Page 34 | Autumn 2022
A lifelong search for the good teacher literacy , for teaching and learning , but it was more about kids and the relationships ," says Patrick . In retrospect , Patrick recognizes that what he learned then about building relationships as a way to help struggling kids learn , was about dealing with trauma or complex trauma , something he and his spouse Karen Wallace have been exploring and writing about more recently .
After 10 years on Pender Island , Patrick and Karen decided it was time to pack up and travel . Patrick wanted to do more graduate work around narrative inquiry and storytelling and he was accepted to the University of Queensland in 1997 . They sold their acreage and the family of four backpacked through the South Pacific and ended up in Brisbane , Australia where Patrick began his PhD . Having to leave Australia before he finished his studies , Patrick returned to Victoria , BC , to finish his PhD remotely . His dissertation was a narrative inquiry called " Looking for a Good Teacher ." Patrick says , " That ’ s pretty much what I ’ ve been doing since I started teaching — looking for a good teacher ."
In 2004 , the University of Regina hired Patrick as an assistant professor in early childhood education . At the beginning , the position was a ' test drive ' with Patrick living in Regina while Karen stayed in Victoria to allow their son to finish high school and to continue with her established counselling and art therapy practice . However , in 2007 , they made the decision to move to Regina , committing to stay for 5 years . " Five years turned into 18 years ( and 14 for Karen )," says Patrick .
Over his time here , Patrick saw the work of the Faculty evolving : " We went through program renewal and through processes of developing mission statements and visions , and our core belief . I got the impression even from the early days that we were moving toward equity , diversity , and inclusion . But , it didn ' t always go smoothly ."
Though not naturally drawn to administrative roles , Patrick adopted several leadership roles along the way , such as early childhood education subject chair , co-organizer of the " talkin ' about schools and society " discussion series , Education Indigenous Advisory Circle cochair , elementary program chair , and the associate dean of faculty development and human resources .
Patrick ' s hope in taking on these responsibilities was always that " it would be an opportunity to make programming a more holistic experience for our preservice teachers in preparing them for the children they were going to work alongside in their classrooms . I wanted to open their eyes to the importance of diversity and www2 . uregina . ca / education / news