Bird Droppings August 11, 2013 Reflecting for class and thinking of others “I think that empathy is important not only as a means of enhancing compassion, but I think that generally speaking when dealing with others on any level, if you are having difficulties, it’s extremely helpful to be able and try and put yourself…

Bird Droppings August 9, 2013 It is so much more than just wanting to “I want to say one other challenge that we face is simply that we must find an alternative to war and bloodshed. Anyone who feels, and there are still a lot of people who feel that way, that war can solve…

Bird Droppings August 8, 2013 Searching for the ends of a bell shaped curve “Tell me what gives a man or woman their greatest pleasure and I’ll tell you their philosophy of life.” Dale Carnegie In the days leading up to the last Democratic and Republican conventions I realize how much I really do not…

Bird Droppings August 6, 2013 Teachers need to try and care With school starting back again it is like remembering years past the past few weeks as numerous former students have called, emailed, come by and visit my room or messaged me on Facebook. Some are former students and non-students who would spend time in…

Bird Droppings August 5, 2013 Is not wondering is a powerful tool? Several years back we started sort of a school wide vocabulary of the week and with today being the first day of teachers going back to school I was reminded of this as I was looking through my various files for quotes and…

Bird Droppings August 4, 2013 Don’t cross word puzzles take some time? Towards the end of the last school year one of my students was working on a history assignment and had to define bias. She was not sure which definition was correct and asked my opinion. I explained in history bias is that of…

Bird Droppings August 2, 2013 Why do more? “Choices are sacred to life’s journey. They lie along the path that all of us must follow for ourselves. An important Cherokee lesson is that if you involve yourself in any decision, you also experience the consequences of that decision.” Dr. J.T. Garrett, Meditations with the Cherokee…

Bird Droppings August 1, 2013 Is doing the best teacher? It has been an interesting week. I did my usual going into school and working in my room. I spent a good bit of the mornings taking advantage of weather and light and getting some rather interesting photographs. Later yesterday afternoon after almost fifteen hours…

Bird Droppings July 31, 2013 Finding Soul in looking at Curriculum Or Can I get a nickels worth of cheese There is something about the first light on a summer’s morning. It could be about trying to discern how many different birds are singing and calling back and forth as they are waking up. It…