The first day back after Winter Break brought many things: reunions, homework, fun, and babies! AP Psychology began their “Raising a Baby” project, which entailed students bringing a stuffed animal to act as their “baby” to class with them every day for a whole week. 

This project is a hands-on way for students to learn about Developmental Psychology. There are many different models on how humans grow up physically and cognitively, including Piaget’s and Erikson’s. Students must use these theories to answer hypothetical questions about how they would parent their children in sticky situations. 

Each student will take a parenting style quiz to determine how they will parent their baby. Students must also develop specific personalities and behavior traits for their babies to exemplify and apply these to their day to day interactions with their babies.

Over 7 days, student’s babies will grow from infancy to 18 years olds and students will face the challenges that come with each stage.

Students must always be with their babies or hire someone to babysit. Any time away from babies or unsafe handling of the children (i.e. throwing around, being stuffed in backpacks, etc.) will result in neglect and points taken off the final grade. 

Kareem Aly, a 12th grader in AP Psychology, said that he’s learned from this “the amount of effort it takes to raise a child.” 

12th grader Kate Choi says that she’s “learned to be caring.” 

Teachers were all informed of this project and told that if they saw their students neglecting their babies they should inform the AP Psych teachers. Ms. Nicholson, an AP Statistics teacher, said that it’s fun and entertaining to have the babies in class. She likes to “make sure the babies are with them and they stay on task with their babies.”

Pictured below is a polaroid photo Ms. Nicholson took of the babies in her classroom. They are seated in the far right on the table. 

AP Psychology has now concluded their project but the babies live on in the school’s memory!