This issue marks a sort of rebirth for Teacher Plus – the taking on of a new visual identity that is in some ways more contemporary. The “look and feel” of the magazine is different, fitting in more closely with the norms of professional magazine design. Increasing our periodicity to once a month instead of once every other month too has been a conscious decision that we hope will please the many readers who have been telling us that they’d like to see more of Teacher Plus and more often.
In spirit however, Teacher Plus remains the same, committed to the same ideals and ideas as before. We believe, for instance, that education is at the core of any attempt to make a better world, that teachers can be and are change agents, that schools should be places of learning that make us think and do in different ways, ways that will lead to the formation of a better citizenry. We also believe that teachers need a space like that provided by this magazine, where they can share and exchange experiences and expertise, where they can talk about issues they confront on a daily basis and explore solutions.
We also believe that, like any group of rofessionals, teachers need a magazine of their own, one that articulates their professional identity and keeps them engaged with issues that impact their work and the context within which they work. The content of Teacher Plus reflects this, with a widening range of articles and contributors. With the launch of the monthly issue, Teacher Plus hopes to make this forum even more relevant to the needs of our readers. Long-time readers will notice several new features and be reassured by the continuing presence of many of our old ones. What we do hope to do with the new format is to build a closer relationship with our readers, through a more robust correspondence. This means there is a greater responsibility on your part, as a reader, to react to what you see on these pages.
In this issue, we carry a report on what it means to be a professional, from the teacher’s point of view, and a guide to developing a project. Apart from these two main articles, we bring you a variety of ideas for use in the classroom, as well as perspectives from practicing teachers on how to innovate and build a learning environment even within the constraints of the mainstream school. This is just the beginning of a new phase in the growth of the magazine…and we hope you will join us and help us in maintaining the tempo of growth and learning!