Riverside Brookfield High School business teacher Patty Sarkady has received this year’s Educator of Year award from the Illinois Digital Educators Alliance.
Sarkady teaches classes in business, digital design, advanced digital design, business and digital marketing, and game design. A long-time gamer herself, Sarkady started with Atari video games. She created and teaches RB’s course in computer game design. Four of her classes are dual-credit courses with Triton College.
She also is part of the blended learning team at RB, which uses video lectures to supplement classroom learning at home.
“Patty is known for her innovative teaching methods, particularly in incorporating gaming into her curriculum,” said Stefanie Crawford, the executive director of the Illinois Digital Educator’s Alliance in an email.
“As a gamer herself, Patty researched best practices in game-based learning and implemented it, winning a regional award for her work implementing a gamified classroom.”
Crawford said that Sarkady has a background in the television industry, as well as experience managing equipment centers, and brought that experience to her students.
Sarkady was nominated for the award by RB Spanish teacher Jessica Mauritzen.
“Patty is an amazing and innovative educator,” Mauritzen told the Landmark in an email. “When watching Patty in action in the classroom, it is difficult not to be inspired. She is creative and imaginative in her craft, and she is constantly thinking outside of the box.”
Sarkady’s classroom is different. There are no desks or rows. Instead, it is set up with desktop computers facing all four walls and each student sits at a computer. Sarkady rarely lectures. Her classes are almost entirely project-based and student centered. Students work on projects that they choose within a framework that she gives them. Students create business plans and products. Sarkady works with students every step of the way, but stays in the background helping, prodding and answering questions as she moves about the room to look in on and talk to students. She rarely stands still and doesn’t sit down.
RBHS senior Joel Cardona said he has taken three of her classes. She’s one of the best teachers he’s ever had, he said.
“She’s very hands-off. She’ll teach you how to do stuff in terms of her classes, but she’ll let you do your own work and she’ll occasionally drop by to see if you need any help to check on your progress,” Cardona said. “It encouraged me to work on my own while also experimenting and exploring in terms of creativity.”
Sarkady’s students design products and start businesses. She fosters entrepreneurship and brings in businesspeople to judge Shark Tank-like competitions and talk to students. Her students have collaborated with shop class and culinary students to build and run a food truck at RBHS.
“I am very lucky that we are encouraged to take risks in our classrooms,” Sarkady said. “I might do the same activity for a particular unit, but I never do it the same way because I always try to improve it, and the only way I can improve it is by talking to the students.”
“She has a wonderful smile and personality, and she’s just very happy,” said Principal Hector Freytas. “Every day she comes in with a smile and with a positive attitude and the students match that in the classroom. Kids do her homework, kids do her assessments, kids do her products, whatever projects she has them working on kids do it. She’s just a blessing for our school and I’m lucky to work with her.”
Sarkady, who lived in Brookfield until she was 12, graduated from Columbia College with a double major in TV production and business management. She came to RB in 1999 when she was hired to produce community programming and work with former RBTV Director Gary Prokes.
Receiving the educator of the year award has been emotional for the outgoing Sarkady. Accustomed to cheering on her students Sarkady found herself in the limelight. She got a little choked up at a recent school board meeting when she was recognized for winning the award and again when doing a telephone interview with the Landmark. She said that it was especially meaningful for her to hear from many former students.
“It was really overwhelming, I couldn’t believe it,” Sarkady said, choking back tears.