Another ESL Moment

Today I was struck once again by the very special lessons I am learning from my ESL students. Locally and perhaps nationally there has been a big push called "Making a Difference". One of my students (from the Ukraine I believe) told the class today that she and her husband, who owns a construction company, wanted to make a difference so they replaced all the windows and doors in the home of a Vietnam War vet as their way of participating. I wonder how many of those who complain about immigration/immigrants have done anything to make a difference. Maybe you can tell I'm a little weary of all of the closed thinking that is alive and well in this nation of immigrants.

I also learned that one of my students from Mexico waited 9 years to get her green card to come to this country where sadly instant gratification has become a national value. It's all so strange.

209.4 My ESL Experience

Tomorrow I go back to Paradise Valley Community College to tutor my students who are trying to learn to speak English well.  I blogged about them once before.  (See 9/03/09.)  They are an amazing group of folks from many different countries.  Each week when I go, I have to prepare a reading lesson and a conversation lesson.  The conversation lesson is easier for me.  Once I get them started, they love to talk, which is the point!  I spend a lot more time on the reading lesson.  At their suggestion, we've read about Arizona, soccer, baseball, idioms, dealing with medical problems over the phone, and many more topics.  It's fun, and I've learned a lot along the way.

I haven't been with my group of ESL students for three weeks and before that I had met with them only twice.  So,  I am looking forward to reconnecting with them.  Each person in the class has such a unique and interesting story about why they are in the US, why they happen to be in Phoenix, Arizona, and how they happened to find their way into my class.  The stories of what their lives entailed before coming to this country are also fascinating.  Many are highly educated, were professionals in their communities, and studied English for many years before coming here.  Others were not so lucky and are scrambling to learn English so they can get established here.  One common denominator they all share is that they knew someone in this community before they arrived.  I think that is common to the history of most who arrived in this country as immigrants.  Someone they had a connection with was already here to help them get started.

As I wrote in an earlier blog, I am so impressed with the determination and hard work that these people represent.  We all have immigration in our personal history if we go back far enough, and in some cases, we don't have to go back very far at all.  I am really looking forward to tomorrow.