New York’s Dr. Patricia Jordan inducted into the 2015 National Teachers Hall of Fame

It’s always gratifying to learn that a fellow educator has been singled out for special recognition. This happened to Dr. Patricia Jordan, a high school math teacher from New York who was inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame in 2015.

Patricia earned her Bachelor’s degree with a double major in Psychology African Studies from New York’s Vassar College in 1972. She earned her Master’s degree in Special Education from City University of New York in 1974. She completed the requirements for her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Long Island’s Hofstra University in 1991.

Patricia inaugurated her career as an educator in 1972, when she accepted a position at New Haven Public High Schools. There she taught courses in consumer math and algebra. The next year she taught individualized math instruction at Park East Alternative High School, and the two years following that she taught general math at Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., High School. From 1976 through 1980, Patricia taught general math, algebra, and geometry at Malverne High School, and from 1980 to 2001, she taught all math levels at Roslyn High School. In all, Patricia served 29 years as a professional educator before her retirement.

For her outstanding work in the classroom, Patricia has earned many honors. In 1993, she won the Humanitarian Award from the NAACP, she earned the Disney Teacher Award, and she was named the New York State Teacher of the Year. In 1995, she garnered the National Council of Negro Women Achievement Award, and in 1998, she was named a Tandy Corporation Technology Scholar. In 2004, Patricia was given the Chasing Rainbows Award from the Dolly Parton Foundation. And in 2015, this remarkable chalkboard champion was inducted into the National Teachers Hall of Fame.

Since her retirement from the teaching profession, Patricia has been a practicing clinical psychologist. She has also served as a volunteer tutor, and she is actively involved in alumni programs, professional organizations, and parent associations. With her sister, she established the Juanita James Memorial Scholarship Foundation in memory of their mother. This organization provides college scholarships to students from housing projects in the Bronx.

Feel free to view this short YouTube video that depicts the moment Patricia learned she had been honored by the National Teachers Hall of Fame.