring into the sky listening to an owl call: LEARNING – KNOWING – FINDING When I went out on my morning excursion this morning or I should say several times as I think the moon plotted against me glowing through partially opened blinds. I heard several dogs add a coyote…

Bird Droppings August 14, 2014 Teachers, is there much difference in our perceptions? “The delineation of the difference between modern (secular) society and traditional (Sacred) societies and their competing views of land and nature helps to explain the persistence of severe conflict between such societies. Unlike secular societies – where land signifies property, property signifies…

Bird Droppings August 13, 2014 Thinking about where I am going “Sooner or later something seems to call us onto a particular path… this is what I must do; this is what I’ve got to have. This is who I am. It’s important to ask yourself, how am I useful to others? What do people…

Bird Droppings August 12, 2014 I wonder what my favorite store is; Then again is it even important? Interesting two thoughts while similar struck me this morning as I started the day out. One I heard on the radio going to get gas for my wife the other morning from a radio announcer recalling an…