I am an ESL teacher and I learn about students through their stories I work
students through their stories I work
students through their stories I work with students from diverse cultures from
with students from diverse cultures from
with students from diverse cultures from around the world and they teach me about
around the world and they teach me about
around the world and they teach me about their beliefs values and attitudes
there’s not just one immigrant story
there’s not just one immigrant story there’s so many and that’s why we need
there’s so many and that’s why we need
there’s so many and that’s why we need immigrant literature at the beginning of
immigrant literature at the beginning of
immigrant literature at the beginning of each semester all I have is a roster
each semester all I have is a roster
each semester all I have is a roster with unfamiliar names so we do
with unfamiliar names so we do
with unfamiliar names so we do introductions and the students tell me
introductions and the students tell me
introductions and the students tell me their names the country that they’re
their names the country that they’re
their names the country that they’re from and something interesting about
from and something interesting about
from and something interesting about them something that they like such as
them something that they like such as
them something that they like such as playing soccer or dancing or gardening
playing soccer or dancing or gardening
playing soccer or dancing or gardening for example I am a story facilitator and
for example I am a story facilitator and
for example I am a story facilitator and I like to ask a lot of questions the
I like to ask a lot of questions the
I like to ask a lot of questions the students work in small groups and also
students work in small groups and also
students work in small groups and also in partners and they become real to me
in partners and they become real to me
in partners and they become real to me through their stories they also become
through their stories they also become
through their stories they also become real to each other they become
real to each other they become
real to each other they become characters in their own stories and they
characters in their own stories and they
characters in their own stories and they become characters in each other’s
become characters in each other’s
become characters in each other’s stories the students have become my
stories the students have become my
stories the students have become my mentors and it takes time to develop
mentors and it takes time to develop
mentors and it takes time to develop those relationships and cultivate them
those relationships and cultivate them
those relationships and cultivate them sometimes we continue the conversation
sometimes we continue the conversation
sometimes we continue the conversation outside of class Natalie Goldberg in
outside of class Natalie Goldberg in
outside of class Natalie Goldberg in wild mind says be specific not car but
wild mind says be specific not car but
wild mind says be specific not car but Cadillac she also says that handwriting
Cadillac she also says that handwriting
Cadillac she also says that handwriting is connected to the movement of the
is connected to the movement of the
is connected to the movement of the heart so think about that next time
heart so think about that next time
heart so think about that next time you’re writing that the movements are
you’re writing that the movements are
you’re writing that the movements are actually connected to your heart we use
actually connected to your heart we use
actually connected to your heart we use mentor texts in class to give us
mentor texts in class to give us
mentor texts in class to give us examples of good writing but mentor
examples of good writing but mentor
examples of good writing but mentor texts can be so much more than
texts can be so much more than
texts can be so much more than they can actually teach us how to live
they can actually teach us how to live
they can actually teach us how to live there are characters in the mentor texts
there are characters in the mentor texts
there are characters in the mentor texts that can become our mentors we also use
that can become our mentors we also use
that can become our mentors we also use descriptive writing using our five
descriptive writing using our five
descriptive writing using our five senses and I like to ask the students
senses and I like to ask the students
senses and I like to ask the students what did you see what did you hear what
what did you see what did you hear what
what did you see what did you hear what did you taste what did you smell and
did you taste what did you smell and
did you taste what did you smell and what did you touch the students share
what did you touch the students share
what did you touch the students share their stories with a partner these days
their stories with a partner these days
their stories with a partner these days it’s so easy to tell our stories my
it’s so easy to tell our stories my
it’s so easy to tell our stories my students use Facebook Twitter Instagram
students use Facebook Twitter Instagram
students use Facebook Twitter Instagram word wordpress blogs and even digital
word wordpress blogs and even digital
word wordpress blogs and even digital stories I’m very lucky to teach ESL in
