ABOUT THIS ISSUE
- about KSN
- about the author

IN THIS ISSUE
- introduction
- workshops
- field trips
- general sessions
- instant updates
- symposium
- paper sessions
- AIDS in American society
- sponsored events
- exhibitors
- banquet
- summary
- KABT takes a look back at 50 years of biology education
- participants

This page was last modified:
September 1, 2003

Originally posted:
March 17, 2003

Get Involved - Stay Informed
edited by Bob Rose

SPONSORED EVENTS

Several events during the convention were sponsored by agencies, businesses, or institutions which had vested interests in biology teachers.  The most popular event for KABTers was sponsored by Chemical Waste Management, Inc., who held an evening meal and reception for 250 biology educators at the Museum of Science and Industry.  They also arranged for the educators to see the Omnimax film, "The Dream is Alive."  This special feature took us through the astronaut's training program, the excitement of lift-off, and the journey in space around our planet Earth.  After the reception everyone had time to view the permanent exhibit and showing of "Managing Urban Waste."  It was an exciting and educational evening for the twelve educators from Kansas, for which we thank Chemical Waste Management, Inc.

Exhibitors

For some participants, the highlight of the convention is visiting the exhibitors' booths.  More than 80 exhibitors displayed their wares and causes in the Grand Ballroom.  Teachers not only were able to peruse the most modern hardware available to them, but were able to talk to textbook editors and authors in person.  They manipulated gadgets, tested computer programs, compared microscopes and videomicroscopy equipment, picked up free posters, free catalogs, and on and on.  Fortunately the exhibits were open all day, every day.  Nobody could make it to all of the booths in one visit.  KABTers came home with literally bags of new books, new posters, and other materials to help them teach.

Banquet

Every convention has its summary banquet with keynote speaker.  This year's speaker was Nobel laureate Dr. James Watson.  He surprised nearly everyone in speaking not on DNA, but about his life, and offering some advice.  He recalled some of his memories of growing up in Chicago and tried to analyze "why he had grown up so odd."  He grew up with the idea that books were great and people who had lots of money were not, an attitude which he still holds today.

Thought he does not consider himself a competitive person he revealed an anecdotal story about his sense of self esteem.  After receiving the Nobel Prize, he expected that his employer, Harvard University, would give him a pay raise.  They did not and his dean did not even offer him tenure.  To which Watson informed the dean that he was only a minor character [in Watson's life] and proceeded to leave Harvard for a more rewarding career as director of the Cold Springs Harbor Research Laboratory.

Watson is a strong advocate of reductionism and is seeking governmental approval of the human genome project, which he proposes to complete within fifteen years.

Summary

The trip to Chicago was much more than a long ride in a Ford van.  Bringing biology teachers together in this way leads to inevitable discussions and conversations with merit of their own.  Following a lively discussion about the uses, problems, and solutions associated with using the video camera and television in microbiology labs, one teacher was overheard saying that "This is one of the best reasons for having a trip like this."

Other conversations enlightened teachers to the wide discrepancies in class period lengths in Kansas schools.  Some teachers were truly angered that administrators would want to reduce their class period from 57 minutes to 54 minutes, and the same teachers were shocked to discover that at least one teacher deals with a 40 minute class period.  One school is talking about experimenting with teaching only one subject at a time (i.e., biology all day long for three and a half weeks, followed by math all day long for three and a half weeks, and so on), while another teacher revealed that she had already taught some biology courses from a similar format.

One positive ancillary aspect of attending conventions has little to do with business.  The KABT group availed itself of some self-guided tours of the Windy City; touring the lakeshore drive at night, seeking out the Field Museum of Natural History, and even proving they weren't all old fogies, by standing in line at the Hard Rock Cafe - Chicago to purchase the teenage symbol of acceptance, a Hard Rock sweatshirt.  Some exercised a more civilized pursuit of culture and ventured into the traveling exhibit of French artist Paul Gauguin.

KABT Takes a Look Back at 50 Years of Biology Education

A look back over the list of NABT past presidents, has to make Kansans very proud.  Of the 50 past presidents the following five are from Kansas: 1942, Homer A. "Steve" Stephens; 1957, John Breukelman; 1964, Ted F. Andrews; 1977, Jack L. Carter; and most recently, 1980, Stanley D. Roth.  All five Kansans were either graduates or professors from Emporia State University, which speaks well for that institution in producing outstanding educators in the biological sciences.  It should come as no surprise that ESU has maintained close and longstanding ties with the KABT and NABT.

Dr. Gaylen Neufeld, chairman of the ESU Division of Biological Sciences, and Bob Rose, Administrative Secretary of the KABT, worked long and hard to arrange for this Kansas contingency to attend the 50th anniversary convention of KABT and to produce this issue of the Naturalist.  Both ESU and KABT want to encourage every Kansas biology teacher to become affiliated with the KABT and to attend future state and national conventions, not only as participants, but as presenters and presiders.  Please copy and complete the KABT application form on the back page of this issue and join KABT and your biology teaching peers today.

Participants

The following KABT members (and spouses) participated in this convention trip and many contributed summary reports for this issue of the Naturalist.

Sister Susan Chase, Robert Chatham, Paul Jantzen, Ed Judd, Susan Judd, Harry McDonald, Richard Miller, Gaylen Neufeld, Bob Rose, Janet Roth, Stan Roth, Pat Wakeman.

Lynda Swander met the group in Chicago and submitted a report on her own.