Edupreneur Spotlight: Patrick Hawkins
We’re so excited to kick off our Edupreneur Spotlight with Patrick Hawkins of Hawkins Learning!
How did you become an educator? Narrate your path for us.
Patrick’s journey to becoming an edupreneur was not a linear path. “I started out not wanting to be an educator, I went to school for acting. I loved being in plays and musicals!” He wanted to pursue his journey as an actor by going to New York, but his grandmother got sick so he opted to stay in Georgia and attend Piedmont College to be close to family.
“My major was Acting and Theater in college with a minor in Music, but I switched to Education because I needed a backup plan. I couldn’t be a starving artist”. So Patrick changed his major to focus on Education when his college became the second institution to offer Theater Education. It was a huge pivot for him, because he couldn’t be in as many plays, but he spent his time student-teaching and honing his skills for education.
Soon after graduating college Patrick taught Pre-K, but didn’t like it! So he started working at a private Private Pre-K where he had to learn Japanese and Korean to communicate with students and parents. “I realized during that time, that I loved teaching kids and engaging with parents and families”.
Patrick worked at the Suzuki School, a Montessori school that inspired him to dive deeper into the untapped genius of children. Montessori taught him that students between the ages of 3-6 are able to grasp concepts that they would have learned in grade school otherwise if allowed. This knowledge helped him tap into his passion of motivating students to be the best versions of themselves.
“I wanted to try working at a Public School, and heard about the Kindezi Schools in Atlanta and there I realized my true calling was Special Education. Since my love of acting hasn’t gone anywhere, I started looking for a new job and found one at Utopian Academy For The Arts in Clayton County as a Special Education Instructor and I feel like this is a great fit for all my gifts”.
Patrick’s journey was a long one, but it was filled with purpose and determination. “I’ve learned through my journey to be patient”.
What inspired you to start Hawkins Learning? What’s the mission?
“It started in January 2017, I wanted to be a tutor. So I started Hawkins Learning and consulting to teach parents how to be involved in their kids' education”. This included helping create calendars, sleep schedules, behavior plans, etc. “However, it was moving slow so I got back into acting, and I created Hawkins Academy for the Arts.” A lot of Patrick's interests started to overlap, so he started to Rebrand. “I made the arts a branch for Hawkins Learning, and started a podcast. Then I got into youtube, online newspapers, and blogs.”
We have to try many things before finding our true passion. Patrick has so many skills and ideas that all grew to support his purpose within Hawkins Learning. His love for children and arts found it’s way for him to create The Reading Nest. A podcast turned YouTube channel where Patrick features stories written by African American authors. His program is there to help and encourage students to read while having someone there along the way to make it fun!
The mission for Hawkins Learning is to provide support and a voice for anyone in education. It's a place where you can feel comfortable, because ultimately “I want to educate and connect”.
What do you envision for Hawkins Learning in five years?
Patrick sees himself on a black network like OWN or at Tyler Perry Studios broadcasting what he loves to do, which is encouraging students on The Reading Nest. This inspiration stems from programs like Reading Rainbow with Levar Burton and Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. “It’s not about the money or fame, it's about educating the world on new books. I just want to have a platform where everyone feels at peace, welcomed and at home no matter where they are.” Patrick also wants to expand and create merchandise for Hawkins Learning, like T-Shirts with inspirational messages for kids.
What are your thoughts on teaching during a pandemic? What has been a highlight? What has been a lowlight?
Patrick’s highlight is that during this pandemic he is home all day, which has been restorative. It's great to be home, with snacks and his loved ones! However, it can be stressful at times. Patrick is a people person, and it’s hard being away from other teachers and students that he loves. “I can have shorts and a dress shirt on and be comfortable, but it can get boring”.
If you could wave a magic wand and fix one thing about education immediately what would you fix.
“That’s hard to think about, because I want to fix a lot of stuff with my wand!” If he could pick just one, Patrick would fix the curriculum that students are learning. “The curriculum should be what their path is.” Patrick’s goal is to give students the specific tools they need to be successful based on their interests.
“I want to fix so much, I don’t want to be too blunt or honest, but I wish I could fix the curriculum. The information now isn’t really beneficial to people and their needs. The School system just needs to be revamped entirely, to be accessible to all kids for their specific learning challenges and interests.”
What advice would you give to educators who have a passion & talent that could become profitable and want to act on it, but are fearful?
“Go for it! It’s scary, I’m a perfectionist and I've come to realize that everything doesn’t have to be perfect. If you don't try it you wont know if it ever fails, and if it fails, try again! If you have a dream or a goal, follow it! You never know what's gonna happen.”
How can our followers stay in touch with you?
Instagram: @hawkinslearning
YouTube: The Reading Nest
Facebook: Hawkins Learning
Twitter: @hawkinslearning
Website : hawkinsldc.com
Email : hawkinslearning@gmail.com