It’s snack time inside a sunlit classroom at The Dillon Child Study Center at St. Joseph’s University, New York (SJNY) in Brooklyn. Students are enjoying their break and Sister Patricia Dittmer, C.S.J., an assistant professor at SJNY, is nestled at one of the child-size tables engaging with the four-year-old boys and girls sitting with her.
St. Joseph’s is a place where she has helped students—from the youngest learners to future educators—for more than half a century.
Over her 53 years at St. Joe’s, Sister Patricia has taught five different child study courses. This year she is teaching a seminar course for sophomores and serving as the head teacher for 4/5 classroom at The Dillon Center.
Sister Patricia received her B.A. from St. Joseph’s University and an M.S. in Early Childhood Education from Bank Street College of Education. She is the co-author of “Look, Listen, and Plan — Developing Literacy in Young Children.”
As a Sister and an alumna, she knows that the Brooklyn Campus is a special place for the University as a whole.
“What I enjoy most is being part of a loving community which values the role the sisters have played in the development of the University and continues to do so,” Sister Patricia said. “The University feels like a family where members support each other and work together to give the best possible education to college students and children.”
As a longtime educator, S. Patricia has been at the forefront of the evolution of education in the U.S. And while times have changed during her tenure in the classroom, there is a constant in her approach.
“What remains the same today is the love I have for education and in particular the children in my care,” she said. “There are always challenges which help you to grow and today’s climate can certainly be challenging. I want to provide my students with a sense of inclusion, respect for diversity and love for one another regardless of differences. My mantra for the children is ‘be a family of friends.’”
Having impacted the lives of many preschoolers and college students during her career, Sister Patricia enjoys hearing from those who she taught.
“I had a note from one college student recently who thanked me for all I taught her about early education, which prompted her to become a kindergarten teacher,” Sister Patricia shared.
She also runs into former parents in the Clinton Hill neighborhood, and many share how their now-grown children fondly remember their time at Dillon and consider S. Patricia one of their favorite teachers. Last week, she received an email with photos from another mother whose student attended Dillon in the 1980s.
“I hope I have inspired college students and children to be the best they can possibly be by providing an exciting, fun environment which allows them to both grow and develop,” Sister Patricia shared. “As a Sister of St. Joseph, I hope I model the qualities of St. Joseph—love, patience, thoughtfulness and love of family and God.”
