On teaching to what is not tested.

So fellow travelers, I’ve written before about the turbulence in education created by current trends which focus on “high stakes” testing. It’s a misguided push by politicians and private companies which basically results in a “teaching to the test” mode of education.  This is particularly true in areas where test results are being directly linked to state funding of school aid and staff performance.  In fifteen years of working as a special education assistant in our local school district I have seen a lot of educational trends come and go.  I have never seen anything so destructive to the educational process; its most damaging impact, in my opinion,  is the way this type of testing shatters kids’ confidence in their ability to learn.  Morale these days is at an all time low, yet educators are a resilient bunch, riding waves of change as they quietly continue doing what they do best: teaching our kids. Every now and then, I catch glimmers of hope.

  Take today when the students at C.W. Baker High School were greeted by this colorful display.

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Here’s a closeup of what’s printed on the star balloon at the top of the arch.

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We are celebrating a magnificent achievement!

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At the beginning of the year, the Key Club announced an ambitious project with the Make A Wish program. (If you’re not familiar with the organization, google them; they do really good stuff.)  The students wanted to raise enough funds to fully fund one local child’s wish.  This meant raising $9,500 before spring break and after break our administrator announced that goal had been reached. From “Buy a Star” to zumba classes the students created a six month series of diverse events giving everyone an opportunity to support the project.   Today blue popsicles will be handed out to every student during lunch.  Balloons appeared by the project board in the main hallway.

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So now a  nine year old girl with cystic fibrous goes on a Disney Cruise to the Bahamas because students at our high school decided making a difference mattered.

I’m not sure how the New York Board of Education plans to measure this achievement on any of their tests.  Frankly measuring the accomplishment is no where near as important as knowing the experience of achieving this goal will remain with the students long after any testable knowledge has faded from their memory.

Walk softly on the path my friends and may adventure find you ready.

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by on April 24, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Much ado about nothing
Posted by Deborah H Rahalski on April 24, 2015

https://dhrahalski86.com/on-teaching-to-what-is-not-tested/

Running at The Ledge: A theory of life and commitment

Honest, authentic writing about what it means for one brave couple to be married.

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by on April 21, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Bedlam Farm Creative Group, Family and relationships, Guest Posts
Posted by Deborah H Rahalski on April 21, 2015

https://dhrahalski86.com/running-at-the-ledge-a-theory-of-life-and-commitment/

The White Knight of Spring

So fellow travelers,  this morning I found this beautiful single bloom in the middle of our lawn, yards away from the rest of it’s companions,  I suspect a random planting courtesy of  one of our resident chipmunks or voles. As I lay on my front lawn working to get this shot these words wove themselves into a Haiku….

WhiteKnightEdit

 

White Knight standing tall

lone Spring warrior message

Bloom where you’re planted

 

Walk gently on the path my friends and may Adventure find you ready.

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by on April 18, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Photography, Poems and Haiku
Posted by Deborah H Rahalski on April 18, 2015

https://dhrahalski86.com/the-white-knight-of-spring/

… on raising grampa

In a world of fractured families it is a gift to find authentic stories of real love and true life…..

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by on April 17, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Bedlam Farm Creative Group, Family and relationships, Guest Posts
Posted by Deborah H Rahalski on April 17, 2015

https://dhrahalski86.com/on-raising-grampa/

Creek Walk: a different perspective

So fellow travelers, we continue on the path in search of the eagles at Onondaga Lake.

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The habitat along the Inner Harbor walking trail is still recovering from the harsh winter we have just bid goodbye.  Even the grass along the waters edge is mainly brown.  Everywhere there is evidence of the toll winter has taken.

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There is also evidence of human impact

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I was told local youth make a game of tossing rocks at the beautiful lamps which line the walkway. They cost hundreds to replace. It’s disheartening at times to find this kind of thoughtless destruction, yet my perspective on things like this has changed under the influence of creative inspiration. I gaze on the broken glass and, while I morn it’s destruction, I also notice the remarkable feeling of balance it’s precarious alignment creates.

A few yards further along the path I come across another hallmark of youth; I take images like this as signs of hope

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Foolish? Maybe, but at least the message fits the Inner Harbor intentions and soon after I was greeted by a friendly shaggy dog who seemed perfectly content to walk the path with his human regardless of the trash and broken lamps.

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To reach the trees where the eagles roost I had to pass under the road which goes to a sprawling mall at the foot of Onondaga Lake.  I often wonder how many of the hundreds of visitors who frequent the mall would trade an hour of shopping in American Eagle for an hour with the real eagles.  As I approached the passage, pondering this thought,  the graceful curve of the bridge and the colorful boating lights caught my eye.

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I’ve driven across that bridge countless times and never knew the lights were there. It made me smile because I know every time I  drive across it from now on I will remember how nicely decorated it is.  The discovery was almost enough to make up for this

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Yes, there it is a tree quite empty of eagles.  Oh well, maybe they went shopping at the mall.

