Beyond the Textbook – How Sydney Fountain Brings Psychology To Life

By Emma Wuthnow
Staff writer
Email: thehutchinsoncollegian@gmail.com

Inside the psychology classroom at Hutchinson Community College, few teachers bring as much warmth, humor, and energy to the classroom as Sydney Fountain.

Now in her fifth year of teaching, Fountain is known for her approachable style, interactive lessons, and ability to make even the most complex psychological concepts understandable.

“I love watching students grow,” Fountain said. “In the fall, they come in nervous, unsure of what to expect. By the end of the semester, you can see how much confidence they’ve gained. It’s so exciting to watch that transformation.”

Fountain didn’t always know she’d become a teacher. In fact, she laughs at the memory of her early hesitation.

“I did not want to teach at first,” she said. “My mom was an elementary teacher, and when I was younger, I thought, ‘That’s not for me.’ But during my senior year of college, one of my professors asked me to co-teach a child psychology course. I said no at first, but she convinced me. And I loved it.”

That single experience changed her career path. After earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Southwestern College, she went on to complete a master’s in psychology from Stephen F. Austin State University.

When she began looking for teaching positions, she knew she wanted a community college setting. “I like that my job here is very teaching-focused,” she said. “It’s not about research or publishing, it’s about the students. Hutch was actually my first choice because I grew up in Wichita and knew this was a great school.”

When it comes to her favorite area of psychology, Fountain doesn’t hesitate: social psychology.

“All of my research was in that area,’’ she said. “I focused on topics like social media use, infidelity, and relationships in general. I also love studying memory, especially false memories. They’re fascinating. But social psychology will always be my number one.”

Her fascination with human behavior shapes the way she teaches. Every lesson, she says, is designed to spark curiosity and critical thinking.

“It’s cool when I can help students think more critically,’’ she said. “A lot of people come in with misconceptions about psychology. They think memory is always accurate or that opposites attract. But research doesn’t always back that up. I love watching them realize that not everything they’ve heard is true and learn to question things.” Students describe Fountain’s class as lively, interactive, and unforgettable.

“I love how interactive she is when she teaches us,” said Lyons freshman Aries Gallegos. “She gives examples and teaches in different ways, not just lectures, and that’s it.”

Even simple learning seems to be a hit in Fountain’s classes.

“My favorite part has been learning about the brain,” said freshman Caleb Hayes. “I really like how she explains things in a way that makes it easy to understand.”

Aries also mentioned the creative classroom details.

“She makes class fun, like when she uses little hints or drawings with animals to show what we’re learning about that day,” she said.

Those moments of creativity are intentional. For Fountain, it’s about helping students connect ideas to their own lives.

“I want my classroom to be a place where students feel comfortable asking questions and engaging with what we’re learning,” she said. “When they’re interested, they remember.”

Fountain’s impact extends far past the walls of her classroom. She said she hopes her students carry the lessons of psychology into their everyday lives.

“I want them to think critically, not just about psychology, but about everything,” she said. “And I hope they become more mindful about how quickly we judge people. In social psychology, we talk about something called the fundamental attribution error, how we tend to assume someone’s behavior is a reflection of who they are, instead of considering their situation. I hope my students leave thinking about that.”

Fountain’s approach to teaching psychology is deeply personal too.

“My kids don’t even know that I think about operant conditioning when I’m using positive reinforcement right now,” she said.

That same curiosity and reflection guide her own life.

“Because of psychology, I’ve learned to think critically about everything,” she said. “I’m always asking – is there research behind this? What’s the evidence?”

For students hoping to pursue psychology, Fountain’s advice is both encouraging and realistic.

“If a student wants to go into psychology, that makes me so excited,” she said. “But I also try to be honest, it usually requires at least a master’s or a PhD to do most things. It’s a lot of schooling, but it’s so worth it. Psychology relates to so many fields. My advice is to find what part of it excites you and dive into that.”

After five years at HutchCC, Sydney Fountain’s passion for psychology and for her students remains as strong as ever.

“If my students leave my class a little more curious about the human mind and a little more confident in their own, I’ve done my job,” she said.

In her classroom, psychology isn’t just about theories or experiments, it’s about people. And that’s exactly what makes Sydney Fountain’s teaching unforgettable.

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