Byron Bird - he/him

Mr. Bird

Science Teacher 

bbird@sierraacademy.net 

Mr. Bird was a country kid, living a ways out in the hills, going to a very small school in a very wide landscape.  That open and steady childhood began a life-long fascination with the quiet personal processes of observation and reflection.  These remain hallmarks of his philosophy as a teacher of science.  High school, though, took place in the city and across the world, creating new ideas and aspirations.  Tight bonds within the cross-country team, a whole circus of mentors across the local climbing community, and projects as part of international service organizations in Mexico and Thailand combined to help Mr. Bird finish high school with a powerful, but hard to pinpoint call to action.  He chose a college based on a vivid image of snow falling outside a brick-faced library.  That and a desire to focus on his studies at the price of outdoorsy pursuits landed Mr. Bird in far western New York.  Four years later, with bachelors degrees in Mathematics and Environmental Science and a minor in Education, Mr. Bird took a position as an English teacher in Japan.  Slowing down for a year brought some clarity of purpose and personal intentionality to his academic skills.  A hop in outdoor education, a skip through a couple of schools that didn’t quite fit his intentions, and a jump into family life brought him to Nevada City.  Here, on the edge of another wide landscape, but among a tight community of awesome people, Mr. Bird has found a fertile space for his old thoughts on learning and action.  At SAEL, over the past 8 years, Mr. Bird has taught a wide range of classes and mentored students in sports, academics, and creative expression.  At present, he divides his time, somewhat evenly, between the boisterous society and mindful buzz of the classroom and the wild, calm thing called family.  In both roles, Mr. Bird strives to live and teach that big idea he couldn’t quite put words to as an adolescent; learning for oneself is precious and wonderful, but empowering knowledge for others is where it’s at!