‘Best teacher ever’ gives, gets respect in classroom

His robotics teams became the first Nevada competitors at the middle school world championships in 2012. And they placed in the top 15 percent among 300 competitors.

Students describe him as the "best teacher ever," and he runs four school clubs.

So, what's the secret of Edward Patricks, a Hyde Park Middle School teacher just awarded Educator of the Month by a panel, including members of the Clark County School Board, Public Education Foundation, PTA and Teach for America?

The secret is simple. To his science and robotics students in central Las Vegas, he has no secrets.

They all know how their 53-year-old teacher is "single and happy in Vegas," grew up in southside Chicago, a rough neighborhood where "being tough, winning fights for family honor was the norm," Patricks says.

"I tell the kids, I never started a fight, I just finished them," he says and laughs, making it quickly apparent that he may teach heavy subjects but he's lighthearted, pulling practical jokes on students and vice versa.

Being so frank with students is unusual, he admits. But it works for him. He treats the children more like co-workers than pupils, giving them unorthodox responsibilities which extend beyond the classroom and homework.

He doesn't call students' names for attendance at the start of seventh grade advanced science on Thursday.

"Team A?" he asks.

"All present, sir," a boy replies.

The boy is team leader and responsible for the attendance of his three other members. If anyone is going to be absent, they need to tell him before class. All team members have roles, from the communicator, who must keep a detailed record of teacher instructions, to the tracker, who must gather supplies for projects, and the computer guru.

Students' textbooks are paperweights more than anything, said student Alondra Ortiz, who likes not having to "always read out of the book and get answers."

"I tell them, if you want to read a book and answer section questions, you're in the wrong class," Patricks said. "The Internet is your book, and I am your guide."

Patricks runs through to Team G, which has an absence.

"With or without leave, miss?" Patricks asks.

"Without, sir."

"Better get the court-martial papers ready," he replies, leaving it at that for the team leader to find the reason, write it up and report it to him.

He uses "sir" and "miss" sincerely and knows students can tell.

"I always tell them, 'Respect is a two-way street,' " he says, knowing it has little to do with science but a great deal to do with teaching. "A true teacher doesn't just teach a subject but life skills."

The rest of the period is the polar opposite - relaxed. Patricks gives lighthearted instructions before giving the students 15 minutes to finish their projects to present.

"He doesn't take stuff seriously, but he's still serious," student Orlando Robinson says. "You know what I mean?"

His friend explains.

"Every time I give a wrong answer, he corrects me in a funny way," says Yosef Arnell, who didn't like science before.

Neither did Alondra, who says, "Before science was really, really -"

"Boring," interrupts Valerie Adame, finishing her friend's sentence.

Patricks is glad to hear the excitement, because science and math teaching have been his life for 32 years. He came here 15 years ago from Chicago.

He also leads the chess club, science bowl team and National Junior Honor Society for the school. Hyde Park is the district's Academy of Science and Math.

He wanted to teach since the fifth grade, realizing he wanted out-of-the-box teachers too.

In college, his father asked if he wanted to go a little further into science and math to become an engineer, like him. His father designed nuclear and fossil fuel power plants.

Patricks decided to stick with teaching, and his father didn't push again.

"They wanted what I wanted," he says. "And they thought highly of their teachers, too."

He is happy with his choice, as are his students, like 12-year-old Orlando, singing his praises Thursday.

After explaining how Mr. Patricks makes science "cool," Orlando leans in and whispers something.

"And he always smiles."

Contact reporter Trevon Milliard at tmilliard@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0279.