On Thursday Ali and I met in the evening, after he'd finished class for the day. I'd prepared a list of writing topics for him to choose from, and from the options I gave him he decided to write about Islam. I framed the prompt by acknowledging some common misconceptions about Islamic religion and the prejudice that exists in the U.S. against Muslims. I asked him to explain what being Muslim means to him. In writing an introduction he needed my help in translating some abstract concepts, such as the idea that Islam, Christianity, and Judaism were given to man by God. After nearly an hour, Ali had only just begun on his second paragraph, and was getting frustrated. I told him that he seemed tired and asked if everything was okay. He explained that he is unhappy with his housing situation and that he's having trouble finding a new place. I suggested that we call it a day, and he seemed relieved. Next week I'll have a more structured lesson plan.
I'm taking Ali out for ice cream on Sunday afternoon, and we'll resume tutoring next Wednesday.
Ali has asked that I continue tutoring him, and we'll discuss payment once I've completed the additional hours for my TEFL certification.
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