From A Whisper To A Scream


Most teachers have a Voice Level Chart in their classrooms. They look something like this:

0 = No talking
1 = Whisper
2 = Partner Talk
3 = Presentation
4 = Outside

So, at any point during the day, the teacher can say “Give me a 2 voice level”, or “Okay, everyone is at a Zero now”, and the students know how to regulate their voices.

What I’ve found is that the hardest voice level for students to maintain is the Whisper (1). For some reason, kids can get to a zero and stay there (for the most part).They understand that no talking means NO talking. Pretty easy concept, even for the youngest of students.

Partner Talk (2) is easier, too, because that’s their "normal" voice level. It’s how we communicate on a daily basis. It’s our natural state of being. 

But, to moderate themselves at a Whisper, between a Zero (0) and Partner Talk (2)? And to maintain that voice level? That’s next to impossible. Whispering isn’t a normal way for us to communicate. When we talk to other people, we tend to use our “regular” voice levels. Or, we don’t talk at all.

The same thing is happening with the restrictions being lessened in states right now. 

People understand not going out. And we’ve seen the results of cities and states who have implemented and maintained strict lock down rules. It works. 

People also understand going out in public and acting normally. That’s our natural state of being. 

What’s a lot harder to understand, and implement, and maintain, is going out but NOT acting normally… going out and maintaining our social distancing, or wearing masks, or not congregating in groups of 10 or more, or not shaking hands. If we’re allowed to go out, encouraged to go out even (often with the belief that staying home is an “evil plot” of some kind), then how are we to expect our citizens to go back out, but maintain a social “whisper”? 

Once we’re all allowed to go out, then we’re out, and too many will continue acting as if nothing is wrong. We see it around us all the time. No masks. No social distancing. Congregating in backyard parties or on beaches or on the steps of State Capitols. 

At a time when we should be burying this virus by continuing a Zero voice level, we’re asking for a Whisper that will, inevitably, become Partner Talk...Partner Talk that will take us right back to where we started... a scream.

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