"John Hunter and the World Peace Game" Reflection

John Hunter currently teaches public school in Virginia. In 1977, John declared that he had found spiritual enlightenment, at which point his father pushed him to get an actual degree. He chose education and soon obtained a job in teaching gifted education. Upon asking his new employer what he does for this, the woman replied, "What do you want to do?" This question set the precedent for what was to come. In his first year of teaching, he created a game out of piece of plywood that would help the students actively learn about Africa. This interactive game has now evolved into a four foot, by four foot, by four foot plexy-glass structure that has four layers: an outer space layer, an air and space layer, and ground and see level layer, and an undersea level. Four countries are placed around the board which can be either rich or poor, and students can create the names of these countries. The goal was to see whether fourth graders could solve the problems of Africa using this plexy-glass structure. John chooses the prime minister and that designated person chooses their cabinet. Ethic and minority tensions, oil spices, famine, endangered species, and global warming are all challenges that exist within the hypothetical Africa. The fourth graders also read from The Art of War, and implement those learnings into their countries.

I find great joy in knowing that a teacher out there is teaching relevant topics that are sure to better our world. I often question whether the things we are teaching kids are even going to benefit them in the future; however, there is no doubt that this program ensures a better world and more enlightened students. The results of the World Peace Game exemplify a classroom of excited, intrigued, and concerned ten year olds, anxious to solve the pertinent issues of our world. If we could successfully implement this game into the gifted curriculum of elementary, middle, and even high schools, these students will undoubtedly be able to change the world in ways our generation cannot. My only concern is that this game would have to develop into an actual subject criteria of the classroom. If not, it will simply complicate teaching the Common Core Standards and cause teachers to fall far behind the suggested gifted education curriculum. Lack of time and funds are, as usual, the only constraints I can gather that would result from incorporating this game into more schools across the nation.