Writing for Teaching Young Children
Thank you for your interest in writing for Teaching Young Children (TYC), NAEYC’s magazine for preschool teachers.
Before submitting your idea:
1. Browse the articles and tips on the TYC website.
2. Review our writing guidelines.
3. Learn more about the decision and publication process.
4. Submit your idea using this proposal form.
We will acknowledge the receipt of your submission via e-mail. Although we are not able to provide specific feedback on all submissions, we will contact you if your submission is a good match for the current needs for Teaching Young Children. Articles selected for publication are considered a contribution to the profession; authors do not receive fees or royalties.
Please keep the following in mind when you submit your work:
The primary audience for TYC is preschool teachers, assistant teachers, and family child care providers who work with preschool aged children.
TYC publishes a few different kinds of articles and tips and we need all types for each issue of the magazine.
We are actively looking for the following types of content:
1. Tips: Are short and to the point. Word count - 300-500 words. See 10X Good Job Alternatives.
2. Articles and stories: Descriptions of research based best practices and innovative ideas as well as personal essays on life as a preschool teacher. Word count - 500-1200 words. See the Boo-Boo Curriculum and How Process Art Supports Preschoolers.
3. A picture is worth 1000 words: Photos with captions that tell a story. In general each caption should be no more than 20 words. See Look Again!
4. A great classroom activity. See Building Community through Breakfast Clubs.
Format and writing tips
- Present information using bullets, subheadings, lists, checklists, and high-resolution photographs, if available.
- Use plain language that is straightforward, and easy for readers to understand. It’s also okay for content to be funny and to have some personality.
- Provide specific, practical, tips and strategies for teachers.
- Content must be research-based, reflect developmentally appropriate practice, and include ideas to support children and families from diverse backgrounds, including dual language learners.
If you have high-resolution photographs that go along with your content submit them along with your content. See the Photo Submission Guidelines for more information.
Decision 1: We will let you know if your proposal has been accepted. At this time we will offer feedback and guidance on the content and format of the article. Please note that an invitation to submit content does not guarantee publication.
Submittal: If invited you will be given instructions on how to submit your article for further review. Please make sure to consult the writing guidelines. If submitting video or photographs, include a description of what the images depict. With your submission you should also include a brief bio.
Decision 2: We will let you know if your content is accepted for publication, if a revision is requested, or if we will not be publishing the content at this time.
Editing: Note that all submissions are subject to editorial review and revisions, copy-editing, and design. We will share the edits with you, pose queries, and ask for additional information, as needed.
Copyright and clearance requirements: Before publication, we will provide copyright and clearance forms to ensure that NAEYC has the rights to publish the content. We also require the rights to use all photographs and videos. Photographers must obtain and maintain model releases from the subjects of the photos/videos. See http://www.naeyc.org/publications/forauthors/photoguidelines for more information.
Interested in writing for other NAEYC publications?
Check out our author guidelines for: