The daily meanderings of a teacher

Bird Droppings April 4, 2024Getting ready “In the government schools, which are referred to as public schools, Indian policy has been instituted there, and it’s a policy where they do not encourage, in fact, discourage, critical thinking and the creation of ideas and public education.” Russell Means I walked outside early this morning before sunrise,…

Bird Droppings April 3, 2024I truly believe there is a spiritual side to teaching. I just came in after an hour of sitting, listening, and photographing birds in my backyard. I periodically checked my Apple watch to see my heart rate, and it was consistently at 61, right where it should be. I was relaxed…

Bird Droppings March 28, 2024My pedagogy is evolving as I learn, see, and listen more. “We would do away with examinations. They measure the inconsequential type of learning. We would do away with grades and credits for the same reason. We would do away with degrees as a measure of competence partly for the same…

Bird Droppings March 23, 2024Why should life be a difficult journey? “Use what talent you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those that sang best.” Henry Van Dyke About six years ago, I visited with my mother, and I walked by my father’s and brother’s gravesites and stood by…

Bird Droppings March 22, 2024Can we find answers? Several years ago, I would have said there were answers to almost any question that could be asked. Today, sitting here, I wonder, granted; first, you have to ask what the question or questions are, but now I have a different attitude that allows for an unanswerable…

Bird Droppings March 21, 2024The inability of surmounting learning difficulties It has been a few days since my last post. I have been extremely occupied with some minor surgery yesterday, and the psychological impact of having a small spot of skin cancer removed the past few days. Last week, I had several doctor appointments, ultrasounds,…

Bird Droppings March 24, 2024So close to finishing So often, as I start my writing each morning, there has been an experience recently to build upon. It is utilizing these previous experiences to provide windows and doors for future experiences. I was driving through our town, and a shop I had seen numerous times caught…

Bird Droppings March 15, 2024 To die a happy death Lately, sitting on my back porch pondering and taking pictures of passing birds, I think of death. I read that sentence again, and it sounds grim. We are by nature provided with birth and, at some point, an ending. As you get to my age,…

Bird Droppings March 12, 2024 Should I be a wolf or dog in education? In light of the current news and political turmoil, I recalled a trip to the Atlanta Zoo. An elderly man approached me as I walked up the hill at the Zoo. I had never met this man previously and hoped never…

Bird Droppings March 10, 2024Our teaching can make a difference every day. I recall one day that I was looking through data as I sat through a special education training session. This is an exciting situation. I was reviewing data from a recent benchmark test in biology. It is an extremely poorly made and designed…