Beginning in the 2026-2027 school year, CHS will offer a new elective pathway for careers in education, giving students a chance to get a head start on their future professions. The program is made for students who want to go into jobs like teaching, pediatrics or social work. While the child development class is already offered at CHS, the school will now enable students with these credits to take new classes.
Freshman Kaitlyn Chang, a student in the child development class, said she first heard about the pathway from her teacher and joined because she wanted to learn about child psychology. The introductory class covers how children develop, including the changes that come with age.
“We’re learning how a child develops emotionally and physically and how they change personalities and learn self-esteem,” Chang said.
While most freshmen are trying to get through required classes, students in this pathway are learning concepts that can be implemented in the future. Chang feels that taking this class not only helps prepare for certain jobs, but even parenthood in learning about how children’s brains develop.
“I think that it’s important that the school adds this pathway because it allows people who want to work with young children learn how to interact with them,” Chang said.
The classes also incorporate several unique projects beyond standard assignments. Freshman Andi Robinson, a student in the pathway, says that the range of activities is far more expansive than she expected. One of the biggest parts of the class is the “RealCare” baby project, where you have to take care of a simulator that behaves like a real infant.
“One of the most unique projects we had to do was take home these babies with sensors on them where they cry a lot when they’re hungry or need their diaper changed,” Robinson said. “You have to actually feed them and learn how to take care of them.”
Besides the physical work, the class is changing the way students look at the behaviors of kids, such as their own siblings. Robinson explains that learning about what children are going through internally changed her view on them entirely.
“One thing I’ve learned that changed the way I look at kids is the amount of development that they have to go through and all the emotions they feel at once,” Robinson said. “I think giving them more grace than people do is something to keep in mind.”
The new pathway will also teach students how to run a classroom, along with the best ways to engage children in order for them to take in information. The first class is the child development class, which, in the new pathway, will enable students to take the developmental psych class or careers in education, giving students the opportunity to intern at a preschool.
¨I think that anyone who wants to work with kids in the future should take this opportunity to start early.¨ Robinson said.
