Richard Rodriguez "Aria" (Reflection)

I feel so connected to this piece because the same way Rodriquez struggled to learn English and fit in to society was pretty much the same way I struggled after immigrating to this country. This issue is very common in today’s society and it’s a part of life that many people have never experienced. When Rodriguez says “But I couldn’t believe that the English language was mine to use” Brings me back memories. I thought English was a
language that I will never be able to speak because I only used to practice the language at school and since at my house no one used to speak English I didn’t feel motivated to practice the language while I was not in school.  which, it was pretty much the same thing that Rodriguez went through. While reading this piece it made think about how many people struggle with the same issue every single day of their lives.   There’s a big difference between the classroom language and the language of home, and this made me think that parents should find some ways to practice the language with their kids and embrace the two cultures without taking way the first anguage.   

From my own experience, I have to say that it is not easy at all to learn another language when you’re used to a different culture. It makes you change in so many ways, you become shy and afraid to talk or participate in class because you feel that no one will understand you. For me, this experience has been very constructive and I’m really proud of what I have accomplish since I immigrated here. But even though it was hard for me I learned that things do not always come easy and that everyone faces adversity. I am still learning English, and finding my way but I know that if you work hard enough you can achieve great things.

This link provides a lot of information about English as a
second language. http://www.esl-storybooks.com/

I’m so anxious to learn more about this issue.  I hope we get the chance to discuss it more in class.  I’m also very interested to learn different ways to help those children’s feel comfortable about their learning process.

Amazing Grace by Jonathan Kozol

Reflection

After reading Amazing grace, I realized that there’s a side of poverty that many of us don’t get to see at all.  For me amazing grace was shocking. It was very difficult to keep reading every single page because every sentence was related to infections, hunger, drugs, and crime.  I still cannot believe the lifestyle those poor families are forced to live.  I read White Privilege by Peggy McIntosh before I read Amazing grace and at first, I thought the author was exaggerating about the privileges and disadvantages related to white people but after reading amazing grace, I agreed with McIntosh point of view of those privileges, which are denied to other’s because of their race.

Amazing grace made me realized that most of us are very fortunate to have support or at least someone who provide for us because there’s people up there who don’t even have something to eat.  Something that made me really sad while reading amazing grace was the lifestyle those people have and how they try to survive.  This quote from Jonathan Kozol shows the suffering those people go through because they don’t have no one’s support.  “You just cover up…and hope you wake up the next morning” it’s so depressing to even think about how much they struggle every single day.

I cannot imagine how it is for child to grow in those conditions.  It makes me so upset to see that no one is willing to help those who need it the most.  I believe the reason why they sell drugs, kill, and even do prostitution it’s because since they don’t have any economic support that’s the only source they have to survive.  Most of them even had to raise money to bury those who died from all the diseases around them.  This quote from Jonathan Kozol gives you an idea about how that poor society have been forgotten by the government. “City Don’t have the money for the living. I guess they think: why waste it on the dead” it’s so heartbreaking knowing that they had to go through all those
 obstacles and that no one tried to help them.   

Amazing grace made me realized that I am very fortune to have what people who care about me and provide for me.  Sometimes we don’t appreciate and take care of what we have while there’s people up there that don’t have anything.  Sometimes we complaint about he lifestyle we have, which I think it’s so selfish from us because some people can’t even afford breakfast. I believe we should live united and help end poverty because it doesn’t matter if you’re black, white etc, at one point every one of us is the same.   

In class, I could like to discuss more about this issue and see if we can find ways to help those who Necessitate the most.

About Me!

Hello! My name is Elenny Lopez. This is my second year here at RIC and I'm an Early Childhood major. When I’m not in class i spend most of my time with my family, working, and doing homework.