Employee Spotlight: Patrick Sobak, Territory Sales Rep
Patrick Sobak spent 13 years working as an educator and with educators before he came to Audio Enhancement. His experience in education helps him understand many of the challenges that today’s teachers face. Patrick values education and knows the importance of making it as effective as possible.
Patrick grew up watching and admiring the difference his mom made as a teacher. When he went to college, Patrick got a job working with children and discovered he loved working with kids. That was when he knew he wanted to follow in his mother’s footsteps and become a teacher, too.
Joys and Challenges of Teaching
Patrick taught math, science, and social studies to fifth and sixth graders for six years in South Carolina. When asked what his favorite part of teaching was, he had a hard time choosing. He loved the students, especially his 5th and 6th graders. He loved getting to know a new group of students each year and watching them grow and learn. He loved that each day was different with different opportunities.
Of course, every job has its challenges. The demanding schedule and lack of time were the hardest things for Patrick. He often felt like he worked two jobs—teaching the students during the school day, then grading papers, talking to parents, and prepping lessons in the afternoon and evening. Patrick also felt they lacked time to fully cover standards and still discuss certain subjects at a deeper level. Experiencing this struggle helped him understand how important it is to ease the burden on teachers and make classrooms as efficient as possible.
Working With Educators
When Patrick left teaching, he did so to work with educators on a different level—with education software. He enjoyed the opportunity to help school districts get software that would serve their needs and then help teachers implement it. When it was time for Patrick to move away from the software industry, he chose to sell Audio Enhancement products because, “I’d heard many great things about Audio Enhancement and the products speak for themselves.”
Because Patrick has been in the shoes of teachers, he understands how helpful it is to lighten their load. Teachers have a taxing job with very little downtime—any chance to make their lives and jobs easier is valuable. One product he feels can help significantly is a classroom audio system. They help relieve stress on teachers’ voices because the teachers don’t have to talk so loudly all day. Additionally, the system offers benefits in improving student behavior, which also eases teacher stress.
We are grateful to have dedicated employees like Patrick Sobak, who care about educators and the challenges they face.
