THE STILL CALM VOICE

Whenever I get to read to my students I invariably say "Ok, now you can relax and do nothing but listen to the soothing sound of my voice."

They usually laugh and kind of relax. I don't pretend to have a soothing voice, I just like to say it. I actually get really tired of the sound of my voice. Apparently so do some of the others, because yesterday one of my girls said, "Mr. V, I'm sorry, but I just have to say this. You don't have a soothing voice."

My only consolation was the boy in third period who wrapped himself up in his big jacket and lay on the floor while I read to him. In my soothing voice.