Some teachers say they knew as a child what they wanted to be when they grew up; others took different career routes that eventually lead them to the classroom. It is not how they got to the classroom, but what they have done once there that matters.

Two of this year’s finalists for Fayette County Teacher of the Year say they became teachers at the early ages of 7 and 11 while the other finalist pursued a successful law career that eventually landed her in education. The one common thread they all share is that each one is an outstanding educator in her own right.

At the tender age of seven, Angel Nauck, a second grade teacher at Huddleston Elementary, was preparing to be what she calls “a boring teacher rattling off directions from the chalkboard.”

“That teacher was all I ever wanted to be until my senior year of high school…when I found myself in Mrs. Hibben’s sociology class,” she says.

From the moment she walked into the classroom, she knew something was different. There was no seating chart, no textbooks and no rules or procedures being read from the walls. Instead, Nauck found a warm, thought provoking environment that challenged and intrigued her.

“She engaged us in out-of-the box activities but I suppose what made her so successful in my eyes was how she connected with her students and made us feel like our voices mattered,” says Nauck.

Nauck changed her mind about teaching, not about the occupation but the type of teacher she wanted to be.

“I wanted to be like Mrs. Hibben and make a difference,” she says.

Nauck says she strives to provide meaningful educational experiences for all of her students by making personal connections with each child. She uses the yearbook to memorize their names and faces before they get to her classroom. She hands out parent questionnaires to learn each child’s likes, dislikes and dreams and weaves that information into the required curriculum.

“And just like Mrs. Hibben, I create an environment that values and holds each voice accountable, yet is conducive to risk-taking,” she says.

Nauck has been teaching for 11 years and has taught second grade at Huddleston since 2004.

Business teacher Lisa Collins at McIntosh High says as a young child it was her destiny to become a teacher. While fellow classmates were busy trying to get their parents to buy them the latest trendy clothes or gadgets, Collins was eagerly collecting old textbooks and setting up a classroom at home.

When her sixth grade math teacher was discarding his old textbooks and asked if anyone wanted them, Collins could not wait to take him up on the offer.

“As I filled bags with rejected handouts, teacher keys and used textbooks, excitement consumed my body as I took possession of the materials. No longer would I pretend to play school; authentic materials confirmed the truth that I was a real teacher,” she says.

Collins says she seeks to inspire, encourage and guide the students she teaches to realize their talents and gifts, set goals and dream big so they can make their dreams a reality just like she did. She uses theater décor in her classroom to emphasize that while she is the director, the students are the stars of the class.

“The classroom is our stage and everyone’s role is vital. I greet students and welcome them to the world of possibilities that lies within each of them,” she says.

Collins has a philosophy that education should include life lessons. She says she wants her students to be able to apply what they have been learning to real life situations. She works to build relationships in the community that provide opportunities for her students to interact in real life settings and use their learned knowledge to make their school and outside environments a better place for everyone.

“Students, parents, my colleagues, the administration, the custodial and cafeteria staffs and members of the local business community are integral members of the education process in my classroom. My legacy in education is the production of good people who have promise, understand the value of building relationships and believe in themselves and in their purpose,” says Collins.

Collins has been an educator for 19 years and has taught at McIntosh since 2004.

Unlike the first two finalists Carol Saboda, a language and reading arts teacher at Fayette Middle, did not dream of one day becoming a teacher. Her dream was to practice law and in 1990 she realized her dream and became a trial lawyer in Seattle, Washington.

She says law was everything she had hoped; it was exciting, intellectually challenging and absorbing. Unfortunately the very things she wanted out of the job brought some not so popular consequences, never ending 80-hour work weeks and no time to pursue any of her other interests.

“Even worse, I felt very little of what I did each day made the world a better place, even slightly. I knew it was time to leave,” she says.

Saboda traveled abroad and earned a masters degree in writing for young audiences. While earning her degree at King Alfred’s College (now the University of Winchester) in Winchester, England, she interacted with fellow classmates where were pursuing education degrees. She said she was fascinated by their discussions and knew that when she returned to the U.S. she wanted to teach.

Her travels and business experience has given her a “world” perspective that she says she shares with her students, colleagues and school administrators.

“The business world is often remarkably different from the academic world. I share stories with my students, using concrete illustrations of how the skills they are now developing are essential for success,” says Saboda.

Saboda says the role of a teacher is to inspire students to learn and equip them with the tools they need to access information. She models the type of learning behavior she wants her students to develop.

“I know of no better way to kindle student interest in learning than by modeling, sharing with my students my own practices of seizing every learning opportunity life presents,” she says.

At a recent spelling bee, Saboda heard a word she did not know. She went home and spent half an hour on the Internet researching the meaning. The next day she shared what she had learned with her students. Her story inspired students to share their own quests for knowledge that had been prompted by something they had encountered in their lives.

“Needless to say, we did not get through the entire grammar lesson I had planned for day but together we sparked some fires for knowledge,” she says.

Saboda has been an educator for five years and has taught at Fayette Middle since 2002.

The next step for the finalists will be a classroom observation and one-on-one interviews with the judging panel. The winner will be announced on April 26 at the annual Fayette County Teacher of the Year ceremony.

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