She is the graduate program director of the Applied Developmental Psychology program. Her research focuses on ways to promote the educational success of children from different demographic backgrounds. She is particularly interested in home experiences of children often at risk for difficulties in school (e.g., immigrants, low income, ELL, minority groups). Shari R. Metzger is a doctoral candidate in the Applied Developmental Psychology program at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Her research interests include schooling and educational development, children’s conceptions of mathematics and how those conceptions relate to home experiences and achievement, curriculum development and program evaluation.