The daily meanderings of a teacher

Tag: Family

  • Who would have thought of a buffalo snort in the dark?

    Bird Droppings June 14, 2026Who would have thought of a buffalo snort in the dark? “Life is no brief candle to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got a hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to…

  • Grandparenting/Teaching is telling our students and grandchildren the stories so they can tell them to their grandchildren.

    Bird Droppings June 13, 2026 Grandparenting/Teaching is telling our students and grandchildren the stories so they can tell them to their grandchildren. I have been reading a significant amount of material on testing, of all things, and how to design an assessment. Over the years, I have always come back to portfolios as one of…

  • What does it take for that light bulb to go on?

    Bird Droppings June 11, 2026What does it take for that light bulb to go on? It has been nearly twenty years since my doctoral cohort at Georgia Southern ended, and we began the journey on our own. For a couple of semesters, I was a member of a new cohort at Piedmont College and wandering…

  • At what age should we be seeking a destination

    Bird Droppings May 16, 2026At what age should we be seeking a destination “Look in the mirror. Love that person, don’t let yourself down. Now, make yourself proud. If you needed a sign, keep going.” Tiffany, a former high school basketball player   Years ago, I photographed Tiffany playing basketball at Loganville High School. I…

  • Innocence is more than a definition.

    Bird Droppings May 8, 2026 Innocence is more than a definition. “Look at children. Of course, they may quarrel, but generally speaking, they do not harbor ill feelings as much or as long as adults do. Most adults have the advantage of education over children, but what is the use of an education if they…

  • Teaching and or 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fu Manchu

    Bird Droppings May 1, 2026Teaching and or 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fu Manchu After returning from taking pictures, I walked into the house after running a few errands and sat down to write. I will assume retirement will not be as tense and hectic as my first day teaching high school on September…

  • Can we find learning on the banks of the Chattahoochee River?

    Bird Droppings April 30, 2026 Can we find learning on the banks of the Chattahoochee River? About fifteen years ago, I was apprehensive as I got up on that morning, taking much longer than normal to get my day started. A good friend had called me and said that he would be in Phoenix, Alabama,…

  • Being reborn is listening with the heart

    Bird Droppings April 22, 2026 Being reborn is listening with the heart So often in life, we hear words, rationalize those utterances, develop an opinion, and then logically state a response. I returned to a conversation discussing existentialism with my granddaughter one night nearly fifteen years ago as she cooed and babbled, trying her best…

  • My friend Trooper pondering, remembering and digesting the stories.

    Bird Droppings April 19, 2026My friend Trooper pondering, remembering and digesting the stories. My youngest grandson turned six today, and my wife and I were talking about Facetiming with Henry later. I was outside today chasing a sunrise that ended in a swirl of clouds and a weather report calling for rain. The wind was…

  • Bird Droppings April 14, 2026 Innocence is more than a definition. “Look at children. Of course, they may quarrel, but generally speaking, they do not harbor ill feelings as much or as long as adults do. Most adults have the advantage of education over children, but what is the use of an education if they…