The daily meanderings of a teacher

A journal from a teacher

Sitting thinking of a circle

Bird Droppings January 22, 2018 Sitting thinking of a circle I missed the last rerun of a favorite miniseries, Into the West, and one of these days will find the DVD set or Netflix will add it. The movie starts and ends with a circle of stones with a line going east to west…

January 22, 2018
How do we know if we are still human?

Bird Droppings January 19, 2018 How do we know if we are still human? Perhaps it is from growing up in a situation where we were daily aware of special needs children and adults from the birth of my younger brother till his passing almost nineteen years ago. Those in my family have had…

January 19, 2018
Counting knuckles: or is it No child will be left behind who does what we want and is considered totally normal

Bird Droppings January 18, 2018 Counting knuckles: or is it No child will be left behind who does what we want and is considered totally normal One of my students asked a few years back what day of the month the following Friday would be and I responded January 30. Just as quick another…

January 18, 2018
A wondering of the circle for a moment

Bird Droppings January 17, 2018 A wondering of the circle for a moment Nearly fourteen years ago I received this email from a dear friend. I met Frances Friedman when I was a new staff member at Loganville High School in 2001. Frances had been teaching English and had worked with our then principal…

January 17, 2018
We are neither wolf nor dog

Bird Droppings January 16, 2018 We are neither wolf nor dog It has been some time since I first read a book by this name written by one of my favorite authors Kent Nerburn. In much of his writing Kent Nerburn addresses the spiritual significance and depth of life of our Native Peoples. While…

January 16, 2018
Finding a way to forgive

Bird Droppings January 15, 2018 Finding a way to forgive “The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong.” Mahatma Gandhi It was a little over six years ago I spent the morning on a field tip of sorts for a graduate school class. We visited the MLK Jr. Memorial…

January 15, 2018
Are you, at the center of your universe?

Bird Droppings January 13, 2018 Are you, 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…

January 13, 2018
Looking in a direction to start the morning

Bird Droppings January 12, 2018 Looking in a direction to start the morning “Beginnings start in the east – from where the sun rises we begin a new dawn. Each day is a good new day with a fresh beginning, a new start. East is the direction of the physical body and newness including…

January 12, 2018
Why should there be no teasing?

Bird Droppings January 11, 2018 Why should there be no teasing? “Before you speak, ask yourself, is it kind, is it necessary, and is it true, does it improve on the silence?” Hindu proverb So often I speak first and clean up afterwards many times simply walking away quiet generally leaving whoever I…

January 11, 2018
Trying to find a way back to normal

Bird Droppings January 10, 2018 Trying to find a way back to normal “Tin soldiers and Nixon coming, we’re finally on our own. This summer I hear the drumming, four dead in Ohio. Gotta get down to it soldiers are cutting us down should have been done long ago. What if you knew her…

January 10, 2018