Leila Gough

An absolutely wonderful thing happened today…
I tutor at Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary in West
Oakland. My usual student was out sick so I worked with
another student who had come from Yemen. He told me that he could recognize an Arab without even hearing him talk. But he was very confused about the fact that my name is Arabic when I don’t look Arabic at all.

We were reading a book entitled Red, White and Blue with a huge American flag on the cover. We progressed on through RED (apples) and then onto WHITE (White House). I asked if he knew who lived there; my student said no. I told him that the President of the United States lived there and that his name is Obama. Then I wrote out “Obama” so that he could read it. He was intrigued and asked me if Obama was in charge of jobs. I almost fell off my chair. I said yes and he smiled. He also asked if the President would be President forever. No, only until next January when we get a new President.

Loved teaching my little civics lesson today! And loved teaching a child a little
about America. Yea tutoring! Yea Children Rising!

#BESTPARTOFTHEDAY!