Professor Don Hufford creates book for Teacher Inquiry Project

Newman University Professor of Education Don Hufford, Ph.D. held a book-signing for his recently published work The Hufford Reader on Nov. 18 at the Evie Hufford Resource Lab in McNeill Hall on the NU campus. The book is designed to be a resource for Newman educators, area teachers and administrators involved in the Wichita Teacher Inquiry Group Project, a 16-month collaboration between Newman and U.S.D. 259 designed to lessen bullying behavior in schools. The project is headed by Assistant Professor of Education Linda Rhone, Ed.D.

Don and Tara Hufford — Education Professor Don Hufford with his daughter, Tara Hufford Walker, at the book-signing. The door in the background was painted by Walker, and contains education and life maxims students remember from classes and conversations with the late Evie Hufford, whose picture hangs on the wall.

Hufford said the manuscripts selected for the collection were originally written for presentations at diverse academic conferences, and many have been published in academic journals. For the compilation, Hufford chose only those that relate to the Teacher Inquiry Group Project and its emphasis on social justice.

“The Reader was designed to stimulate dialectical discussion for the Cultural Circles, which are an integral part of Dr. Rhone’s project,” Hufford said.

The Reader will be housed permanently in the Resource Center. The Center is dedicated to Hufford’s late wife and former Newman Education Professor Evie Hufford, who died several years ago of breast cancer.