Instructional Specialist for Middle School Humanities, Brilla Schools Network
Patrick Sitzer serves as the instructional specialist for middle school humanities for the Brilla Schools Network, where he works to support leaders’ and teachers’ growth in classroom instruction. A Minnesota native, Patrick studied philosophy at Saint John’s University in Collegeville, Minnesota before joining the University of Notre Dame’s Alliance for Catholic Education, where he began his teaching career in the Archdiocese of New Orleans. He continued his teaching career in two Catholic schools in Chicago before relocating to New York City to serve as Curriculum Associate for elementary schools in the Archdiocese of New York. Patrick is pursuing his PhD in English education at Teachers College, Columbia University and has been an adjunct instructor at Teachers College and Hunter College, supporting the holistic formation of pre-service teachers and their capacity to create welcoming classroom communities for all students. While he loves the peace and solitude of the outdoors, Patrick loves the thrill of New York City and is proud to work with leaders, teachers, and students here.
I have never encountered any children in any group who are not geniuses. There is no mystery on how to teach them. The first thing you do is treat them as human beings and the second thing you do is love them.