The daily meanderings of a teacher

Tag: Education

Can you give it one more try?

Bird Droppings December 9, 2025Can you give it one more try? “You win some, you lose some, and some get rained out, but you gotta suit up for them all.” Satchel Paige is often attributed to J. Aisenberg In my high school teaching days, teachers at my school judged seasons by testing, not by weather.…

December 9, 2025
Walking along the way in my journey

Bird Droppings December 2, 2025Walking along the way in my journey I am building up my endurance by walking as much as I can each day. Pat and I are heading to see our North Carolina grandkids in the morning, and I hope to take some serious steps. As I think back on who I…

December 2, 2025
A morning meandering while the rain keeps coming down, and no sunrise

Bird Droppings November 30, 2025 A morning meandering while the rain keeps coming down, and no sunrise Almost ten years ago, after tutoring in an after-school program with a student who needed constant repetition of material to remember, I read through several old emails from my doctoral and graduate cohort friends, as some are defending…

November 30, 2025
I was listening to the stillness of a morning, the sunrise, and sometimes we need a window and not a mirror.

Bird Droppings November 21, 2025 I was listening to the stillness of a morning, the sunrise, and sometimes we need a window and not a mirror. I was sitting alone this morning, as I often do, after running, trying to get a few photos of the sunrise. Today, it was mostly foggy and cloudy and…

November 21, 2025
I firmly believe that there is a spiritual aspect to teaching.

Bird Droppings November 17, 2025I firmly believe that there is a spiritual aspect to teaching. I just arrived after an hour of driving around, chasing the sunrise. I got home, had some breakfast, and went outside to sit, listen, and photograph birds in my backyard. I periodically checked my Apple watch to see my heart…

November 17, 2025
Amazing how intertwined the strands of life really are

Bird Droppings November 11, 2025Amazing how intertwined the strands of life really are I was asked at dinner one evening when I started teaching, and I responded that I was twelve. The group I was with was thinking I was being my typical sarcastic self. Then I explained that I started teaching swimming to beginners…

November 11, 2025
Often, we find ourselves in a fog of education.

Bird Droppings November 7, 2025Often, we find ourselves in a fog of education. I was heading to my friend’s Rosary memorial service about seven years ago. I got up a bit later that day and walked a mile in the pool. I tend to meditate and wander in my thoughts, pondering as I might. I…

November 7, 2025
A morning meander while the beaver moon is glowing orange.

Bird Droppings November 6, 2025A morning meander while the beaver moon is glowing orange. Last night, as I looked out at the night sky, I honestly was not sure if the moon was glowing or not. I drove over to the reservoir, and the beaver moon was bright orange. However, I started thinking back to…

November 6, 2025
Watching a hawk fly by as I drove to Athens and the UGA library

Bird Droppings November 2, 2025 Watching a hawk fly by as I drove to Athens and the UGA library I recall a favorite memory of mine: from five years ago, for the first time in my teaching in public school, nearly twenty years, I was not required to teach to the test, which got me…

November 2, 2025
I wonder if you can get moon burn. Trying to get pictures of moonflowers.

Bird Droppings October 24, 2025I wonder if you can get moon burn. Trying to get pictures of moonflowers. I was up early in the morning, getting grandkiddos ready for school and fixing breakfast for a few extra folks. I remembered I had several seed pods left on my datura plants, jimson weed, and moonflower. I…

October 24, 2025