The daily meanderings of a teacher

Bird Droppings March 21, 2021Have we sold our souls for a few trinkets? Morning is a special time for me always a new beginning. That might be far too easy of a way to say what I am trying to say. Today I went out a bit early from the house to take out the…

Bird Droppings March 19, 2021Children Teach what they Live It is a beautiful spring day outside and quiet after a crazy couple day of severe weather. It seems the solitude of the country has changed rapidly the past year. A developer bought our sub-division and has put up thirty more houses. People are moving into…

Bird Droppings March 18, 2021Is it passion or just obsession? “All games have an important and probably decisive influence on the destinies of the players under ordinary social conditions, but some offer more opportunities than others for life long careers and are more likely to involve innocent bystanders.” Dr. Eric Berne, The games people play.…

Bird Droppings March 17, 2021Setting priorities on a wet chilly almost spring morning “Keep in mind that you are always saying ‘no’ to something. If it isn’t to the apparent, urgent things in your life, it is probably to the most fundamental, highly important things. Even when the urgent is good, the good can keep…

Bird Droppings March 16, 2021Are we going in the right direction? A year ago, today I was sitting reviewing the status of my student’s online work. A couple of surprises and some that were not. I thought to myself when the virus finally moves on and the smoke clears some grades will be going up…

Bird Droppings March 15, 2021Quietly listening to Bob Dylan and pondering the word inspiration. My mind wandered back fifteen years to a county-wide teacher kick-off meeting perhaps since many teachers are on still monitoring lessons from computers but not in the classroom. Many communities are banning gatherings of fifty or more. With my wife in…

Bird Droppings March 14, 2021Is there a difference between progressive and traditional teachers? In a ninth-grade literature class that I happened to co-teach many years ago, I was introduced to the book, Freedom Writers Diary and the film based on the book. In some ways, the story is similar to the story of Foxfire. Erin…

Bird Droppings March 12, 2021Teaching and life are simply feeding wolves As I opened my computer this morning a virus leads the news stories. A year ago, the numerous news stories and jokes were addressing the college guidance company that was busted for getting wealthy kids into college for money. Today we are faced with…

Bird Droppings March 11, 2021Our teaching can make a difference every day I recall one day that I was looking through data as I sat through a special education training session. This is an interesting situation. I was reviewing data from a recent benchmark test in biology. An extremely poorly made and designed test that…

Bird Droppings March 10, 2021 Should I be a wolf or dog in education? In light of watching current news and political turmoil I recalled a trip to the Atlanta Zoo. I was approached as I walked up the hill at the Zoo by an elderly man. I had never met this man previously and…