The daily meanderings of a teacher

Bird Droppings January 23, 2020 Caregiving and or cared for, we need both?   “To care and be cared for are fundamental human needs. We all need to be cared for by other human beings. In infancy, illness, or old age, the need is urgent and pervasive; we need caregiving, and we need the special…

Bird Droppings January 22, 2020 Walking and listening among the Cotton Woods   I walked outside earlier as I do many mornings listening observing trying to understand this reality I am walking about in. The sky was almost bright this morning with a very faint moon still hanging around and a few wisps of clouds…

Bird Droppings January 21, 2020 LIFE   Morning has been a special time for me each day, a new beginning. Several aspects make it special, first one of taking the dog out and talking with him as he sniffs and does his thing in the yard. Then I go to my writing and reading which…

Bird Droppings January 20, 2020 Can we define our own success or does it take another?   Recently teachable moments have been rare. Last week on spur if the moment I drew upon my experiences and while discussing the phylum arthropods. One of my favorites is the black and yellow garden spider, Agriope aurantia, or…

Bird Droppings January 19, 2020 Taking and making the most of each moment and learning about moleskin: I think we need to find the moleskin in education along with switchbacks   Waking up to my dog barking because he needs to run outside for a second is not the best way to wake up. My…

Bird Droppings January 17, 2020 How do we know if we are still human?   Perhaps it is from growing up in a situation where we were aware of special needs children and adults directly from the birth of my younger brother till his passing almost twenty five years ago that those in my family…

Bird Droppings January 15, 2020 Who is at the center of your universe?   “Tung-shan was asked, ‘The normal mind is the way; what is the normal mind?’ He replied, ’Not picking things up along the road.’” From Teachings of Zen, edited by Thomas Cleary, © 1998   One aspect of the Zen teachings is…

Bird Droppings January 14, 2020 Passion to learn/teach: Can it be rekindled?   Many days I wonder who I write for in the morning. Perhaps no one, maybe a teacher who needs just a thought but occasionally I write for me. I needed an uplift, an adrenaline shot so to say. Starting in a new…

Bird Droppings January 13, 2020 Quietly listening to Bob Dylan and pondering the word inspiration   I woke up a bit earlier than normal although I did not have a very good night’s sleep. I left the class room Friday frustrated. My day had been thrown off by an administrator’s discipline talk. As a result…

Bird Droppings January 9, 2020 A chill in the air but not in the heart, thank you Maya Angelou   For several weeks now, we have been balancing between warm and cold weather in the early mornings which still is too cold for the crickets and tree frogs who need an ambient temperature a bit…