Bird Droppings June 14, 2013 Is not every day a new journey begun? “School divides life into two segments, which are increasingly of comparable length. As much as anything else, schooling implies custodial care for persons who are declared undesirable elsewhere by the simple fact that a school has been built to serve them.” Ivan…

Bird Droppings June 13, 2013 Can you be dreaming, imagining, thinking, pondering and reflecting all in a few minutes? I drove to south east Georgia for a trip over four years ago to take my oral exams for my doctorate. This was basically a follow-up face to face with my committee of professors and in…

Bird Droppings June 12, 2013 Should not a teacher be allowed a recharge? Keeping the energy flowing is crucial I attend and offer my two cents at two and sometimes three Foxfire Approach to Teaching Courses a year put on by Piedmont College for graduate students and teachers already in the classroom in Mountain City…

Bird Droppings June 11, 2013 Are we experiencing genocide of learning? In the midst of my daily journals entries lately it gets hectic I am trying to get readmitted to the doctorate program, running back and forth to North Georgia to sit in on Foxfire Teacher Classes, reading and discussing John Dewey, maintain some semblance…

Bird Droppings June 10, 2013 Should we sharpen the machete or bring a shovel? I have been reflecting over the concept of critical pedagogy and in that reflection I recall an incident nearly forty years ago that calls to mind my own interpretation and understanding of what we as teachers are all about. I purchased…

Bird Droppings June 9, 2013 An evolving pedagogy as I learn, see and listen more “We would do away with examinations. They measure the inconsequential type of learning. We would do away with grades and credits for the same reason. We would do away with degrees as a measure of competence partly for the same…

Bird Droppings June 6, 2013 Should we plant annuals or perennials? “We now accept the fact that learning is a lifelong process of keeping abreast of change. And the most pressing task is to teach people how to learn.” Peter Drucker I have read so many times that education should be about teaching lifelong learners.…

Bird Droppings June 5, 2013 Today should always be a first day “I have seen that in any great undertaking it is not enough for a man to depend simply upon himself.” Lone Man (Isna-la-wica)Teton Sioux So often in life we think we are the one. We can do it all on our own with…

Bird Droppings June 4, 2013 How difficult is it finding ourselves within the fog of education? “The more sand that has escaped the hourglass of life, the clearer we should see through it.” Jean Paul Sartre As I was looking for thoughts and ideas to start, I actually was going a different direction when by…

Bird Droppings June 3, 2013 Driving up a mountain takes effort I am looking forward to the trip to Black Rock Mountain in North Georgia, the site of the Foxfire property and Piedmont College’s teacher’s class in The Foxfire Approach to teaching in a few days or so. My oldest son took the course as…