Bird Droppings January 17, 2013 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 which point…

Bird Droppings January 16, 2013 Within the mirror can the reflection go beyond the moment?   I was glancing at a book this morning “Qualities of an effective teacher” by Dr. James H. Stronge, Professor in Educational Policy, Planning, and leadership at the College of William and Mary, WilliamsburgVirginia. Stronge looked at students and how…

Bird Droppings January 15, 2013 Walking and listening among the Cotton Woods   I walked outside earlier as I do many mornings listening observing trying to understand this reality I am walking about in. The sky was bright this morning with a very faint moon still hanging around and a few wisps of clouds were…

Bird Droppings January 14, 2013 Teaching is more than just passing along knowledge   It has been nearly ten years since my wife and I attended a turning and burning for the first time, near Gillsville Georgia. It was a gathering of potter’s, getting together to sell their wares and turn a few pots and…

Bird Droppings January 13, 2013 Caregiving and cared for we need both   “To care and be cared for are fundamental human needs. We all need to be cared for by other human beings. In infancy, illness, or old age, the need is urgent and pervasive; we need caregiving, and we need the special attitude…

Bird Droppings January 12, 2013 Can we say true heroism and humility are spelled the same?   Even though I am one of the worst spellers in this local area I know heroism and humility are technically spelled differently. I will concede to using words to come up with a perhaps catchy title for my…

Bird Droppings January 11, 2013 Looking for reasons   I had a rather exciting week as they go. I no longer have to drive down to Macon to pick up and drop off my youngest son at Mercer University as he attends Piedmont College and lives at home with his wife and daughter. However I…

Bird Droppings January 10, 2013 Horses and Trains and learning   It has been many years since I last rode on a train. I mean a serious train going more than the distance between concourses at an airport. Years ago when I lived in the Philadelphia area, we all used mass transit to commute, to…

Bird Droppings January 9, 2013 Caring is a very precious commodity in teaching   As I am pondering my early hours today before heading to take my wife to work and eventually end up at work myself I read an article dealing with charter schools and how they exclude many students. The air temperature is…

Bird Droppings January 8, 2012 Intuitiveness and being there   I have always thought that teachers need to be two things intuitive and empathetic. Both require an element of compassion and caring. I wonder often how people teach without these capabilities. Over the last week with several other teachers we have been discussing this in…