The daily meanderings of a teacher

Bird Droppings August 4, 2019 Using Pronouns other then we   It was one of those days yesterday and a word caught my attention as I was listening to a friend talk. The word was them. I never realized the extent of prejudice till a pronoun was used. Such words as they, them, or those…

Bird Droppings August 3, 2019 I detest shopping but I really like Kroger   It was interesting I had two thoughts while similar that came to me this morning as I started the day out. One I heard on the radio going to get gas for my wife a country music radio announcer recalling an…

Bird Droppings August 2, 2019 Quietly listening to Bob Dylan and pondering the word inspiration   Nearly twelve years ago at our county wide teacher kick off meeting which is traditionally a packaged inspirational meeting and welcome for the new school year lead by a outside brought in speaker. The county pays big bucks to…

Bird Droppings August 1, 2019 What is this desire for freedom?   “Brute force, no matter how strongly applied, can never subdue the basic human desire for freedom and dignity. It is not enough, as communist systems have assumed, merely to provide people with food, shelter and clothing. Human nature needs to breathe the precious…

Bird Droppings July 31, 2019 An owl calling   Last night I woke for a few minutes as it turns out I forgot to turn on the ceiling fan. While up I stuck my nose out the door perhaps intuition who knows when wandering about the house half asleep. Deep in the pines an owl…

Bird Droppings July 30, 2019 Life, a journey only made difficult if there is no learning involved   “Use what talent you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best.” Henry Van Dyke   Since my mother passed away in April I often think back to visits…

Bird Droppings July 29, 2019 Is “Counting knuckles” a thing?   One Friday a number of years back a student asked what day of the month next Friday would be.  I responded January 30 and just as quick another said he thought it was the first. I said no it was the thirty first and…

Bird Droppings July 28, 2019 Is it only a dropped feather?   “If we consider the eagle feather with its light and dark colors, we could argue that ‘the dark colors are more beautiful and, therefore, naturally more valuable,’ or vice versa. Regardless of which colors are more beautiful, or necessary, or valuable, the truth…

Bird Droppings July 24, 2019 All in words we find   “The farmer channels water to his land. The fletcher whittles his arrows. And the carpenter turns his wood. So the wise direct their mind.” Dhammapada   Many years ago, there was a folk song entitled, If I were a carpenter, as I read this…

Bird Droppings July 23, 2019 What does it take for that light bulb to go on?   Yesterday I finally could sit long enough to do some work on my dissertation. I had a couple emails back and forth with my chair and actually felt like I was back on track for my doctorate. It…