Joshua Hunter, Magnet Schools of America Region IV Teacher of the Year, Helps His Moore Square Middle School Students 'See the Scientist in Them'

Feb. 10, 2020

Joshua Hunter comes by his love of teaching naturally.

His grandmother was a special education teacher and principal, and his mother was a kindergarten teacher. Growing up in West Virginia, their outdated textbooks became props as he “played school” as a child. Later, he tutored fellow students both in high school and college. “I guess you could say teaching is in my blood,” says Hunter, who has taught science at Moore Square Magnet Middle School for the past 8 years. “I could just never imagine myself doing anything else.”

That single-minded dedication to his profession has made him an effective and beloved teacher at Moore Square. And it’s why he was named last week as the Magnet Schools of America Teacher of the Year for Region IV, which covers, Kentucky, North Carolina, South Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Virginia, and his native West Virginia. “He is always looking for new and innovative ways to reach all students,” Moore Square Principal Jacqueline Jordan wrote in nominating Hunter for the award. “I can honestly say that he is a fundamental part of the success of our school.” 

‘Second to none’

Hunter excels at stoking students’ curiosity and enthusiasm through hands-on activities. “I love to help every student see the scientist in them,” he says. “My goal is for students to walk away from my class with the sense that, whether they love science or not, science is all around them. So any opportunity we have to bring in real-life, authentic learning, we do it.”

That takes the form of students working with scientists at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences, BASF employees paying a visit to help students extract DNA from a strawberry, a field trip to Bioegen to see what science careers look like, independent inquiry projects where students decide what they want to research, and citizen scientist projects with N.C. State. “I want to help students become more curious about the world around them,” says Hunter, who has degrees in chemistry and biology.

Jordan says the impact on students is tangible. “Students go home from school buzzing with excitement about the projects and activities they have done in Mr. Hunter’s class,” she wrote. “Classroom instruction always includes opportunities for collaboration. … From planning to implementation, Josh’s teaching is second to none.” 

Delving deeper

Hunter takes this a step further as the advisor for the Science Olympiad and Odyssey of the Mind clubs at Moore Square. These are offered as elective courses at the school. (Moore Square’s Gifted and Talented magnet theme means students take three elective courses each day.)

Science Olympiad offers 27 different events, allowing students to delve deeper into an area they are passionate about while competing with other teams from across the region. The Moore Square team fell just short of making the state competition last year but looks to get there this year.

Moore Square fields three Odyssey of the Mind teams, in which students must apply a wide range of knowledge and skills to solve a set problem. The school has taken home the state championship three times, and last year finished 24th in the world out of 176 teams in an international competition.

With both teams, Hunter says “It’s not my accomplishment, it’s the accomplishment of the students. I’m just the facilitator. But in a way that’s even more satisfying, to be able to help students become curious, capable and independent learners.”

‘Feels like home’ 

Hunter has worked as a technology specialist, literacy coach and language arts teacher. But his true passion is for teaching science, particularly in a diverse magnet school environment.  “We just have so many diverse electives that give students from all over Wake County a wide variety of learning experiences,” he says. “The innovative curriculum we have at that school really pushes that academic excellence for all students.”

As for the recognition he received from Magnet Schools of America, he says. “I feel like every magnet teacher needs this award.”

Hunter isn’t sure what the future holds, but it’s hard for him to see beyond the current job and place that he loves. “I’m so vested in this school, I can’t imagine myself working anywhere else,” he says. “Moore Square feels like home.”