Isabel

I may have spent all of my adult life writing for a living, but education has been the other constant in my life. I spend much of my time now as a tutor -- to adult immigrants wishing to improve their English skills, and to public school students studying reading and language arts.

Teaching English as a Second Language comes with great rewards. Shortly before Thanksgiving, one of my former adult students, Isabel, became a naturalized citizen. I was thrilled. She worked hard to become a U.S. citizen. She didn't just study the exam on her own; she tutored her husband, too, so that they could take the vow together.

 While Isabel was polishing her English skills with me, she was also studying for her plumber's license. She and her husband now run their own plumbing business, and Isabel manages it. Somehow my friend also manages to raise two delightful children. In addition, she serves as a volunteer English tutor to immigrants in her neighborhood. Getting to know Isabel -- and watch her pursue the American dream -- has deeply enriched my life.