I knew early on in my young life that I wanted to teach and I also knew I wanted to teach at the secondary level. Upon graduating from college, I did just that -- my first teaching assignment was in a local middle school.

Into my second year, I found myself pregnant and decided to stop teaching and become a stay-at-home Mom. It was during that time, in the early seventies, that a neighbor suggested I take a course that would enable me to teach immigrants who were preparing to take the US citizenship test. That was my first experience working with adults whose second language was English. It was probably the most fulfilling teaching experience I had ever encountered. But raising three children required me to work full-time and for the next twenty years my teaching experience ranged from kindergarten to adults.

It was not until 1996 that I again had the opportunity to work with Polish immigrants with very limited English language. I experienced such satisfaction working with these adults who, along with all their other responsibilities, eagerly came to classes to improve their English. I saw several success stories. Two students enrolled in college and I am happy to say are working in lucrative industries. Last September I once again found myself working in a family literacy program,

Realizing that each person's life is lived in a social setting, I strive to increase student awareness of societal issues and problems that will help them to become effective members and workers in our American society. I feel I echo the sentiments of others who teach adult basic education when I say it is an enriching cultural experience like no other.

Alice Zujewski teaches at the Family Literacy Program in Haverhill. She can be reached at: alicetz@hotmail.com