Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning. Volume 1, Number 1, Fall/Winter 2006

"Excelsior: Leadership in Teaching and Learning" provides a forum to explore issues related to teaching and learning at public and independent colleges and universities with programs in teacher preparation. "Excelsior" solicits original, thought-provoking manuscripts of various formats, including papers presenting research on issues and practices important to teacher education and in-depth discussions of perspectives on issues and practices that contribute to the preparation and professional development of educators. A third format--Nota Bene--contains brief, focused articles; book reviews; or website or technology recommendations. This issue of "Excelsior" begins with: (1) Message from the Presidents (Margaret Egan and Robert J. Michael); and (2) Beginning the Conversation: Notes from the Editor (Cynthia A. Lassonde). The Reports of the Research section contains: (3) Peer Mentoring: Promoting Preservice Teachers' Professional Development (Robert J. Nistler); and (4) Perceptions of Children's Culture in an Urban School (Althier Lazar, Cathy Pinto, and Natalie Warren). The Sharing Perspectives and Practices section contains: (5) Open Discussion: Revisiting Nystrand's Dialogic Approach (Wen Ma); and (6) Journaling in a Video Environment: What Teachers Have Learned from the Process (Joanne Kilgour Dowdy). Finally, the Nota Bene: Book Corner section offers: (7) World-Event Trauma Enters the Classroom: Can Teachers Support Students When Madmen Are Running the World? (Abigail McNamee and Mia Mercurio). (Individual articles contain references.) [Abstract modified to meet ERIC guidelines. This document was published by the New York State Association of Colleges for Teacher Education (NYACTE).]