Fulton teacher wins Fishman prize as one of nation’s best

Matthew Patterson, a 12th-grade English teacher at Banneker High School, is one of four teachers nationwide to win the 2016 Fishman Prize for Superlative Classroom Practice, a $25,000 award recognizing the most effective teachers in high-need public schools. "Matthew Patterson does more than just teach kids; he inspires them," said Kenneth Zeff, the school system's former interim superintendent. "He finds ways to connect with the students in his classes and to apply the lessons of the real world to the curriculum. He listens to their music, follows their social media trends, and engages their parents to stay involved at a time (high school) when they traditionally step back. His passion pays off." For six of Patterson's 10 years at Banneker, his students have been the only ones in the school to pass any Advanced Placement exam. Last month a student videotape of him reacting to the death of singer Prince went viral. It showed him wiping away tears, then playing a Prince song for his students, leading to a topical conversation of current events. This summer, Patterson will join the three other Fishman Prize winners for a six-week residency with TNTP, a national nonprofit founded by teachers, where they will meet with education leaders across the country and write essays capturing their insights as expert practitioners in the classroom.