The School Voice - Grasping at Sporks

When my daughter was in kindergarten, she started speaking in a flat, dead voice. Somewhat alarmed, I asked her about this new way of speaking. “That’s my school voice,” I was told. It turns out kindergarten was worksheets and more worksheets, with no time for art projects or even going outside (“Takes too long to get their boots on,” the teacher told me). Not quite six years old and she was already shriveled by school.