The dynamics of teacher-parent-child relationships, the development of emergent literacy, family literacy, and children's play in early childhood º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿Ëù.

Chunru (Jerry) Dong is a doctoral student in the Teaching and Learning, Policy and Leadership (TLPL) program, specializing in Language, Literacy, and Social Inquiry at the º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿Ëù. Chunru works with his advisor Dr. Olivia N. Saracho to conduct research focused on holistic, play-based curricula to explore the multifaceted nature of early childhood development within º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿Ëùal systems and critically examine how literacy and language practices across school, family, and community settings shape young children’s learning experiences and outcomes. 

Chunru earned his bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and Psychology from Gordon College and his master’s degree in Early Education and Child Study from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He worked as an ECE classroom teacher in Boston for three years  and currently serves as a project manager for True Light, an º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿Ëùal company based in Beijing. He designs curriculum and conducts courses for young Chinese parents, focusing on holistic, theory-based approaches to early childhood º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿Ëù. His work aims to bridge the relationship gap between parents and children, creating supportive learning environments where children, families, and educators can thrive together.

Contact: cdong666@umd.edu 

Linkedin:  

º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿Ëù Dean’s Fellowship (2023 – 2025)
º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿Ëù the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi (2023 – 2025)
º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿Ëù COE Fellowship (2023 – 2025)
º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿Ëù College of Education COE Scholarship (2023 – 2025)
University of Massachusetts Amherst Helen Eaton Timson Scholarship (2022)
Gordon College Presidential Honors & Presidential Scholarship (2015 – 2019)

Academic Conference Presentations:

Dong, C. & Hu, X. (2024). Exploring Multimodal Play: Children’s Drawings as a Gateway to Cognitive Development in Chinese Early Childhood Settings. Round table at the Transdisciplinary Approaches to Language and Literacy in Educational Research (TALLER) Conference, College Park, MD, USA.
Dong, C. & Hu, X. (2024). Vygotsky’s Play: Unveiling the Complexity of Early Childhood Development. Poster presented at the º¬Ðß²ÝÑо¿Ëù COE Graduate Student Organization Student Research Symposium, College Park, MD, USA.
Hu, X. & Dong, C. (2024). Parenting Programs in Early Childhood Education for Disadvantaged Families in Rural China and Laos: A Comparative Case Study Paper. Panel at the 2024 Annual Graduate Student Research Conference, Washington Consortium for Comparative and International Education, Washington, D.C., USA.
Dong, C., Zhang, Y. & Li, B. (2019). Experiences with Social Media and Cyber Bullying. Poster presented at Gordon College Undergraduate Research Symposium (URS), Wenham, MA, USA.

Invited Talks:

Dong, C. (2024). Facilitating Child Development and Learning Through Free Play and Rule-Based Games. Invited Talk at True Light Early Education, Beijing, China.

TLPL 206 - Forbidden Books - Censorship of Children’s and Young Adult Literature (2024 Fall)
– Instructional Assistant
TLPL 341 - Assessing Language and Literacy Development in Elementary Classrooms (2024 Fall)
– Instructional Assistant
TLPL 342 - Promoting Skilled and Motivated Readers in Diverse Elementary Classrooms (2024 Spring)
– Instructional Assistant
TLPL 341 - Assessing Language and Literacy Development in Elementary Classrooms (2023 Fall)
– Instructional Assistant