Michael Kaul is a teacher, mentor, counselor, and occasionally a friend. He earned a Master’s in addiction counseling and a Bachelor’s for teaching. He began teaching in 1986 and started teaching in Stillwater in 1999. He teaches Advanced Placement U.S. History, U.S. History, and Law and Justice. He also used to teach world history as well as government and politics.

What makes him inspiring is his ability to connect with students. In his class students are comfortable, relaxed, and in generally good spirits. Whether it is listening to one of his hundreds of records or one of his lectures, which are better than most lectures, students always enjoy themselves.

One thing that Kaul has that most teachers do not, is he connects with students on a different level. He is able to connect everyday experiences with his teachings, along with adding many anecdotal stories for excitement.

“He definitely has a lot to say on every subject,” said junior Matt Beane.

Kaul, who has had various jobs in various locations, has had many life experiences that have made for great stories.

“When he wants to be, Mr. Kaul has the ability to make his lectures funny and entertaining,” added Beane.

Whether it is calmly explaining how to improve on an essay or being sarcastic about a ridiculous question, Kaul has an innate ability to be a down-to-earth normal human being, something that is not commonly used to describe teachers.

“I think he is like Mark Twain. They look abundantly alike and I like to believe that Mark Twain is a very sarcastic person, just like Mr. Kaul,” said junior Mark Houle.

While being a teacher is his profession, he still has a masters degree in addiction counseling. Even if it is not an addiction problem, Kaul has an uncanny ability to figure out what to say.

“I think he is a great teacher. Also, he is just really approachable and easy to talk to,” said junior Olivia Feehan-Nelson.

He is a one of a kind person. Almost any student that has ever had him will say that they liked him. He can be a stern teacher when necessary, but he can also be a friend when one is needed. It is no wonder that yearly it is a competition to be his student assistant.