María Isabel Knye is a 60-year-old English teacher from Argentina. She has been teaching English since 1990 when she took a job at a bilingual school to fill her free time after enrolling her son. Over the years she took on more responsibilities, from teaching various subjects to becoming the English Language Area Coordinator. In 2011, the school offered to pay for María to earn her teaching degree, which she is close to completing despite delays from caring for her late husband during his illness. While retiring from teaching, María will continue coordinating the English program and supporting teachers.

1. Who I am
My name isMaría Isabel Knye althoughIhave beencalledMarisasince Ican remember. Iam originallyfrom
Olivos, Buenos Aires Province, but I have been living in Rada Tilly, a small town 12 km south of Comodoro
Rivadavia in Chubut since 1984. I am a widow and I have a 36-year-old son.
My Englishcame to me as naturally as my Spanish since my mom's first language was English and although
my father did not speak it at all, my mother took every chance she had, when my dad was not at home, to
speak to us in her mother tongue.
My careeras a teacherof Englishstartedjustbychance whenin1990 I decidedtosendmyson to a bilingual
school inComodoroRivadavia(notafirstgrader). I had so much free time inmyhandsthat aftera couple of
years I made up my mind and began to study English again, just to brush it up. It was then 1992 and as I
finishedthe course Iwastakingat ACRICANA,Iwasimmediatelyofferedapositioninthe institutionto teach
adolescents the following year. I had my doubts at the moment because I had never taught the language
although I could handle it well, but I finally agreed and my career got started.
Aftera fewweeksof havingstartedworkingatthe EnglishLanguage School,anew challenge was offered to
me. The institution wanted me to take over fourth grade at Abraham Lincoln School, the bilingual school
which was part of ACRICANA. At the beginning I taught Science and Social Studies, a couple of years later
they moved me to the language area where I have remained till now. However, I do not teach at primary
level anymore.
When I started teaching, I lacked the tools needed since I had never been trained to be a teacher, but as
time went by, I learned a lot from my colleagues and I like to think that I became a very different kind of
teacher.
In 2007 I was appointed coordinator for the English Language Area of the whole school, primary and
secondary, position I have held since then.
It was in 2011 when the school offered to pay for my studies and give me the possibility of obtaining my
degree asa teacherof English. Iembracedthe challenge one more time and began my studies at the age of
55. At the beginningeverythingwentmore thanwell till my husband's disease struck our lives and I had to
slow down in order to take care of him.
I'm 60 yearsoldnow andI am finallyreachingthe finishline,notonlyregardingmyteachingdegree but also
my career as a teacher. By the end of the year I will be retired and although I will go on with the
coordination of the English Language Area at school, I have decided not to teach anymore. I want to be
there for the teachers who trust me and come to me for support and to help them with all the tools I have
nowavailable. Atthistime of mylife I cannotthink of my goals for the next five years, just a step at a time.