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 to <nexusjournal@earthlink.net>.

Enjoy the journal.

=====================================================

Table of Contents

1)  A Developmental Model of Teacher Development, by Ruth Wajnryb

2)  A Study on Novice EFL Teacher Development in China, by Ge Bingfang

3)  Analysing the Threads of Discourse, by Maria Palmira Massi

4)  Capturing the Moment in Teaching Journals, by Ellen Kohn and Sherry Trechter