Joyce Patton

Shreveport, LA | 7-12, Science, 1986

What motivates you to contribute to excellence in STEM teaching?

As a senior citizen I realize the importance of having the best possible health care. We must have excellent teachers to motivate students to love science and desire to go into STEM professions. Almost daily we hear about the shortage of individual in the health care field. I have been retired since 2007. However I am actively involved in two international volunteer service organizations that work with student groups in STEM activities to inspire them to choose STEM careers.

What has been the most transformative moment that affirmed your impact on STEM education?

While in the classroom, I was selected to participate in a National Science Foundation program “Operation Physics.” I was trained with the understanding that I would conduct workshops to train other science teachers. After my training, I along with my teammates conducted hundred if hours of workshops at local, state, and national conventions. There have been countless times when I have met former students that thanked me for being such an encouraging and motivating teacher. When they inform me that that they are now a doctor, nurse, or engineer I beam with pride.

Using your platform as a Presidential Awardee, how do you hope to advance our nation in STEM?

I remain actively committed to continuous improvement of STEM skills by my involvement in various community projects. Through these efforts I seek to amplify the qualities necessary to build both interest and proficiency in our youth. Uniting this knowledge base with impactful activities, experiences and exposure. I volunteered in a community health expo in which students were able to participate in STEM activities and meet and talk with persons in various STEM professions.

Biography

Joyce Bradford Patton began her teaching career in 1972 in New York. She taught there three years before returning home to Louisiana where she taught Earth Science at Walnut Hill Elementary Middle School, then Caddo Middle Magnet School in Shreveport where she was teaching when she received the Presidential Award in 1986. Joyce taught science for 21 years before being promoted to Assistant Principal for Instruction at Caddo Middle Magnet School. She retired after 37 years in 2007. Joyce received her B.S. in biology from Grambling College (now Grambling State University); M.S. in education from State University of New York Teacher's College at Buffalo; and Administrative Certification from Louisiana State University at Shreveport. Winning the Presidential Award opened the opportunity for Joyce to serve at the forefront of state education reform. Some of her experiences include Operation Physics trainer and presenter; member of the "Louisiana Coalition for an Educational Renaissance;" Louisiana Systemic Initiative Program advisory committee member; and Review Team for LEAP for the 21st Century. She represented Louisiana's teachers at the 1st Japan/America Grass Roots Summit in Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan, in 1991. Joyce has the following publications to her credit: "Views of the Moon as Seen From Earth," Science Activities on File: Facts on File Publication, 1989; "Cooperative Learning: A Plus for the Middle School Science Program": Louisiana Middle School Journal, Spring, 1991.21-23; and "Strategies for Strengthening Literacy Learning in a Middle School Science Program" Chapter 5, Developing Literacy Skills Across the Curriculum: The Edwin Mellen Press, 2001.

High-resolution version of the teacher profile photograph

The views expressed in awardee profiles are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSF or the PAEMST program.