stories I’m very lucky to teach ESL in
stories I’m very lucky to teach ESL in that I could learn about culture from my
that I could learn about culture from my
that I could learn about culture from my students but there’s another way that
students but there’s another way that
students but there’s another way that I’d like to talk about mentor texts
I’d like to talk about mentor texts
I’d like to talk about mentor texts teach us how to write but the characters
teach us how to write but the characters
teach us how to write but the characters within them can become our mentors one
within them can become our mentors one
within them can become our mentors one of my favorite mentors is Eilish lacy
of my favorite mentors is Eilish lacy
of my favorite mentors is Eilish lacy from the book brooklyn john troubie says
from the book brooklyn john troubie says
from the book brooklyn john troubie says character is the heart of the story and
character is the heart of the story and
character is the heart of the story and its story structure is the skeleton as
its story structure is the skeleton as
its story structure is the skeleton as our nafisi urges us to read fiction it’s
our nafisi urges us to read fiction it’s
our nafisi urges us to read fiction it’s a world that runs parallel to the real
a world that runs parallel to the real
a world that runs parallel to the real one whose occupants need no passports or
one whose occupants need no passports or
one whose occupants need no passports or documentation as our says that fiction
documentation as our says that fiction
documentation as our says that fiction is her true home the house on mango
is her true home the house on mango
is her true home the house on mango street the book of unknown Americans and
street the book of unknown Americans and
street the book of unknown Americans and inside out and back again are examples
inside out and back again are examples
inside out and back again are examples of books they can help us develop
of books they can help us develop
of books they can help us develop compassion for the characters and for
compassion for the characters and for
compassion for the characters and for each other Esperanza is a character in
each other Esperanza is a character in
each other Esperanza is a character in the house on mango street and that means
the house on mango street and that means
the house on mango street and that means hope Maribel is a character in the book
hope Maribel is a character in the book
hope Maribel is a character in the book of unknown unknown Americans
of unknown unknown Americans
of unknown unknown Americans and she has come to America to heal
and she has come to America to heal
and she has come to America to heal herself and her family ha is a character
herself and her family ha is a character
herself and her family ha is a character in inside out and back again and she was
in inside out and back again and she was
in inside out and back again and she was escaping the fall of Saigon these books
escaping the fall of Saigon these books
escaping the fall of Saigon these books help us with our American identity and
help us with our American identity and
help us with our American identity and as I said they help us to develop
as I said they help us to develop
as I said they help us to develop compassion Bill Clinton talks about a
compassion Bill Clinton talks about a
compassion Bill Clinton talks about a very old story from the first families
very old story from the first families
very old story from the first families and clans and he recently told us and
and clans and he recently told us and
and clans and he recently told us and urged us to avoid and us against them
urged us to avoid and us against them
urged us to avoid and us against them mentality we all have to live together
there’s a wonderful picture book called
there’s a wonderful picture book called the arrival by shaun tan and it helps us
the arrival by shaun tan and it helps us
the arrival by shaun tan and it helps us to see the points of view of others it
to see the points of view of others it
to see the points of view of others it helps us develop our perspective we can
helps us develop our perspective we can
helps us develop our perspective we can walk in our mentors shoes in the
walk in our mentors shoes in the
walk in our mentors shoes in the characters shoes in this case there are
characters shoes in this case there are
characters shoes in this case there are no words it’s only a picture book but it
no words it’s only a picture book but it
no words it’s only a picture book but it helps us to see how people can feel like
helps us to see how people can feel like
helps us to see how people can feel like outsiders in our society there’s five
outsiders in our society there’s five
outsiders in our society there’s five books that have helped me with my
books that have helped me with my
books that have helped me with my cultural competency in different ways
cultural competency in different ways
cultural competency in different ways the first one is hotel on the corner of
the first one is hotel on the corner of
the first one is hotel on the corner of bitter and sweet the main character is
bitter and sweet the main character is
bitter and sweet the main character is Henry Lee who is a chinese-american who
