The daily meanderings of a teacher

Bird Droppings November 21, 2021Families and Friends The holidays are getting here soon, this holiday will be different, and turkey day might be less crowded. Pat and I were talking Thanksgiving will be the second in forty-three years we had alone. This semester of graduate school is ending. I have a defense coming up. My…

Bird Droppings November 20, 2021Trying to understand giving thanks, war and Teaching I seldom have a difficult time sleeping. I crashed last night after a visit with my grandkids.  Thursday, I had the first check-up of my pacemaker, and all is well I have twelve-year battery life and need to come back in a year.…

Bird Droppings November 18, 2021 A look at essential Bird Pedagogy Almost ten years ago, I read an article an interview with Arne Duncan, the former Secretary of Education. Considering the impact COVID 19 has had on high school and college sports, these thoughts are interesting. I selected a few quotes from his interview to…

Bird Droppings November 17, 2021While deadly, a spider spins to survive Just a thought to start the thinking process “When Peter pulled his sword and attacked the Roman soldier, he was told to put it away, and his boss turned to the injured soldier and healed his ear, but that was before Christianity” Frank Bird…

Bird Droppings November 16, 2021 Teaching is constantly climbing up another step I got up and went out to see the sunrise this morning. It wasn’t as brilliant as I’ve seen, but it was the contrast of the dark clouds moving through and a little bit of pink and orange behind it. I drove out…

Bird Droppings November 15, 2021 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 November 14, 2021Perhaps I had a vision walking in the moonlight As I walked out in the morning cold today, I kept thinking of a morning when a little more than a third of a full moon’s glow was lighting the area, giving me a vivid view of all around; I was taken…

Bird Droppings November 13, 2021At least trying to think this beautiful day “A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself.” Joseph Campbell I wonder if it is for attention that so many teenagers seek the route of drama in their lives. Overreacting to seemingly inconsequential stimulus seems…

Interconnecting threads make a tapestry Bird Droppings November 12, 2021 All through history, weaving has been a critical aspect of civilization. For thousands of years, people have been weaving cloth for clothes and blankets to survive, and soon after, weaving began for art’s sake. “For certain fortunate people, there is something that transcends all classifications…

Bird Droppings November 10, 2021 Finding solace along the way I did not think I used too many fancy words in my writing. However, I have a terrible habit of inventing words. A few days ago, a good friend and former student from another time it seems said I could read every word in Bird…