Greetings from Randy,KABT President
Message from the president
“This could be the most important message of your Life. You could be a million dollar winner.” Newspapers, pop-ups, and e-mails make promises that few people pay attention to but those few people keep the message senders in business. The business of biology education requires a few talented teachers to achieve the goal of scientific literacy for Kansas and the United States. I hope that this message can be relevant to a broad range of individuals that embrace the common goal of scientific literacy. I hope to speak to the veteran KABT member that has been a force in the classroom and community; to the early educator that is beginning to make their mark; to the pre-service educator; and to all University and local administrators that embrace biology education as essential to scientific literacy.
KABT as an organization is at a crossroad. We will evolve as an organization to survive in the 21st Century environment or face extinction as dinosaurs of biology classroom. As newly elected President I feel like the beginning teacher facing their first day with students. High on expectations, low on reality, and lacking the tools to accomplish even the simplest of goals. None the less, my idealistic nature sees hope for the future and the hope that I can make a difference. I am proposing a gathering of ideas and talents that will make membership in KABT a must have resource for success in the classroom. As an organization we can not be content to lead those that are already on the same path but seek out those that are not members of KABT. We must get out the message that KABT is an organization that is read to support all teachers of biology at all levels and in all ways.
Key to this goal is the way in which we as an association communicate with members , prospective members and the public. Communication goals should be clearly defined to provide a value for membership and those in the community that support the goal of scientific literacy. We have many tools that are currently available and need only to be sharpened to a razor’s edge for maximum effect. The KABT web site is available for listing calendar events, lesson ideas, and contact information. What else can this site be used for? Blogs, video, pod casts, picture albums, are currently hot commodities in other venues. The key is flexibility to become what the membership desires. Our newsletter has long been a staple in the association’s attempt to communicate yearly activities. What improvements could be made in order to reach more members? Is communication between regional representatives and members better served through mass email lists? Could this become an effective way to provide value for a KABT membership?
I wish that all readers of this message could be million dollar winners. I hope that every teacher can someday feel as rich as I did when I received the thank you note from a former student. It acknowledged the important role of her high school teachers and courses that prepared her for college. She expressed that it was upon her high school experiences that she began a journey which is now entering a UC Berkeley doctoral program.
Best Wishes,
Randy Dix ,KABT President
