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…

Bird Droppings May 31, 2013 Are we attempting to build a bridge or just cross a stream? “You can never cross a stream the same way twice.” Zen saying When I recall using this quote and thought for the first time it was looking at a picture of my middle son dripping wet trying to…

Bird Droppings May 30, 2013 Wondering about the song lyrics of an old friend I first started listening to Neil Young’s music in 1967 or so possibly even earlier if you count Buffalo Springfield, a short lived band and of course 1968 with Crosby Stills and Nash at Woodstock and Deja vu, their first album…

Morning Droppings May 29, 2013 Do we all have empathy or not? “The capacity for consciousness of ourselves gives us the ability to see ourselves as others see us and to have empathy with others. It underlies our remarkable capacity to transport ourselves into someone else’s parlor where we will be in reality next week,…

Bird Droppings May 28, 2013 What do we consider success to be? “Most of the people we call successful are not twice as smart, or twice as able, as the rest of the field. Indeed, if they are only 10 percent more proficient, this is generally more than enough to give them a consistent edge.”…