Bird Droppings September 2, 2014 Teaching can be successful So as I do on many mornings when I get the time I walked out to a quiet corner of my back yard. Nestled in a patch of weeds and brush I laid claim to my quiet spot and look toward the east in the morning.…

Bird Droppings August 31, 2014 Culture is far more than just a word “Silence was meaningful with the Lakota, and granting a space of silence before talking was done in the practice of true politeness and regardful of the rule that thought comes before speech. In the midst of sorrow, sickness, death or misfortune of…

Bird Droppings August 29, 2014 The continuing saga It is so often that I write of coincidence it may seem boring to some. To me it is a never ending saga of special moments one after the other. During a college graduate class, we discussed science and measuring of data. Intuition and coincidence it seems…

Bird Droppings August 28, 2014 Why do we wish, wonder and wait? “Calamity is the perfect glass wherein we truly see and know ourselves.” William Davenant It has been nearly eight years since we moved last and found ourselves in this house. I wasn’t sure from where to start several ideas have been running through…

Bird Droppings August 27, 2014 Why do we fail? Many the times, I have wondered why people stop learning. I see it in high school students, in college and graduate students. Almost as if a switch is thrown and poof no more learning I have reached my limit. I had a teacher approach me before…

Bird Droppings August 25, 2014 If only we can make a difference I walked out last night to a partial moon it was exceptionally warm with the high humidity which has become the norm. However, between the clouds I did see a jet stream that was perfectly in line with what tiny faint hint I…

Bird Droppings August 24, 2014 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 August 22, 2014 The head of education in the US should not be an idiot It was four years ago I was reading an article an interview with Arne Duncan, the Secretary of Education. I selected a few choice quotes from his interview to savor and ponder for a few days. As I…

Bird Droppings August 21, 2014 Could there be such a thing as Essential Education? It has been almost two years since I was discussing various educational philosophies and pedagogies with my son. One happened to be essential education which per his text is only a slight step from perennial education that is reading, writing and…

Bird Droppings August 20, 2014 Trying to teach an unteachable child “Let us think of education as the means of developing our greatest abilities, because in each of us there is a private hope and dream which, fulfilled, can be translated into benefit for everyone and greater strength for our nation.” John F. Kennedy As…