POLK COUNTY, Fla. — Our third A+ Teacher of 2019 is Lake Gibson High School language arts teacher Michelle Dinwiddie.

She says her "knuckle" greeting has made a world of difference in her classroom.

"It's that instantaneous moment where I communicate to them, 'I care about you, we're going to accomplish great things today and I'm glad you’re here,'" she said.

Dinwiddie's students appreciate her attentiveness.

"She gets the fact that we may not understand some things," one student said. "And she takes her time, and she doesn't rush things, and she thoroughly explains things so we can understand it."

Whiteboard tables are just one of the unique features in Mrs. Dinwiddie's classroom.

"Collaborative learning is huge in our classroom and the whiteboard tables absolutely demand that students work together," she said.

She uses a microphone to give instructions.

"I really want to be able to have that casual conversation, really light tone, calming atmosphere," Dinwiddie said.

Her approach and attire reflect her class motto: Be professional, productive and proficient.

Dinwiddie believes all of her methods mixed together have led to her winning the title of 2018 Polk County Teacher of the Year in 2018.