Biography

As an undergraduate history major at Lipscomb University, Patrick concentrated his studies on European history, writing his thesis on the effects of the Protestant Reformation on modern Europe. Intending to become a history teacher, he was a participant in the first-ever Lipscomb in Vienna program in 1996, intensifying a fascination with language that never quite let him go. He was a Master Teacher Fellow at Wake Forest and his first teaching position - at Centennial High School in Franklin, TN - was in world history and German. He found the interactive nature of language learning (and the opportunity for sing-alongs!) a better fit for his teaching style, and during his tenure at Centennial the German enrollment doubled. He also established a student exchange relationship with the Humboldt-Schule in Wiesbaden (one that carried over to Lipscomb Academy in 2023).

Patrick has now been a teacher of German language for over 20 years, including seasons in a traditional high school classroom, teaching individuals online and in-person, and as a university instructor. In addition to his teaching at Lipscomb, Patrick has taught German courses at Austin Peay State University and developed asynchronous online courses for the German program there. Over the years he has developed a keen interest in the skills required for effective learning - reading, notetaking, time management, growth mindset, etc. - and integrates instruction on these practices into his courses.

Academic Degrees

• MA in Foreign Language Teaching, Middle Tennessee State University (2023)
• MA in Social Studies Education, Wake Forest University (2002)
• BA in History and German, Lipscomb University (1999)