Jill Biden called community colleges America's best-kept secret this week while speaking in Paris to a Unesco conference on higher education.

In his article, Matthew Saltmarsh quotes Biden as having said, "Community colleges are the way of the future. Now with people losing their jobs, they’re a great place to go for new training.”

Saltmarsh also includes these statistics: There are almost 1,200 community colleges among the 4,100 public and private higher-education institutions in the United States, serving almost 12 million students.

The gist of Biden's speech was that America's community colleges are not only great places for Americans to get training for new jobs, but they're also a potential export to countries trying to develop institutions of higher education.

Do you attend a community college? Did you? Share your experience with us.

The Student Center on campus is always the best place to find whatever it is you need. Advice, instruction, community, whatever. We have a Student Center right here on the site. It's in a constant state of evolution and is still very young, but check it out. You'll find:

• Tips for balancing school, work, and life
• How-to's
• Study tips

...and more.

Let me know what you're looking for if you don't find it, and I'll get on it!

I have a friend, Neeraja, in India who inspired a chapter in my teen novel. I sent her a copy of the book when it was published, but she had a very difficult time reading popular fiction.

This morning I read a blog written by Alicia Rudnicki, who teaches English as a Second Language to high school students. She said they're crazy about Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series. Even the boys are interested in checking it out. Mostly to discover Edward's secrets, I imagine.

This begs the question, why is popular fiction helpful for some ESL students and not others? What could Neeraja read that would help her improve her English? What do you read that makes it easier to learn English? Talk to us.

Help with ESL:

• 5 Methods of Language Learning
• A Year in the Life of an ESL Student
• ESL Through Movement

Tim and I belong to the Missouri Botanical Garden in St. Louis and spent a marvelous morning there last Friday. If I lived closer, I'd be there to drink my coffee in the mornings and I'd sign up for every single class they offer. You might be surprised by the continuing education you'll find at your own botanical garden.

Last week I heard from Dachell McSween at the New York Botanical Garden. They offer courses in Botanical Art and Illustration, Botanical Crafts, Botany, Garden Writing and Photography, Horticulture, Floral Design, Gardening, Horticultural Therapy, and Landscape Design. I find that incredibly impressive. Doesn't it make you want to sign right up?

Wherever you live, discover the botanical garden closest to you, if you haven't already, and indulge your desire to learn more about the beauty and diversity of the plants growing on this amazing Earth.