Melinda Biehl Inspires Writers at Alamo Heights Junior High

Melinda Biehl loves words and writing - and she has infected her students for the past 32 years with the same passion. She believes that the most important thing for students to learn is how to communicate to others what they know. She intends for every student who leaves her classroom to be able to do just that.

With a positive and nurturing approach, she draws potential out of students with her creative assignments and helps them believe in themselves. She teaches the old-fashioned skills that help a student understand writing. One student explained that she didn't understand her own language, English, until Mrs. Biehl had them diagram sentences. She helped them have "fun" with words and respect the power they could wield.

Thriving on routine and structure, Ms. Biehl is also a "lifelong" learner. These traits are some that she feels her students need to adopt in order to be successful. The atmosphere in her classroom is a perfect fit for middle school students who greatly need a predictable environment. Her students learn to be successful by her example and learn to love learning because of her influence.