Brandi J. Clark

I am spending some of my summer writing fiction.  I have signed up for Teacher’s Write, a summer writing program for teachers on Kate Messner’s blog. Check out the details here.

The first exercise for today is linked here.  Please check out the link for more details, we are not permitted to re post writing prompts.  In general, it is a point of view exercise about a King Cobra discovered in a house.

The following is today’s entry.

Oh hi, you found me. Not what I planned for today but listen and then decide what happens next.

Here’s the thing, I wanted a different life, that’s why I left the nest.

Nest? Yessssss! Did you know that King Cobras are the only type of snakes to build nests? And don’t think of coming near one. If you thought mama bears were protective, you have not met my mom. She’s capital A – Aggressive! That’s one of the reasons I left.

But enough about her, back to me.

I am in the usual situation, defending myself, trying to explain that, yes, while I can deliver enough neurotoxin to disable an elephant, I’m really rather shy.

Shy. It’s true. And that yelling! Please stop. I can’t hear it. I only feel vibrations. That’s why I was behind the washing machine, it was calling to me and I just had to check it out.

Listen, while I technically can harm humans, my favorite treats are of the lizard variety. Do you have any of those? Or another snake? eggs? You must have eggs.

Ok! Just show me the door. I’ll leave. I don’t want trouble. Just don’t corner me. I growl like a dog but it’s mostly for show. The King has to protect his brand.

So, can we just pretend you didn’t see me.

Animal Control! You called animal control.

Well, now it’s a party!   

You’ve got me rattled…(don’t have a rattle – jealous – can’t complain, I am a King)

anyway…didn’t want to do this.

Ceiling tile it is…please don’t tell my mom…she’s right behind me…good thing you don’t speak snake…she’s unpleasant…a bad negotiator…good luck everyone. The King has left the building.

This mother’s day I reflect on my two children. There is one thing that I worried about when they went to school. I hope they can read.

I say hope because some kids don’t.

Some kids struggle.

I know what happens to kids who can’t read and struggle.

They can give up on themselves and school.

We need to do better with these kids.

Learning disabilities are real, they are for life.

Attempting to force a student with LD to read, in the traditional way, all the time, is harmful.

It does not make sense. We have technology.

We have had technology for awhile but now there is more technology.

What happened to “Listen to Reading”?

No, not just RAZ kids. (A leveled reading program)

REAL books.

We had these listening centers when I was a beginning teacher: a “ghetto blaster” and headphones. Books on CD from Scholastic.

We have digital books now. With a library card the world of books is accessible by paper copy and digital. Digital means audio and it means full membership in the reading club, with endless choice.

I was reminded of this while reading “Tribe of Mentors” by Timothy Ferriss.  Joel McHale a stand up comedian who is dyslexic, recently signed up for Audible.com. He now listens to books all through the day, including those challenging classics that were never a possibility in High School.

A possibility…everyone should have a possibility.

So this Mother’s Day, listen. (Did you catch the clever ending to this sentence?)

Let’s think about our kids, our students, how can we get them back into reading?

As Rick Astley said, “Never Gonna Give You Up.”

He meant reading, as a nerd, I am sure he meant reading.

Love,

Coach Clark