Professor John Hunt Brings Fun Learning to Science Conference
Mississippi College professor John Hunt will bring his fun learning format to a national conference of science teachers.
The education instructor really needs little practice before he takes his presentation to 12,000 science teachers in Philadelphia, Pa. on March 18. Hunt brought a similar presentation to a national conference of middle school educators in Indianapolis in October. He's been doing this sort of thing for more than a dozen years.
"There needs to be more fun using critical thinking and problem solving," Hunt says.
An MC professor since 2002, Hunt brings a global perspective to his classroom on the Clinton campus.
Born in China to missionary parents, one a preacher and the other a nurse, Hunt grew up in Canada and received his three college degrees in Texas. He attended Lamar University on a track scholarship and earned a bachelor's degree there. He also holds degrees from Stephen F. Austin University, including his doctorate from Baylor University.
One of the "fun" things he demonstrates is using a fire syringe. In a split second, the professor increases the air pressure from 60 degrees to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. As a result, cotton bursts out in flame.
Hunt has done other interesting stuff. During a "fun day" at the Washington School in Greenville he met with parents and students in grades 4-8.
The visit in early March to the school in the Mississippi Delta began when Hunt worked with 35 parents on a Thursday night and taught them science. The parents, in turn, passed along his training to 276 students the following day.
"It was a win-win situation where the kids and parents benefit," he said. "Kids can recreate some of those things at home."
Hunt isn't finished with his USA education travels. The Pearl resident will lead a staff development workshop for teachers in Las Vegas in July.
The conference in Philadelphia is the National Science Teachers Association's 58th annual meeting. The sessions in the City of Brotherly Love from March 18-21 are dubbed "Connecting Science Past to Science Future."
For more details on Hunt's fun science classes, contact him at 601.925.3427 or jhunt@mc.edu.
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