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President's Letter
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Golf has become one of my passions in the past year. The mild year-round weather means that golf is no longer just a summer sport. But as I have looked forward to playing 12 months of the year, I’ve wanted to become a more competent player—golf lessons were definitely in order. Our local golf pro is slowly turning my game around; however, I have yet to play that perfect round. Some days I feel like Tiger Woods on the tee box; but my putting looks more like a championship pinball game. Other times the ball goes into the cup like it’s magnetized; it just takes too many irons to get it on the green. I can’t seem to get the different parts of my game pulled together on any one day. But that one great game will come some day—when the drives are straight and true, the iron shots right on target, the putts nailed in the cup. All facets of the game will work together. The golf game is only great if all parts of the game are in sync. So, too, is our "game of life." The theme for our annual fall convention is United We Stand. We hope to emphasize that when we all work together towards common goals, we have a greater opportunity to reach and even surpass those goals. Many of you have probably taught your students about synergy, when cooperative action has a greater effect than the sum of the individual actions. We hope that you will attend the IBEA Annual Fall Convention October 18-19, 2002, to improve your "game of life"—at least at work! Pat Sheridan and his planning committee have been synergetic over the past year, working together to present a convention you won’t want to miss. Chuck Offenburger, the Iowa Boy, will offer our keynote at the Opening General Session. Chuck spoke at an IBEA convention many years ago and kept us spellbound with his great stories and entertaining style. Several round tables will give you an opportunity to share with other teachers classroom tips and techniques on workplace readiness, job search, and general business. Several new topics will pique your interest this year. A Des Moines Register representative will show you how to use newspapers effectively in the classroom. A county sheriff will give you ideas on dealing with drugs, violence, and gangs in the classroom. An expert will open our eyes with new insights on the crisis in the Middle East. A teacher will share information about her NFL Sports Marketing class. Make participating in IBEA and other organizations a priority this year. If you are not currently a member, join a group that works for you. Network with teachers across the state of Iowa for teaching tips and professional advice. Benefit from the legislative efforts put forth on your behalf. And join us in Des Moines for the annual convention as we hold the IBEA banner high, United We Stand! |
