TEACHER'S CORNER: LOUD NOISES, ODD SMELLS NOT UNUSUAL IN WRIGHT'S CLASSROOM

Loud noises, unusual smells and an occasional explosion aren't uncommon in Kathy Wright's classroom.

Wright teaches chemistry at Cape Girardeau Central High School. She also teaches advanced placement classes.

"In chemistry, there are many different things that occur which would not in other classes," she said of the lab experiments and demonstrations.

Most of the loud noises and bad smells come when students don't always follow instructions.

"In lab one day, two young men were combining two elements, which was fine," Wright explained, "but they were not to heat the combination. Needless to say, they did and their table went up in flames. One good reason to know how to use a fire extinguisher."

Other popular but sensually unpleasant experiments are producing hydrogen gas accompanied by loud popping noises and preparing esters, which creates an odor.

Despite the mishaps in the lab, experiments are a vital tool in chemistry. The labs and demonstrations help students see what happens instead of just reading about it.

"Letting them guess what it is, what might happen, what we will obtain and why we got the reaction we did, helps them to think more clearly and reason out the information," Wright said. "Students learn in many different ways, what is good for one may not help another at all. I try to incorporate all methods into what I do so, hopefully, I will reach most of the students."

And as student council sponsor, Wright indirectly reaches all the students at the high school. The club's biggest achievement has been to hold the state high school collection record.

Wright has been teaching for 21 years. She is a member of the Grace United Methodist Church, Missouri State Teacher's Association and Community Teacher's Association. She and her husband, Steve, have two sons.