Reading out loud

We just had some sort of study last night. Not bible study but something where we, neighbors, met up and talked about things here and there. A grade 6 pupil, the daughter of one of us, whom we will name just as Pearl, was asked to read out a text, which was written in Filipino. I just closed my eyes listening to stutters… I wonder how my son is doing when it came to reading as well…

This morning, I searched for an eBook written by my favorite author. I wanted to also listen to myself reading... What if I also am like Pearl, who still stutters and stammers when reading?

I began reading with “Death Speaks”. I thought, I should have started with a simpler story. But I went on and heard myself out of breath. Even in reading, we have to be physically fit in order to deliver it well. There were a lot of unnecessary emphasis and pauses in my reading and I guess I have to practice reading once again.

“THERE WAS a merchant in Bagdad who sent his servant to market to buy provisions and in a little while the servant came back, white and trembling, and said, Master, just now when I was in the market-place I was jostled by a woman in the crowd and when I turned I saw it was death that jostled me. She looked at me and made a threatening gesture; now, lend me your horse, and I will ride away from this city and avoid my fate. I will go to Samarra and there death will not find me…”

I had to practice the above over and over. I admit, I needed some help delivering it. Notice that the first sentence is very long. You would have to read it over and over in order to have a good deliverance.

If I ever dreamt of preaching even just once in a public place, I should consider relearning skills in public speaking. I may be a teacher but not every day that an expert is there with you pointing out your highs and lows. So practice if we must if we wish to improve ourselves.

I have three kids and much as I would like to relax and not be pressured, I have to at least teach them how to read and write well. I shouldn’t be the only one to keep improving while they’re left out to study on their own. They may still be young but attending to their academic needs would be wiser than leaving that aspect to any other human being.

My husband is right. I am selfish. To make it right, I will do a better job about my kids’ studies. I don’t think I have a big problem with my first child because when I let him do his modules, he could manage to answer everything, asking a lot of questions and making faces until he was down to the last. It is my second child I have the biggest struggle. I need to make up a very interesting story in order to get his attention. Sometimes, my husband has more success than me. I hope that when the new school year comes, I will be able to focus on him.

My youngest is already showing a greater interest in writing. She would scribble things and her grip on the pen is already good. She would ask me to draw hearts and flowers and shade and clap at the things we wrote. Compared to my two older children, she is most interested in holding a pencil or ballpen. Two years old and she knows how to count until 11. She misses some numbers from time to time but she always shout at 11.

She could read selected letters and I hope that she will be able to memorize the alphabet soon. They laugh at me when I read stories out loud, clearing my throat, and exercising first my vocal chords with a lot of ahem ahem and ahh ahh and hmm hmm. You’re right, I have not totally stopped taking coffee. And my coffee is sweet. It has an impact on my throat. I needed to dilute my coffee more.

It is always humbling to check on oneself. But it’s worth it because at least we get to check how we are. Criticizing others is never a solution. With the case of Pearl, I plan to help her improve her reading and I hope they wouldn’t take it against me. Sometimes, we offer help only to receive unwelcome remarks. But it was not only once that I heard her read awfully and this time I wanted to help her instead of talking about her to other people.