The daily meanderings of a teacher

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…

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…

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…

Bird Droppings January 9, 2018 Decontextualizing – Learning is a journey strewn with boulders   “In a word, learning is decontextualized. We break ideas down into tiny pieces that bear no relation to the whole. We give students a brick of information, followed by another brick, followed by another brick, until they are graduated, at…

Bird Droppings January 8, 2018 Walking and listening among the Cotton Woods   Since starting my breathing treatments for sleep apenea, I awake to vivid dreams on some nights. Today I walked outside briefly as I do listening, observing, trying to understand this reality I am walking about in. The sky was blanketed with clouds…