Walk gently on the path my friends and may adventure find you ready.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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by on April 16, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Bedlam Farm Creative Group, Birdacious tales
Posted by Deborah H Rahalski on April 16, 2015

https://dhrahalski86.com/creek-walk-a-different-perspective/

Creek Walk : eagle eyes

So fellow travelers, we were just about to set forth on one of my local walking trails.

Early April is one of the best times for birding in Central New York.  There is a steady increase in the numbers and varieties of birds  with the advantage of more open vistas, since the trees have not yet “leafed in” . The shot in my previous post of the singing finch would be partially, if not mostly, obscured by leaves if taken in a few more weeks.

I am far from an expert, but a decade of regular outings has given me enough experience to be fairly confident in identifying several dozen species by either sight or sound. Still, the absence of so many birds through the long winter months tests the memory;  “Is that a yellow throated, yellow winged, yellow rump or plain ol yellow warbler calling?” So this is the time of year when the CD in the car stereo is likely to be one from my set of Peterson’s Eastern Bird Songs.  Excellent review material in preparation for the annual 24 hour birding marathon our local Audubon chapter holds in May.

Being able to see the birds one hears, or thinks they hear, is a tremendous advantage.  So when I heard a goldfinch calling as I walked towards the path, I was happy to capture this shot.

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I was not as lucky with the bluebird who darted over the path or the chipping sparrow who zipped across the field as I approached. But their movement drew my eye towards this shot

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and then I heard a “crawnk, crawnk” and the sound of splashing, so I scooted towards the water to find…..

cormorants!

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Taking off

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and landing

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Mind you this is within walking distance from a huge mall, in a area once surrounded by factories and warehouses.

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As I headed towards the trees where the eagles have been seen  I wondered if the many citizens who pass along the trail realize what a gem it truly is and  more imeediately, whether anyone would be “home” at the roost?

To be continued

Walk gently on the path my friends and may adventure find you ready

 

 

 

 

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by on April 15, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Birdacious tales, Photography
Posted by Deborah H Rahalski on April 15, 2015

https://dhrahalski86.com/creek-walk-eagle-eyes/

Creek Walk : the true first day of Spring

So fellow travelers, spring weather finally put in a full court appearance today. It figures, since it’s our last day of spring break. Oh well, I know better than to take good weather days for granted so I threw on some hiking shoes, grabbed my camera and headed out.

When I go birding I never really know what to expect. Sure, there are sightings I hope to catch but no one birds for long before encountering the Second Noble Truth of Buddhism : “desire is the root of all suffering.”  During our annual birdathon one can go for hours without seeing some of the more common birds.  I remember one year our team did not spot a pigeon until close to 4pm.  We thought we had gone mad.  We eventually found a half dozen of the buggers lined up along a rooftop ridge.  One begins to suspect a kind of winged conspiracy like the year we never spotted a single hummingbird only to find several hovering around our feeder the following morning.  Seriously?

Today, I headed back to a spot I have been meaning to check on since I grabbed this shot from a distance on my way out of town.

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Yes, an eagle perched in trees just inside the city limits of Syracuse New York.  Go Orange!

A few years ago, several eagles decided to winter over at the south end of Onondaga Lake. There is a sewage treatment plant where Onondaga Creek comes into the lake and the warm outflow keeps that end of the lake ice free. It creates enough open water for the eagles to hunt successfully for fish. Even through the brutal cold and frigid temperatures of this past winter,  when Erie and Ontario saw record ice cover ( as did all the Great Lakes ) the south end of Onondaga has a good sized area of open water.  Half a dozen eagles took up residence there this winter providing quite a display for the steady stream of local birders.

The day I grabbed the distant shots I did not have time to find the walking trail which follows the creek and runs right underneath the eagles’ roost.  It is part of a relatively new section of walking trail which is part of a long term project to connect existing trails into a continuous lake loop. Delilah and I often walk the trails at the northern end of the lake and I’ve accessorized a few of my poems with shots taken there. Today’s objective was to locate the parking area at the Inner Harbor where fellow birders indicated the trail towards the eagle trees could be accessed.

Success…

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the tell tale “sail”  which covers the stage used for concerts and, as a bonus, a welcome serenade from a little house finch who let me get just close enough to snap a quick shot.

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With the finch’s song to put “spring” in my step I walked towards the trail and hopefully more birdacious encounters.

To be continued……

Walk gently on the path my friends and may adventure find you ready.

 

 

 

 

1 Comment
by on April 12, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Birdacious tales, Photography
Posted by Deborah H Rahalski on April 12, 2015

https://dhrahalski86.com/creek-walk-the-true-first-day-of-spring/

Hawk

So fellow travelers,  high winds and wintery winds chills grounded an intended birding expedition yesterday.

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The morning was not a total loss, as the Cornell Ornithology Lab has a 24/7 hawk nest camera as well as several BOGs (birder on ground) who were livestreaming from various locations.  Through their lenses I got to watch ospreys fishing,  two Great Egrets hunting by a large pond and a good assortment of ducks and returning small birds. One of the BOGs captured a shot of Ezra snatching a grey squirrel right off the ground for Big Red, his mate at the nest.

