Child Development is a course that gives students the knowledge on how children learn, grow and develop. The class goes over topics such as their behavior and physical, emotional and social development.

“Child Development mostly covers kids in their early stages,” junior Hailey Payne said.

Throughout the semester, students study the stages of development. The class also dives into how children’s behavior is influenced by interactions with others and their environment.

“We mainly do a lot of hands-on activities with shapes, coloring and motion along the behavioral aspect,” junior Ava Ermeling said.

Child Development 1 provides an introduction for students who want to know more about the topic or how kids grow. As the year goes on, students apply what they have learned throughout the semester of the class to prepare to move into higher levels.

Once students move into the second and third levels of the class, they work with children enrolled in the school’s preschool.

“A lot of kids act differently, and reading some of the parents’ notes for their kids makes you realise how different forms of parenting can make kids act a little more agitated and bossy,” Ermeling said.

These experiences allow students to gain insight into the real world of teaching and early learning.

“The shift from moving ahead in the class has definitely had an impact on me for learning everything, and it has made me grow as a person along the way,” Payne said.

The course can also help students who want to understand how children think and learn. Some students who take the class plan on using their experiences to have an impact on their futures within their desired career path.

“I want to be an adolescent psychologist, so I want to get as much experience as possible with kids,” Ermeling said.