Henry Lee who is a chinese-american who
Henry Lee who is a chinese-american who meets a wonderful japanese-american
meets a wonderful japanese-american
meets a wonderful japanese-american unfortunately this is during World War
unfortunately this is during World War
unfortunately this is during World War two and the Japanese internment camps
two and the Japanese internment camps
two and the Japanese internment camps and he loses his best friend to one of
and he loses his best friend to one of
and he loses his best friend to one of these camps Henry helped me to see the
these camps Henry helped me to see the
these camps Henry helped me to see the value of second chances and second acts
value of second chances and second acts
value of second chances and second acts the book is rich with visual images of
the book is rich with visual images of
the book is rich with visual images of what Henry finds in an abandoned hotel
what Henry finds in an abandoned hotel
what Henry finds in an abandoned hotel called the panama hotel in seattle
Yolanda Garcia in how the Garcia girls
Yolanda Garcia in how the Garcia girls lost their accents helped me as an ESL
lost their accents helped me as an ESL
lost their accents helped me as an ESL teacher to understand the difficulty of
teacher to understand the difficulty of
teacher to understand the difficulty of learning a language the book is is rich
learning a language the book is is rich
learning a language the book is is rich with Spanish references and and it
with Spanish references and and it
with Spanish references and and it helped me to learn a little bit about
helped me to learn a little bit about
helped me to learn a little bit about the Dominican
the Dominican
the Dominican culture gogol ganguli is one of my
culture gogol ganguli is one of my
culture gogol ganguli is one of my favorite characters and the namesake is
favorite characters and the namesake is
favorite characters and the namesake is a movie as well as a book so Gogol is
a movie as well as a book so Gogol is
a movie as well as a book so Gogol is torn between two worlds the old world
torn between two worlds the old world
torn between two worlds the old world and a new world and also he realizes
and a new world and also he realizes
and a new world and also he realizes that you can never really understand the
that you can never really understand the
that you can never really understand the responsibilities of your parents until
responsibilities of your parents until
responsibilities of your parents until you have to live through it yourself the
you have to live through it yourself the
you have to live through it yourself the book has a lot of food references and I
book has a lot of food references and I
book has a lot of food references and I feel like to the intersection between
feel like to the intersection between
feel like to the intersection between Indian food and American food there’s
Indian food and American food there’s
Indian food and American food there’s one scene where a Shima Gogol’s mother
one scene where a Shima Gogol’s mother
one scene where a Shima Gogol’s mother tries to recreate a food that she
tries to recreate a food that she
tries to recreate a food that she remembers from the streets of Calcutta
remembers from the streets of Calcutta
remembers from the streets of Calcutta and she uses rice krispies and planters
and she uses rice krispies and planters
and she uses rice krispies and planters peanuts to create this snack if a mallu
peanuts to create this snack if a mallu
peanuts to create this snack if a mallu from americana she helped me to
from americana she helped me to
from americana she helped me to understand race just a little bit more
understand race just a little bit more
understand race just a little bit more through her honest eyes she’s she’s a
through her honest eyes she’s she’s a
through her honest eyes she’s she’s a very interesting character who has gone
very interesting character who has gone
very interesting character who has gone to school in princeton and Princeton’s a
to school in princeton and Princeton’s a
to school in princeton and Princeton’s a place that I know well since I used to
place that I know well since I used to
place that I know well since I used to live around there and I walked the same
live around there and I walked the same
live around there and I walked the same streets that she did if a mellow says
streets that she did if a mellow says
streets that she did if a mellow says that the streets of Princeton have no
that the streets of Princeton have no
that the streets of Princeton have no smell at all unlike other American
smell at all unlike other American
smell at all unlike other American cities such as Brooklyn or Philadelphia
cities such as Brooklyn or Philadelphia
cities such as Brooklyn or Philadelphia I wish lacy is probably most familiar to
I wish lacy is probably most familiar to
I wish lacy is probably most familiar to my own ancestors she took a journey from
my own ancestors she took a journey from
my own ancestors she took a journey from Ireland to Brooklyn and Brooklyn is
Ireland to Brooklyn and Brooklyn is
Ireland to Brooklyn and Brooklyn is where my father and and grandparents are
where my father and and grandparents are
where my father and and grandparents are from Eilish is one of my favorite
