Summary/Response, "Robot Mothers," "An Immigrant"

Summary: Briefly restate the reading in your own words	Response: Share your opinion about the reading
Source (author, title) Main idea (what is this reading about?) Supporting details (things mentined that support or explain the main idea) Different viewpoints +Must be in your own words (proves understanding) + 6-8 sentences max -No opinions -No quotes -No small details Write your summary as If the person reading it hasn’t read the same story/article as you	Share your opinion Connect your ideas to the world (apply them to real experiences) +Give examples of things you’ve seen, experienced, heard about, learned about, etc Refer to a specific point in the article Write your response as if the person reading it doesn’t agree with you and you are trying to convince them to see it your way

Source: Robot Mothers

Main Idea: Robots may replace babysitters or help mothers around the house

Supporting Details:

Motherhood is difficult
Mothers have many responsibilities, including work and school
Babysitters are expensive
Mothers need help with housework, which robots could do

Example Summary:

                According to the reading “Robot Mothers,” robots could one day be created to replace babysitters or help mothers around the house. Motherhood is difficult, and mothers often need to do work around the house as well as take care of the baby and themselves. They often go to school or work on top of mothering, so they need a babysitter to watch their child, but this can be very expensive. A robot could solve some of these problems by watching children or helpfing mothers with housework.

Example Response:

I do not think a robot would make a good substitute mother. The reading says that “the robot could help with household chores like cooking, vacuming, and washing clothes,” and I think that is a great idea, but I don’t like the idea of robots watching children. Robots do not have emotions and would likely have trouble reading emotions. How would they know what the children need? Plus we’re all aware that machines can malfuction, and something very bad could happen if a robot were alone with a small child when it broke in some way. Personally, I think robots could be helpers around the house, but could never replace a real, live person when it comes to childcare.

“An Immigrant” Discussion:

Summary –

Source:
An Immigrant (no author named)

Possible Main Ideas:

·         Hard work and dedication = success

·         Don’t let obstacles keep you from being successful

·         Don’t settle

·         Don’t let anything/anyone hold you back

Supporting details:

·         An immigrant with no skills or literacy (in English)

·         Tried to get a job but was turned down due to illiteracy

·         Continues to work hard anyway and became very successful

·         If he hadn’t had these challenges, he may not have been so successful

Possible Response Topics –

·         I wonder how the president of the synagogue felt

·         It was realistic, people who move to new countries find new and innovative ways to be successful

·         This is unrealistic, you can’t be successful in America without also being literate in English

·         How is this possible?

Example Summary/Response

In the story “An Immigrant,” the reader is shown how hard work and dedication can lead to success as long as we don’t settle for less. In the story, a European immigrant who is illiterate in English wants to work in New York City and tries to get a respectable job, but he is turned down since he cannot read or write. However, he does not let this stop him from supporting himself and he works as a peddler and eventually becomes very successful. When asked to imagine what he could have accomplished if he were literate as well, he suggests that he wouldn’t have been as challenged, and might have settled for lesser work.

Personally, I am impressed with this hardworking gentleman, but not at all surprised by his story. I have gotten to know and have worked with many immigrants since moving to New York City, and I’ve come to believe that it takes a certain kind of person to move to a new country and start over, and the people who do this type of thing tend to be the kind of people who are not afraid to work hard and strive to better their lives. Though I know this story is fiction, it didn’t surprise me to hear that after the peddler was turned down for a job, he just kept working hard and found another way to be successful, because I know real people who would work and have worked just as hard as this man. No one moves to America just to work in a coffee shop or restaurant, but many of my students work even two or three jobs in places like this just to fund their education and follow their dreams and be successful.