Peter Moss is an accomplished researcher and author in the education sector. One of his focus includes early childhood, care and education services. After the OECD Thematic Review of Early Childhood Education and Care held in Stockholm in 2011 which discussed studies that focused on structures and technologies and aspects of national context of cross-national studies of early childhood services and polices, Moss incites broadening of vision for ECE. Moss sets things moving by discussing his points thru five questions:
· Where and who is the child? – Three points cited to pay more attention to constructions of childhood, listening to children and exploring the relationship between childhood and the historical and spatial context within which childhood is lived.
· How do we understand early childhood institutions? – Moss tells two of his constructions: children’s services and children’s spaces. He also further expounds the terms ‘education’ and ‘care’.
· Why focus on ‘early childhood’? – Moss concludes the need for a broader view at policies and provisions covering from birth to at least the end of compulsory schooling.
· What perspectives will we use? – Questions of national and linguistic perspectives are raised by touching on the question of disciplinary, theoretical, and ethical perspectives.
· How do I relate to the Other? – Moss claims a recurring domination of a certain description. He challenges researchers to break free from this account.
The future of cross-national studies in the field of early childhood education must build more on past work. Moss emphasizes looking for commonalities but at the same time compel critical thinking. He concludes his vision as, “a tension in cross-national work between the search for laws and order, and an opening up to otherness, complexity and multiplicity.”
Moss, P. (1992). Do Early Childhood Services Need a Coherent and Compre-hensive Approach?. Educare in Europe, 51.
References
Moss, P. (2001). Beyond early childhood education and care. Early Childhood Education and Care Stockholm, 13-15.
Prof Peter Moss: Social Pedagogy Professional Association. (n.d.). Retrieved December 1, 2019, from http://sppa-uk.org/speakers/prof-peter-moss/.
