The articles in this issue address a diverse cross-section of current issues in mathematics education. In the Guest Editorial, Paola Sztajn discusses the recent history of research on teacher beliefs in the context of recounting her own journey toward develop a theoretical perspective on teachers' beliefs. In a reprint of an article which until now existed only in Swedish, Tom Cooney, Wendy Sanchez and Nicole Ice discuss their successes with a teacher development project involving the creation and implementation of open-ended assessment items in secondary mathematics classrooms. Signe Kastberg's In Focus... raises some important issues pertaining to the message the NCTM sent through the examples it used in both the 1989 Standards and the 2000 Principles and Standards. John Olive provides a clear and concise description of Les Steffe's constructs of number sequences. And finally, Dawn Anderson reviews Women in Mathematics, a book that chronicles the effects the mathematics community has on mathematicians who are women.

And now for a few parting words. I have thoroughly enjoyed the time I have spent as editor of The Mathematics Educator. I thank all the past and current members of MESA and the faculty at the University of Georgia. Their encouragement and support have been constant. While it is hard to let go of something with which I have worked so closely over the past several years, I take great comfort in knowing that the journal will be in good hands. Starting with Volume 11, Number 2 Christopher Drumm and Anderson Norton III will take over as co-editors. They have been instrumental not only in bringing this current issue to press, but in sharing their vision for the many changes that have taken place with TME over the past year. And speaking of vision, thank you to John Weber for the countless hours he has spent designing and building TMEonline. Because of his talents and efforts, TME has increased dramatically its national and international readership. In the past year TMEonline has had over 800 unique visitors from almost 30 countries. May the journal continue to enrich the international mathematics education community as well as provide valuable experience to the students who produce it.