from Eilish is one of my favorite
from Eilish is one of my favorite mentors really and there’s a lot of
mentors really and there’s a lot of
mentors really and there’s a lot of really wonderful references in the book
really wonderful references in the book
really wonderful references in the book to clothing so a lot of tactile
to clothing so a lot of tactile
to clothing so a lot of tactile references and she’s always trying to
references and she’s always trying to
references and she’s always trying to find the right outfit for her new
find the right outfit for her new
find the right outfit for her new American identity for each occasion also
American identity for each occasion also
American identity for each occasion also it’s a book about leaving home and going
it’s a book about leaving home and going
it’s a book about leaving home and going back home and making really impossible
back home and making really impossible
back home and making really impossible decisions
reading immigrant literature and
reading immigrant literature and learning culture from its characters to
learning culture from its characters to
learning culture from its characters to me is a lifelong learning opportunity
me is a lifelong learning opportunity
me is a lifelong learning opportunity and there’s many ways that we can we can
and there’s many ways that we can we can
and there’s many ways that we can we can do this I think we can join book clubs
do this I think we can join book clubs
do this I think we can join book clubs such as those found on Goodreads we can
such as those found on Goodreads we can
such as those found on Goodreads we can read to our children immigrant
read to our children immigrant
read to our children immigrant literature at a very young age even use
literature at a very young age even use
literature at a very young age even use picture books such as the shaun tan book
picture books such as the shaun tan book
picture books such as the shaun tan book the arrival for older children we can
the arrival for older children we can
the arrival for older children we can read to each other I used to do that
read to each other I used to do that
read to each other I used to do that with my daughter we can also annotate
with my daughter we can also annotate
with my daughter we can also annotate books using flags and post-its and
books using flags and post-its and
books using flags and post-its and highlighters and then we can share our
highlighters and then we can share our
highlighters and then we can share our annotations with another we can go to
annotations with another we can go to
annotations with another we can go to book conventions and we can meet the
book conventions and we can meet the
book conventions and we can meet the authors and we can discuss the
authors and we can discuss the
authors and we can discuss the characters with them and that’s
characters with them and that’s
characters with them and that’s something that I’ve done myself which is
something that I’ve done myself which is
something that I’ve done myself which is really a lot of fun we can also watch
really a lot of fun we can also watch
really a lot of fun we can also watch the movies so you can watch the movies
the movies so you can watch the movies
the movies so you can watch the movies such as Brooklyn and the namesake which
such as Brooklyn and the namesake which
such as Brooklyn and the namesake which I think adds to the experience
I think adds to the experience
I think adds to the experience immigrants as well as characters from
immigrants as well as characters from
immigrants as well as characters from books have family and friends just like
books have family and friends just like
books have family and friends just like we do and we are connected via a web and
we do and we are connected via a web and
we do and we are connected via a web and we helped to define each other we can
we helped to define each other we can
we helped to define each other we can become characters in our own story so I
become characters in our own story so I
become characters in our own story so I want you to think who are the characters
want you to think who are the characters
want you to think who are the characters in your story and how are you connected
in your story and how are you connected
in your story and how are you connected to them I urge you to ask them what did
to them I urge you to ask them what did
to them I urge you to ask them what did they see what did they hear what did
they see what did they hear what did
they see what did they hear what did they taste what did they smell and what
they taste what did they smell and what
they taste what did they smell and what did they touch to learn more about the
did they touch to learn more about the
did they touch to learn more about the characters we talked about I recommend
characters we talked about I recommend
characters we talked about I recommend that you read immigrant literature and
that you read immigrant literature and
that you read immigrant literature and please carry the characters in your
please carry the characters in your
please carry the characters in your hearts so that you can recognize them in
hearts so that you can recognize them in
hearts so that you can recognize them in everyone that you meet thank you
”
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