Still, given a choice I’d prefer my birding encounters to happen in person.

So I was thrilled to hear a familiar high pitched call and catch sight of a beautiful red tail hawk sailing over the trees along the road where my dog and I went for our afternoon walk.  As it turned and headed towards the woods, I caught a glimpse of a successful hunt.  This haiku landed in my thoughts as I headed home with a grateful heart.

 

Wings flash red tail waves

squirrel’s sacrifice dinner

for a nesting mate

 

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Editorial note:  The photo shop “paintings” are created from Cornell Ornithology Hawk Cam photo files used by permission.

 

Walk gently on the path my friends and may adventure find you ready

 

2 Comments
by on April 12, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Birdacious tales, Poems and Haiku
Posted by Deborah H Rahalski on April 12, 2015

https://dhrahalski86.com/hawk/

Following an other than yellow brick road

So fellow travelers, it is not uncommon for me to check in online and find a post from someone announcing their decision to close out a social media profile. These announcements cite “rampant negativity,” “impersonal prattle,” “too personal revelations,”  and a “lack of authentic connection” as reasons they consider the time spent on line as wasted.  Or they might offer an apology in advance of “cleaning out” their contacts list.  “Please don’t take it personally,” they say  in case someone doesn’t “make the cut.”

No problem. I have learned the fewer things I take personally,  the happier I am and the happier I am, the easier it is to take fewer things personally. It’s one of the most valuable lessons I have gleaned from my experiences on this crazy ride.

Still, sometimes I wonder if I am somehow logged onto an alternate internet, something akin to a virtual alternate universe.  It’s not that negative posts don’t ever show up in my newsfeed, but they are few and far between. Probably has something to do with what I choose to “like” and what I tag as “I Don’t Want to See This.” More often than not the first post I find will offer me true inspiration or a good hearty laugh.

Take for example a recent post from blogger and CGBF member Lisa Dingle wherein she described her shift from “pissy” to “spring-y” back to “pissy,” as she chased spring on her recent trip to her other home in Maine.  The morning I read her post I was wrestling with my daughter’s request that we drive to “the part of Philly with the brick streets and cool coffee shop.”

No, she was not asking me to drive as far out of the way as it sounds.  We were already in the vicinity of Philadelphia visiting my parents on our own quest for a little spring while on break this week. Yes, I had offered to give my daughter’s girlfriend who had come along on the trip a quick tour of Philly since it was her first time visiting. Stopping in Old City, where my daughter wanted to go, meant rearranging the route I had mapped out the night before, which seemed inconvenient until I read Lisa’s post and saw her photo of bricks…..

Old City could also be called Brick City.  Suddenly re-routing my gps “via” points felt much less inconvenient. In fact it fit right in with the ripple of inspiration beginning to radiate through my brain.  I set out for the dodge and weave adventure of driving on the Schuylkill Expressway in a creative, much less “pissy” state of mind.

By way of  an Affirmation from the Universe, we found an open parking space where five dollars granted us a voucher for two hours of parking, a bargain by big city standards.  It was right across the street from our first stop.

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where I was able to capture the shot I envisioned while reading Lisa’s post

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Historic bricks in Old City Philadelphia

as well as a glimpse of my future globe trotting daughter

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As we walked down 2nd street we came across several galleries, including one with a stairway decorated by art students

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I captured this bit of spring, focusing as best I could with my camera phone on the diamond glow of fresh raindrops

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We came to Christ Church, founded in 1695 and attended by many of our Founding Fathers and Mothers.

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More historic bricks 

and as the girls shopped in a second hand bookstore across the street, I wandered around the quiet church yard, snapping photos.

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Reflecting on history, Christ Church garden Philadelphia.

This is my favorite shot, an image I know is the result of putting into practice what I have learned from Jeff Anderson’s photography classes and also influenced by the creative work of photographers I have met on line.

This might not have happened without the connections I have made through social media.  I’ve met many of the CGBF members in person and found them to be genuine, caring and just plain fun to be with.  I have come away from these “old friends who’ve just met” encounters with authentic friendships.  I am fully aware my experience reflects a conscious choice to focus on a select segment of social media. Whether on line or out in the world, the negativity is still out there, it always will be, but that doesn’t mean it has to “in here” where I come to be inspired to live a creative life.

Walk gently on the path my friends and may adventure find you ready.

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by on April 11, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Bedlam Farm Creative Group, Guest Posts, Photography, travel adventures
Posted by Deborah H Rahalski on April 11, 2015

https://dhrahalski86.com/following-an-other-than-yellow-brick-road/

Amphibious Ambivalence

So fellow travelers, by way of a followup to the Ponderous Thoughts post here is an updated edition of an earlier post from August 2013 about my pond

1 Comment
by on April 10, 2015  •  Permalink
Posted in Family and relationships, Photography, The quest for Inner Peace
Posted by Deborah H Rahalski on April 10, 2015

https://dhrahalski86.com/amphibious-ambivalence-2/

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