Claire Bernstein is a student staff working with the Associated Students Child Development Lab (ASCDL). Follow along with her for a day in the life as she takes you behind the scenes of the ASCDL!
What is your favorite part of working at the ASCDL?
One of my favorite parts about working at the ASCDL is having the opportunity to form strong connections with the children, their families, and our staff. I started as an intern in the spring of 2024 and had a great time learning how everything was done within the classroom while forming relationships. By the end of the semester, Kristin, our head teacher, offered me the opportunity to work for the ASCDL in the Magnolia Classroom. I have now been working with them for my third semester and still love the community as much as I did when I started a year ago.
How will your experience at the ASCDL benefit your future career?
My experience at the ASCDL benefits my future career because I have gained so much knowledge on how to work with children and foster a positive environment for their development. I want to become a clinical psychologist in the future, and this opportunity helped me gain insight and understanding into how to work with families to support the healthy development of children while they are young. A few things I have learned from working here are how to form strong, trusting relationships with children, how to support development in differing age groups of children, and what I can do to support the individual needs of any child I work with. I have strengthened my knowledge, confidence, and understanding of the real-life application of theories I have studied throughout my undergraduate education.
How is the ASCDL beneficial to the Chico State community?
The ASCDL benefits the Chico State community because it provides childcare services to students and faculty members who have kids. The ASCDL focuses on teaching, enriching, and supporting both the children and their families to promote positive child development within and outside of the classroom. The ASCDL is also beneficial to the community because it gives child development majors, like myself, the opportunity to work hands-on with children. We actively apply theories and information we have learned in classes and apply those skills at the ASCDL, such as helping children regulate their emotions.
Want to get involved? The ASCDL offers student learning and employment opportunities. Positions are typically posted in April and November. For more information, head to our website here.