Isela Lieber was 17 years old when she left behind everything she knew. In 1988, she set out on her own from Guayaquil, a small city in Ecuador, for New York City — without a high school education or a word of English.
She traveled thousands of miles to New York, where she lived for two and a half years, working at a factory for $3 an hour while learning English. Then, the teen traveled for three days by bus to Los Angeles. Once in LA, she worked as a housekeeper, took night classes and earned her GED certificate in order to achieve her dream of becoming a teacher.
In 1998, Lieber transferred to CSUN from Los Angeles Valley College. Hard work and perseverance paid off for Isela Lieber '00 (English), M.A. '02 (Educational Administration), both as a student at California State University, Northridge and as an educator: in October of 2016, state officials recognized her as one of five California Teachers of the Year, after she'd been named one of six LA County Teachers of the Year and one of 22 LAUSD Teachers of the Year.
Lieber teaches English Language Development at James Monroe High School (just a few miles east of CSUN), where her students are primarily immigrants. She said that sharing similar experiences gives her empathy for her students, since she understands the obstacles they face.
Alejandra Quiñonez, the student who nominated Lieber for LAUSD Teacher of the Year, said she noticed "how much time and effort she puts into her job."
"She always tries to inspire other students to do better. She always goes out of her way to see others succeed,"Quiñonez said.
During an interview with Lieber in her Monroe High classroom after school, she discussed her connection with her students. She turned to the 10 high schoolers hanging out in the classroom and asked, "I don't know, do you guys think I connect with you?"
"Yes!" her students shouted.
"We kind of have the same story, and I try to share my story and listen to theirs," Lieber said of her students. "We make a very cool environment where we can help each other — they help me to grow as a person, and I help them with their English language skills, and sometimes with words of advice and encouragement."
- Natalie L. Camacho
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