Ask anyone. Among all the Upper School teachers at Friends, English teacher Christine Saudek has to be one of the most beloved.
“Her classroom has a very lively environment. I loved the dynamic between her and her students, and she is extremely understanding and sweet,” says junior Koko Basu, “Ms. Saudek is definitely going to be one of the most memorable teachers when I look back on my high school years.”
Junior Connor House agrees.
“I actually really like my English class this year now – because of the material, and I like that I’m in an environment that feels open and where I feel comfortable sharing in class,” says Connor.
Laya Bubshait ’25 sums it up.
“Her class is by far the best English class I’ve ever taken, I loved having her as a teacher,” she says.
Saudek says that’s why she does what she does.
“I truly care about all of my students. I do. I care about the kids at this school. I care about the kids that I teach, about the kids that I advise. I feel like I listen to them, I hear them, I respect them, I trust them,” Saudek says. “Those things are really important to me, because I want them to be good people.”
Saudek started her path to becoming a teacher early on in her life, because of influences around her. She was always surrounded by people involved in education. Both of her parents were teachers, and her grandmother had been the president of a college.
“And then in middle school, I had some really great teachers,” she says.
She remembers her middle school English teacher especially.
“He was the head of the middle school, and I just adored him,” she says. “And when I was older, and I was teaching, he asked me to come teach at his school.”
Saudek chose to attend Mount Holyoke in Massachusetts, a women’s college, during a time when “women were becoming really powerful.” She thought it was the place for her.
“I went off to a women’s college thinking that I was going to break the glass ceiling,” she says.
Instead, she hated it.
“I was miserable. It was not the place I wanted to be,” she says. “I found it to be not the way the world worked. Not being in a co-ed school created a different environment and dimension to my classroom and social experiences.”
She quickly realized that she wanted a change. Ultimately, she transferred to Kenyon College in Ohio. Kenyon provided her with extensive English and Arts programs, and she loved it.
“I met a lot of great friends there, wonderful people, some of whom I’m still friends with,” she says.
One of her good friends, who was older than Saudek, had also attended Mt. Holyoke. She happened to be the proctor for Saudek’s dorm. She became an English teacher, and she, along with her husband, got Saudek immersed in the world of literature.
“I kind of admire both of them, and they got me into loving literature, loving reading, loving the intricacies of stories,” she says.
Right out of college, Saudek got a teaching job at a boarding school and moved to Delaware. She then decided to get her masters at Boston College, before heading to Providence. There, she met her husband – who was also a teacher. Together they made the move to Baltimore, so her husband could follow a new goal of his, to go to law school.
A few years later they had their three kids: Kailie, Jake, and Paige.
Saudek taught at McDonough School for 10 years before deciding that she wanted to teach at Friends.
“I chose Friends because out of all the schools in Baltimore, this is where I wanted my kids to go,” she says. “I really felt like Friends cared about the whole person, and educated kids in a very full way. Not just academically, but educated them to be fair, to have empathy. To be more considerate people.”
Saudek says she sees potential in every student she meets.
“I just believe in all my students,” she says. “I believe in the kids, and I just want them to believe in themselves, and know that they’re great. And know that they have so much to offer.”
Jake Rainess was one of the many students on whom Saudek has had a positive impact. When Jake was in Middle School at Friends, he was struggling with his situation at home. His parents were in the process of splitting up, and that took a toll on him and his emotions. Occasionally, he would stay the night at Saudek’s house or another teacher’s home.
Over time, Saudek and her family took him in completely, after realizing that stability would do him some good. He ended up staying in her family’s basement for the remainder of his high school career.
“He went in the right direction because he had people that really cared about him,” she says. Jake still visits and spends the holidays with the Saudek family.
During those years, Saudek had her own struggles with her health. Eleven years ago, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
“When I had breast cancer – I can’t believe it, actually – I would come and teach, and then I’d go off and have chemo, and then I would be sick for a little while. And then I’d come back to school and teach my classes, because I didn’t want to leave my kids – my students,” she says.
“I taught through chemo; I taught through cancer. I cannot believe it. I just remained really strong,” she says. “That is definitely my biggest accomplishment, besides my family.”
Since then, Saudek has continued to fill Freshman Hall with her vibrant personality and positive attitude. She continues to build relationships with students, both in class and as a grade dean. Years from now, she says, this is what she hopes her legacy will be.
“Later on, when I look back at my time here at Friends, I’ll miss all of my good friends on the faculty and the interactions I have with the kids on a daily basis,” she says. “It’s a wonderful experience being a part of this community.”
Christine Saudek is an exemplary teacher. But most importantly, she is a wonderful person.
