WM: What is your name and how do you spell it?

NH: Nicole Hardin

WM: How did you feel when you learned you were selected as Teacher Of The Year?

NH: I was very surprised, I had no idea that’s what they were coming here for and was humbled because there are so many great teachers here at THS.

WM: Can you share your journey to becoming a teacher?

NH: Well,it is definitely a different one, I didn’t come into teaching in the public school arena until after I was 40 years old. So I went back to school and got my masters degree in the alternate route program. So I didn’t go to school for education, I did something else. I entered back later in life.

WM: What makes you a great teacher?

NH: If I could be called a great teacher, which is hard for me to accept, I would say that I try to see students as individuals and try to find their strengths and their weaknesses and help them believe in themselves.

WM: What do you believe sets you apart from other candidates for the Teacher Of The Year?

NH: I don’t like to answer that question because it’s really hard to believe that I am set apart, there’s so many great teachers here.

WM: Why did you choose this profession?

NH: I choose this profession because I feel like it has the ability to have the most impact in our culture and in our world.