What Motivated Me? My Mother

Bishara Hussein

Laurel Neilson

ELL 1080

Summary and Response

        “What motivated me? My Mother. My mother was an immigrant woman, a pleasant woman, struggled all her life, worked in the garment center”- Al Lewis In “Immigrant Kids, Adrift” by the Carola Suarez Orozco and Marcelo M. Suarez in April 2013 from the New York Time Explain that immigrants’ kids who live in US, don’t speak fluent English have a hard time in school. According to the authors, the immigrants’ kids came to the US at very young age have experienced family and financial problem. The authors mention that the immigrants’ kids dropped out school and start working, while other end up being part of the gangs and crimes. They also argue that the immigrants live in a dangerous area where the bad things happen like gangs and crime. The immigrants’ kids become sick and experienced anxiety, depression and trouble of sleeping. Finally, the Suarez Orozcos acknowledge how difficult for the immigrant’s children to interact with Native-born students.

        This reminds me of the first time I came to America, I didn’t know any English words. When I was in fifth grade, I remember when one of my teachers asked me question about the multiplication table and all I did was just listen and staring at him. I did not know what to do, because I couldn’t communicate with the teacher. One day I made a decision about how I should learn English, exact that same day. I went to our local library to get second language learns books and videos. Every day I would watch the videos and read the books. Even though my young siblings were in pre-schools, they always help me with what they have learned from school. I started communicating in English with my siblings, instead of my native language. After few months, I realize that my English was getting better by each day.