Why Asian-American Literature??

My decision to research and do my final project on Asian-American Literature is in no way random. This decision comes after almost a year of experience tutoring Korean children in America. I work with five different students from three different families in Okemos and East Lansing. My students are living in America for one or two years because their parents are grad students at MSU and want their children to learn and become proficient in English. This familiarity with a portion of Asian culture makes the chance to learn more about Asian-American literature very interesting and appealing. Still with all the experience I have accumulated, I still do not have an adequate grasp of the Korean culture and how it relates to America. I know some of my students will return to America with the potential of moving here permanently someday. Therefore, it becomes my job to educate them on the experiences they or their future children may encounter if they ever choose to be become Korean-American citizens! So naturally I was drawn towards completing my project on this amazing, unique, and diverse culture. Hopefully our final project will help both me in my role as a tutor and future elementary teacher and the Korean students I interact with on a daily basis better understand Asian-American culture.