The daily meanderings of a teacher

Tag: Teachers

  • Passion for learning: Can it be rekindled?

    Bird Droppings January 5, 2025Passion for learning: Can it be rekindled? April 4, 1968, I was a freshman at West Chester State, now University. I was not seriously politically active, and I would say naïve. I do recall the news stories and the tension that followed. I grew up in a town where the people…

  • Quietly listening to Hot Tuna and pondering the word inspiration.

    Bird Droppings July 15, 2025 Quietly listening to Hot Tuna and pondering the word inspiration. Over twenty years ago, at a county-wide teacher kick-off meeting, it was traditionally a packaged inspirational meeting and welcome before state and federal budget cuts. This was the startup for the new school year led by a brought-in speaker. They…

  • Finding a pathway even when one does not appear

    Bird Droppings December 17, 2025Finding a pathway even when one does not appear The past week has sort of run together, though each day was interesting in its own right. It may have been sitting and watching movies with the family, three hectic days shopping with Pat, our 47th anniversary, chasing sunrises every morning, trying…

  • Looking for synchronous moments

    Bird Droppings December 13, 2025 Looking for synchronous moments Every year for five or so years, I have had lunch during teacher preplanning with my oldest son and a good friend with whom I used to co-teach, and afterward, I walked around the school, visiting with an old friend from the high school where I…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…

  • 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…