Michael StolerGreenbelt, MDEnthusiastic Latin teacher - it's not a dead language!
In college, I minored in Classics, so I took a number of classes in Latin language and literature, including prose composition, in which I actually had to write in Latin, rather than translating from it, which I think is the best way to really learn a language.
But I majored in Linguistics, where I learned how languages work, how they have developed over time, and how they are related. This has given me a great ability to connect Latin to other languages students may know, from English all the way out to South Asian languages and even computer languages. I have studied several of the languages derived from Latin or from the same family. I emphasize using Latin to build vocabulary and to think logically and analytically.
Although it has been a while since I have actually taught or tutored Latin or other subjects, in the past few years, I have kept my hand in with Latin, including by writing articles about it (please see the links from my resume.)