The daily meanderings of a teacher

Bird Droppings October 20, 2018 What about adding to our current reality TV: The great teachers of America? I am back in grad school and finishing my twelve yearlong doctorate, today working on writing. A time ago I had been set up to teach several new college classes when I received notification of a reduction in…

Bird Droppings October 19, 2018 Am I a Weginahsa?   “The work of a teacher – exhausting, complex, idiosyncratic, never twice the same – is at its heart, an intellectual and ethical enterprise. Teaching is the vocation of vocations, a calling that shepherds a multitude of other callings. It is an activity that is intensely…

Bird Droppings October 18, 2018 How do we find democracy?   I was three years back I was still recovering from a slight change in medication for my blood pressure. I went home from school and dozed off for three hours afterwards. Immediately the next day we were rushing around with our heads cut off…

Bird Droppings October 16, 2018 We are so missing Creativity   It was another quiet morning as I wandered out although a bit too chilly for crickets and frogs. Yesterday afternoon as it warmed up however several tree frogs visited around the house. The air was still, not a breeze as I sat in my…

Bird Droppings October 14, 2018 Do great teachers truly use intuition?   I have mentioned over the years I can tell when a child has emotional issues most of the time after observing a few minutes and listening. Granted observations are part of most evaluations but I was referring to an intuitive aspect of observation.…

Bird Droppings October 11, 2018 How do you feed the wolves?   I walked outside very early this morning to a sky filled with clouds leaving and a brisk wind. Crickets were almost silent chirping slowly in the unusually warm weather. My morning started long before sunrise today and the sounds as I walked to…

Bird Droppings October 12, 2018 A chilly morning observation   I spent the better part of yesterday avoiding my direction so intent on the moment I was missing cues to the past and future. As an empathetic human being I get caught up at times in the emotions and feedback of the present. When I…

Bird Droppings October 10, 2018 What is that piece you cannot teach teachers?   “Studies suggest that instructional and management processes are key to effectiveness, but many interview and survey responses about effective teaching emphasize the teacher’s affective characteristics, or social and emotional behaviors, more than pedagogical practice.” James H. Stronge, Qualities of Effective Teachers…

Bird Droppings October 6, 2018 Teach to where the learning will be not to where it is   It seems lately the pressure of old age has been weighing on my mind. Today is the first day in some time I felt pretty good it could be it is fall break and next week my…

Bird Droppings October 5, 2018 An eclectic morning   I was talking with the cashier at a local convenience store yesterday morning. We began discussing, The Davinci Code and other philosophical diversions and fearing death as a basis for religion came up.   “Learn as if you were going to live forever. Live as if…