The daily meanderings of a teacher

Bird Droppings August 29, 2013 If only we can make a difference I walked out last night to a partial moon it was exceptionally warm with the high humidity which has become the norm. However between the clouds I did see a jet stream that was perfectly in line with what I could see of…

Bird Droppings August 28, 2013 A spiritual side to teaching “Solitude does not necessarily mean living apart from others; rather, it’s never living apart from one’s self. Not about absence of other people – it is about being fully present to ourselves, whether or not we are with others.” Parker Palmer Dr. Parker Palmer is…

Bird Droppings August 27, 2013 A final look at essential Bird Pedagogy It was three years ago I was reading an article actually an interview with Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education. I selected a few choice quotes from his interview to savor and ponder for a few days. As I look at the words…

Bird Droppings August 26, 2013 Could there be such a thing as Essential Education? It has been almost two years since I was discussing various educational philosophies and pedagogies with my son. One happened to be essential education which per his text is only a slight step from perennial education which basically is reading, writing…

Bird Droppings August 23, 2013 Trying to teach an unteachable child “Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation.” John F. Kennedy As…

Bird Droppings August 22, 2013 The next great teacher: A new reality show with significance I drove back to school about nine o’clock last night to run some copies and check on a few things. Walking out of the building the moon was glowing through a patch work of clouds. I did not have my…

Bird Droppings August 21, 2013 The Sixteen hour syndrome and should embrace it? It has been nearly thirteen years since I wrote about the Sixteen Hour Syndrome in relationship to emotionally and behaviorally disturbed students. The idea developed from my own observations of a group of twenty eight students in a Georgia high school. At…

Bird Droppings August 20, 2013 Staring into the sky listening to an owl call: LEARNING – KNOWING – FINDING When I went out on my morning excursion this morning or I should say several times as I think my dog plotted against me. I heard our dog and she wanted out so we went for…

Bird Droppings August 19, 2013 Is there much difference in our perceptions? “The delineation of the difference between modern (secular) society and traditional (Sacred) societies and their competing views of land and nature helps to explain the persistence of severe conflict between such societies. Unlike secular societies – where land signifies property, property signifies capital,…

Bird Droppings August 18, 2013 Thinking about where I am going “Sooner or later something seems to call us onto a particular path… this is what I must do; this is what I’ve got to have. This is who I am. It’s important to ask yourself, how am I useful to others? What do people…