A teacher’s work is far more than just going through the simple motions of mundane everyday tasks. It also involves being invested, enthusiastic, and delighted to be of assistance. Most importantly, it includes having the willingness to listen and care about the thoughts and ideas of students. Physics Teacher Scott Patterson, who was named UC High’s Teacher of the Year by the school’s staff, excels when it comes to providing students with an enjoyable learning experience.
Patterson is always willing to go above and beyond for his students, whether it be by listening to a student’s problems, providing extra help, or just making each lesson exciting and inclusive. He makes laboratory activities fun with interactive aspects such as going outside of the classroom to learn. Patterson said, “I love having students learn scientific concepts from hands-on experiments and making real-world connections. My favorite part of teaching is having students see the ways science affects their lives or the real world. Science is more than just a bunch of facts about the universe; it is a process for developing an understanding and getting closer to the truth about the universe.”
Junior Clara Jarvis, who has Patterson as her physics teacher, enjoys his class greatly. She said, “Patterson always tries to make each class interesting and hands on to keep students engaged. He’s the only science teacher who has made me interested in what is going on in the class.”
Patterson obtained his bachelor’s degree in physics and his minor in astronomy at San Diego State University. He then went on to receive his masters degree in Education at the University of California, San Diego. Patterson followed his dream of becoming an educator by starting his teaching career at UC High, where he has been teaching for the last nine years. In those years, he has become an appreciated
and beloved teacher as well as an advisor for the Surf Club, Astronomy Club, and Academic League, the latter of which he coaches with Math and Computer Science Teacher Phillip Huszar.
Huszar, who has led the Academic League club for eight years with Patterson, has a true appreciation for him. “I have never actually witnessed Patterson teach, but I hear from his students all the time what a great teacher he is. I start out the school year by asking my students what their favorite class was from the previous year and Patterson’s physics class is mentioned very often. Also, his AP pass rate [for his AP Physics class] is always extremely impressive,” said Huszar.
“I appreciate his sense of humor and his passion for the profession of education. He has been to a lot of cool places and done a lot of interesting things. From surfing to science and Astronomy Club to Academic League, he brings a lot to the UC community, and receiving this award is immensely well-deserved,” continued Huszar.
Patterson has a genuine passion for his teaching, as he has always loved the laws of physics and anything involving science. Patterson said, “After teaching guitar and drums to kids while I was in high school, I realized I was pretty good at explaining things and teaching others. It just made sense to add two of my interests together and teach science.”
Senior Emilia Ghandour said, “Patterson genuinely cares and loves his classes, and as soon as I walked into his class I always felt inspired to learn because of his excitement. He makes learning easier even when the material is complicated, and is always a great motivator even when he isn’t trying.”
Outside of school, Patterson’s love for science does not stop — he is constantly traveling in search of new experiences and learning more about the world. He traveled to Texas to see the total solar eclipse in April, and he plans to travel to Egypt in 2026 to watch the next one. As for his hobbies, he enjoys surfing, and goes all over San Diego in search of new surf spots. Along with his passion for the sport, he loves to build surf boards. In addition, Patterson was even in a reggae band.
It is an honor to have Patterson as a teacher and leader at UC High, making him a well- deserved winner of the Teacher of the Year award. In Patterson’s class, students are sure to find a good lesson and an enthusiastic teacher. He shows up and puts in his best to allow his students, at the very least, to have fun while they are in his classroom. Next time you see Patterson roaming campus, be sure to strike up a conversation by congratulating him for his Teacher of the Year win!