The daily meanderings of a teacher

Bird Droppings March 19, 2019 When did Bird Droppings start? On February 3, 2003 I officially started titling my daily emailing and blogging, Bird Droppings. I went back in my files and pulled up a few old thoughts and ideas. As I was reading the local paper today a street poll was included asking locals…

Bird Droppings March 18, 2018 Quietly listening to Bob Dylan and pondering the word inspiration   My mind wandered back fourteen years to a county wide teacher kick off meeting, traditionally a packaged inspirational meeting and welcome back for the new school year hosted by an outside speaker. The county would pay big bucks to…

Bird Droppings March 17, 2019 Is there a difference between progressive and traditional teachers?   In a ninth grade literature class that I happened to co-teach in 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…

Bird Droppings March 15, 2019 Teaching and life are simply feeding wolves   As I opened my phone numerous news stories and jokes were addressing the college guidance company that recently was busted for getting wealthy kids into college for money. I recall the urban myths of a college SAT test taker who would using…

Bird Droppings March 14, 2019 Our teaching can make a difference every day   I was looking through data yesterday as I proctored students making up a bench mark test. This is an interesting situation. An extremely poorly made and designed test that students know they are going to fail.  Approximately ninety percent of students…

Bird Droppings March 13, 2019 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…

Bird Droppings March 12, 2019 Can we teach again a love of learning   This has been a perplexing time of my life. I recall an event, a car wreck in which a young man was killed and his passenger who was a good friend of my youngest son was severely injured. My thoughts rambled…

Bird Droppings March 11, 2019 Religion is what you make of it   “A poor devotee points to the sky and says, ‘God is up there.’ An average devotee says, ‘God dwells in the heart as the Inner Master.’ The best devotee says, ‘God alone is and everything I perceive is a form of God.’”…

Bird Droppings March 8, 2019 Inability of surmounting learning difficulties   It has been a few days since my last surgical procedure. I have been extremely occupied with school lately testing and IEP’s. I had forgotten that a year or so ago I had four surgeries over about eight weeks. Two weeks back I had…

Bird Droppings March 7, 2019 Seeking perfection in a world full of mud “I have found there are those who can write and speak fluently and yet do not have anything to say and then there are those who have something to say who may not be so fluent. The big question is who do,…