Innovations Articles

Peter Moss

Innovations March 2019 – Alternative Narratives in Early Childhood, Or Why Contest Early Childhood?

Peter Moss offers “Alternative Narratives in Early Childhood.” Moss, emeritus professor at UCL Institute of Education, University College London, presents a case for the Reggio Emilia approach starting with a reference to the Contesting Early Childhood Series, in which he helped to edit three books from Reggio Emilia. He points out the common tendency to use stories, starting from very early childhood, about our individual selves and experiences to define us. However, a story, Moss explains, is only an interpretation and “alternative narratives in early childhood” are called for.

In addition, Moss emphasizes how dominant discourses by powerful institutions overtake and direct perception, influencing such paramount aspects of society as early childhood education.

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Publication Guidelines

Innovations in Early Education: The International Reggio Emilia Exchange is a quarterly periodical published by the North American Reggio Emilia Alliance (NAREA) that focuses on the Reggio Emilia Approach to early childhood education. Innovations was developed in 1992 through an agreement with Loris Malaguzzi, the founder of the Reggio Emilia educational project, and the Innovations editors continue to work in collaboration with Reggio Children and the Istituzione, Preschools and Infant-toddler Centers of the Municipality of Reggio Emilia, Italy.

The mission of Innovations is to provide an ongoing professional development resource that respectfully represents the values and educational principles of the municipal infant-toddler centers and preschools in Reggio Emilia as well as those of educators in schools, centers, universities, and colleges in North America and beyond who are actively engaged in the study of the Reggio Emilia Approach with children, colleagues, and families in their community.

Nature of Articles Published in Innovations

NAREA is interested in articles:

  • About the experiences of educators, children, and families in educational communities inspired by the Reggio Emilia municipal educational project
  • Regarding the ways in which educators and families have developed a better understanding of the learning processes of children and adults through their study of the Reggio Emilia Approach
  • Concerning the challenges that educators have encountered as they work to become aware of their own educational values and those of their community, as a result of their study of the experience of the Reggio Emilia municipal infant-toddler centers and preschools
  • Consistent with the spirit and philosophy of the Reggio Emilia Approach

In general, Innovations articles address pertinent issues for the Reggio-inspired early childhood and primary school community, including:

  • The school as a place of innovation and research
  • The value of participation of families as well as children and educators in the life of the school
  • The essential nature of ongoing professional development for educators
  • The processes of observation, documentation, and interpretation in giving visibility to learning and relationships
  • The role of the environment in learning and relationships
  • The evolution of teacher education programs inspired by the Reggio Emilia Approach
  • The role of culture and community in education
  • The value of inclusion of children with special rights and those from diverse cultural communities
  • The use of materials and media as languages for expression and learning
Guidelines and Requirements for Submitted Articles

When submitting an article to Innovations, please follow the following formatting and submission guidelines:

  • Write in an informal, conversational style rather than in an academic style, characteristic of university term  papers.  Manuscripts written in active voice rather than passive voice are preferred.
  • Submit unformatted, double-spaced article in an electronic Word file in 12-point
    • Typical article length is 3,000-5,000 words.
  • Include the name of the author(s) as well as title, affiliation, and history of interest in the Reggio Emilia Approach. In addition, each author is asked to submit a thumbnail photograph (head and shoulders, 1.25”w x 1.5”h, 300 dpi in original JPG or TIFF file).
  • Support article with photographs and drawings. Photographs should be submitted in high- resolution images (8” x 10”, 100% @ 300 dpi in original JPG or TIFF file). Drawings should also be submitted electronically in JPEG or TIFF files. Authors must submit written permission for all photographs and images from parents or legal guardians. The NAREA Photographic Release form is available upon request.
  • Provide accurate and complete information for references and resources, formatted in APA style.
Review and Editing Process

Receipt of submissions will be acknowledged via email. Submissions will be reviewed based on their contribution to the field, timeliness, freshness of approach, and clarity and cohesiveness of presentation. Articles selected for publication are considered a contribution to the profession; authors do not receive fees or royalties. Innovations does not accept previously published articles or adaptations of previously published articles, whether published in print or electronic format. Term papers by students of higher education are not published in Innovations.

The review process generally takes two to four months from receipt of manuscript. After review by the editors, the author will be informed via email about the possibility of publication in Innovations. The editors may decide that an article could be considered for publication after suggested revisions are made. Once revisions are made, the author can re-submit the article. It is also a possibility that the editors find an article unsuitable for publication in Innovations and may suggest another vehicle for publication. Articles published in the Spring, Summer, and Winter issues of Innovations are not subject to external peer-review; the NAREA editorial team reviews them and has final decision on publishing. Articles may be kept in the queue for future publication.

If an article is approved for publication, the editors will decide in which issue it will be published and notify the author(s). If not previously submitted, authors must submit their bio paragraph, head shot, and photographic releases at this time. The editors will review, edit, and prepare the article for publication. The edited draft will be returned to the author(s) for approval prior to publication along with a copy of the Innovations Periodical Publishing Agreement, which the author(s) must sign and return within a week. Authors grant NAREA an irrevocable, royalty-free license to publish and distribute their article in Innovations, and to publish the article in any media, whether paper or electronic.

Book and Resource Reviews

Innovations regularly features a review of a recent or historical book, video, or other resource material. NAREA is interested in book, video, or resource material reviews that reflect the Reggio Emilia Approach, including: projects in Reggio Emilia, Italy, or other areas of the world; issues in early childhood education; and/or innovative approaches in early childhood education.

When submitting a review to Innovations, please consider the following:

  • The review should include an overall summary of the book, video, or resource material. The review should include details that illustrate why an aspect of the book is interesting, inspiring, and/or thought
  • The review should include a reflection on how the material has impacted the author’s context and/or thinking.
  • The review should include challenges or questions for the readers to consider as they encounter the book, video, or resource material.
Guidelines and Requirements for Submitted Book/Resource Reviews

Please follow the following formatting and submission guidelines:

  • Write in an informal, conversational style rather than in an academic style, characteristic of university term papers. Book reviews written in active voice vs. passive voice are preferred.
  • Submit an unformatted, double-spaced article in an electronic Word file in 12- point type. Typical review length is 1,000-1,500
  • Include a bio with the name of the reviewer(s) as well as title, affiliation, and history of interest in the Reggio Emilia Approach. In addition, each author is asked to submit a thumbnail photograph (head and shoulders, 1.25”w x 1.5”h, 300 dpi in original JPG or TIFF file). Authors must submit written permission for all photographs and images. The NAREA Photographic Release form is available upon request.
  • Provide accurate and complete information for references and resources, formatted in APA style.

Submitting

Please send manuscripts and/or book reviews to Gigi Yu, PhD Editor for Innovations or the NAREA office.

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