When I first conceived the
idea of "Nexus," I did not know how much interest there would be in
an electronic journal aimed at teacher educators. Nor did I
know how easy or difficult it
would be to create a publication: to design it,
to solicit articles, to edit them and communicate with
contributors, to build and maintain a subscription list, or to post
announcements about the journal to advertise its existence. As
a novice in the field of publishing,
I am learning through experience and my
skills as an editor and publisher are continuously improving.
Likewise, the process of
becoming a proficient teacher is an on-going one. And, like
many training programs which
combine the theoretical with the practical, this
issue includes articles which address theory, research, and practice.
Ruth Wajnryb describes one model for
teacher development which posits
five stages ranging from "novice" to "expert." She then offers ideas on how
teacher educators might apply the model. Ge Bingfang defines
"novice" differently. He
reports some of the results obtained from research
that looked at what Chinese teachers and headmasters considered
important for beginning teachers.
Discourse analysis may seem
intimidating to the uninitiated, but Maria Palmira Massi explains clearly what
it is and why and how it is useful to educators; a list of
references at the end of her article is provided for those who wish to delve
deeper into the field. Ellen Kohn
and Sherry Trechter discuss how
writing teaching journals, which they exchange with each other,
has influenced their teaching. They recommend that teacher trainees begin
using this type of teaching journal and they give practical suggestions
to encourage educators to try journaling.
Just as teacher educators
strive to meet the needs of their trainees, "Nexus" is a work
in progress and will evolve to meet the needs of its readers. A
year has passed since the first issue
of "Nexus" appeared, and I am gratified by the
response of readers to the journal.
But, there is always the
potential for improvement.
Feedback is welcomed and appreciated. Please send comments
1) A Developmental Model of Teacher Development, by Ruth
2) A Study on Novice EFL Teacher Development in China, by Ge
3) Analysing the Threads of Discourse, by Maria Palmira Massi
4) Capturing the Moment in Teaching Journals, by Ellen Kohn and