“Education is the only way out in life” – Grandfather
I have always been a casual person throughout my whole life. Arriving in a new country greatly impacted me at a young age, in an unknown place and language. My family signed up for afterschool and Saturday school programs for me in hopes of me being able to catch up in classes. Joining those programs didn’t encourage me to study more rather made me feel overwhelmed and stressed. I couldn’t keep up studying, which resulted in me giving up completely and refusing to study.
My family noticed the change in me, but they didn’t have time to talk to me due to work. During one of the snow days, my grandfather decided to sit in the living room and share his life story with me. He told me that he wouldn’t be here if his education in China wasn’t blocked off because his family was poor. Then, he tells me it’s okay to be discouraged sometimes, but it’s never okay to give up, and tells me to achieve somewhere in life education was the only thing that can help you get there. Hearing the stories and the challenges my grandfather went through to get to America. I learned that I couldn’t simply let the workload continue to discourage me. I began to plan things out and be on top of everything.
I graduated high school with mostly A’s in all my subjects, while some classes were challenging such as English. I wasn’t always a big fan of English because of the language barrier but because of what my grandfather said, it gave me the will to push through it and improve my English. The words “Education is the only way out in life” have always stuck with me. These words have always given me a sense of direction in life, and without them, I would be lost and wouldn’t know what to do in High School. His advice and suggestions have helped me also inspired me to put more effort into school, and never give up completely, but rather push through the challenge once I am ready. Even after all the struggles I have gone through, I have always found myself pushing through all the challenges in hopes of achieving my goal in the future.
Yue:
Tomorrow we will discuss Amy Tan’s “Mother Tongue”in which she shows us her struggles of being between two different worlds: the English-speaking and the Chinese-speaking worlds. Maybe this reading will help you frame your story.
Wht is the main idea focus of your story? Could it be the struggles you faced as a new student who did not speak English coming to American school? And how your grandfather’s words and stories helped push you on.
SO make an outline of events that would move your story forward.
I. Intro: More details — Arriving in a new country greatly impacted me at a young age, in an unknown place and language. HOW old were you? WHAT was America like for you?
II. SHOW me this part as a scene with CSD Concrete Specific Details. The Saturday school and you feeling discouraged. WHERE was this school program? WHAT were the other students and teachers like? WHAT activity was hard for you?
III. Grandfather’s words and grandfather’s backstory: During one of the snow days, my grandfather decided to sit in the living room and share his life story with me. He told me that he wouldn’t be here if his education in China wasn’t blocked off because his family was poor. – SHOW me the living room and the snow outside the window. WHAT exactly did he say?
IV. You write about all the struggles I have gone through — Reach back into your memory and find the best example of a school struggle. GIVE CSD. Then show how you “pushed through”
V. ENDING show me how your triumphed getting mostly A’s in high school senior year.
You need some thing like this to guide you as your write this story and make the story come alive!
Pay attention to how Amy Tan does this with dialogue and colorful scenes in Mother Tongue tomorrow when we discuss.