This month in Ms. A’s AP Psychology class, a new unit was introduced. Students in these classes are currently learning about developmental psychology. Students were responsible for taking care of their eggs, which mimicked the characteristics of taking care of a child. What better way of teaching students about “egg-cellent” parenting?
This assignment has initiated different insights from students participating in this project. Brianna Hernandez, a senior, shared her thoughts about taking care of her egg baby. “I felt very intimidated by the idea of dropping my egg throughout the whole process, but I was able to develop a little emotion to my baby egg and felt responsible for its safety,” Hernandez said.
Chelsea Sanchez, a junior, shared similar thoughts as well. “I felt paranoid all the time and I was scared that my egg baby would break. I would constantly be checking up on my baby and made sure I wouldn’t forget either,” Sanchez said.
While caring for their babies, students have noticed some differences between an egg baby and an actual baby. Despite the major difference: An egg is an egg, not a human baby. Eggs don’t cry, or vomit, and you don’t have to change eggs. This will teach them the reality of how challenging it can be to take care of a baby. “I realized that you need to give a baby constant attention and you need to bond with it,” Shazia Shah, a senior, said.
Their retained skills will help them in the future when it comes to taking care of their own children, such as showing affection towards their children, constantly checking up on them, and balancing their lives. “The idea of taking care of an egg seems easy, but it was actually a full-time commitment to being responsible,” Hernandez said.
After students cared for their eggs for two weeks, those who survived were able to graduate. A small ceremony was held in each class to commemorate the egg and its caretaker. This project was a learning experience for all students and a good way for them to learn the many challenges of parenthood. “From this, I learned that parent and baby relationships play a big role in happiness. Forming a great relationship with a real baby can have beneficial long-lasting effects,” Sanchez said.
