Editor’s Comments
Kathryn Pole
I'm pleased to be presenting this issue of the Missouri Reader. The theme,
Professional Collaboration, is one that I think is important. Teaching is a social
profession. We work with people – students, parents, the communities in which our
schools are situated, and colleagues. The kind of collaboration that facilitates good
teaching can be at odds with models of schooling that are based on professional
competition. When we, as teachers, share our knowledge, our resources, and our
expertise, we have the potential to truly transform our schools. In that spirit, we offer
you this collection of articles, selected because they are interesting, informative, and
important.
In this issue you will find articles that specifically address ways that teachers
collaborate professionally. Tammy De la Garza and Tina Musil both share with us
stories about teachers who work together to promote literacy in classrooms. In
addition to that, we bring you articles that demonstrate collaboration – writers who
are sharing with us things that work in their own teaching, so that we may learn from
their expertise. This kind of sharing is at the heart of good professional collaboration.
I want to thank our dedicated group of reviewers. They spend their free time
voluntarily reviewing the submitted manuscripts, and providing guidance to authors.
We would not be able to bring you this journal without them, and their help is very
much appreciated. I send a big thank you to Beth Hurst, who proofread the revised
manuscripts – that was so very helpful!
I also thank our assistant editor, Keisha Panagos. She keeps correspondence
with authors and reviewers organized, proofreads each manuscript many times before
she formats it for publication, and in general, is an amazing asset to The Missouri Reader.
Read and enjoy! Be sure to look at the call for future issues, and consider
writing for The Missouri Reader!
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