of research and care

week,” said Agrawal, who is pursuing a master’s degree at Rice University studying human computer interaction. “I learned that I needed the sense of excitement that came with working with children in any job that I take on.”

Wheaton’s psychology and education departments use the nursery school extensively each semester as a lab for courses, said Associate Professor of Psychology Matthew Gingo and Assistant Professor of Education Sara Donaldson.

“Many of our early childhood education majors work part time at Amen throughout their time at Wheaton,” said Donaldson. “The school has opened its doors to students needing pre-practicum field placements, and students taking ‘Special Education PK–12’ also observe at Amen for their independent field study project, if they are interested in topics related to preschool-age students.”

During the fall semester, the students in Donaldson’s “Teaching Math and Science” class created Open Education Resource dialogic math read-aloud materials that encourage children and adults to have conversations about books. The materials will be shared with Amen families, the professor said.

Gingo, who has collaborated with Curran-Mason on his “Child Development” course for 10 years, said he greatly values the partnership with her and the nursery school staff.

“Time and again students note that the experience of observing children is a highlight of the course. By linking the readings and conversations we have in class to weekly observation assignments, the students get a richer and more robust understanding of the complexities of child development,” Gingo said.

Students who do a senior research capstone in “Child Development” also use the school as a resource as they design and conduct a semester-long original research project that involves interviews, experimental manipulations and interaction with the children. Their work in the nursery school has been

Celebrating 90-plus years

great for career preparation.

Eleanor “Ellie” Guerin ’23, a psychology major, has worked at the nursery school as a teacher’s assistant and observed children as part of her research capstone.

“Working with the children has not only deepened my understanding of child development, but it also helps with my own social-emotional learning. The children teach us patience, resilience and courage, and I help them figure out which shoe goes on which foot,” Guerin said.

“I have been able to build strong bonds with the current preschoolers and I’m still connected to our now kindergarteners. This has been incredibly rewarding,” she said.

—Sandy Coleman