The 2009-10 school year is my tenth at Forest Glen Middle School in Coral Springs, Florida. There is no more difficult position these days than coordinating Language Arts curriculum at a middle school or high school. It is a challenge I readily accept and actually enjoy, especially when the school achieves the kind of writing results it has the past several years.

In addition to my English certification (Grades 6-12), I am also certified in Journalism and have sponsored school newspapers in the past. I have taught many different levels of students, ranging from dropout prevention to gifted. You can say I have seen it all!

One of the most important elements of my teaching philosophy is emphasizing the Arts in Language Arts, something I believe has been lost in education in recent years. My class is not limited to reading and writing, although there can be no doubt they are focal points. My students' consistently high reading and writing test scores speak for themselves; however, I want students to explore ALL aspects of Language Arts. Comedy, drama, film, mass media, and public speaking are just as important in a well-rounded Language Arts education as reading and writing. KIMMEL'S KORNER and my interactive drama series, Doc Kimmel's Writing Clinic, help me to showcase those areas in a big way!

I have received many honors during a 25-year teaching career, including my selection as a finalist for the 2009 Broward County Teacher of the Year. This comes on the heels of being voted as Forest Glen Middle School's 2007-08 Teacher of the Year. It is a rare honor to be recognized by one's peers, and I am lucky to have it occur several times for teaching and coaching. My final school year at Westpine Middle School (1999-2000) will always remain a memorable one because I was also bestowed this great compliment by my colleagues. I taught for seven years at Westpine before deciding to become a Wildcat. Previous experiences involved both middle school and high school.

Although awards and accolades are wonderful, nothing tops being reminded of the difference I have made in students' lives. Baseball legend Jackie Robinson once remarked, "A life is not important, except in the impact it has on other lives." Well, I am truly humbled by the constant visits and emails from former students who wish to share the joys, successes, and even the occasional rough moments taking place in their lives. Many of them now attend prestigious universities or have already embarked on successful professional careers. They are symbolic of the primary reason I became a teacher in the first place.

I have also worked with athletes in several sports throughout my teaching career. Unfortunately, a move to Palm Beach County have limited my ability to coach these days. Coaching highlights include twice winning the Broward County Boys Softball Championship (1988 and 1993) while at Perry Middle School. In addition, I received 1987-88 Coach of the Year honors.

Fresh out of college in 1978, however, I actually spent my early professional years as a broadcast journalist, even performing sports play-by-play announcing. I had the opportunity to interview such sports icons as Muhammad Ali, Bob Feller, and Don Shula. Soon thereafter, I discovered how much I enjoyed educating young minds. 1978? I t seems like, "A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away..."

I am not quite sure what the coming year will bring for this Language Arts teacher. I am old enough to possess traditional beliefs but wise enough to realize that change is inevitable. In the meantime, my short-term goal is to provide the best Language Arts education possible, while maintaining one of the county's highest standards.