Teaching High School Psychology: APA Psychology Summit Day 2

Day two of the APA Psychology Summit began with a leadership meeting in the morning, shortly after Tomee led a group of teachers in yoga. After breakfast (we are being fed quite well), Dr. Eric Amsel, Associate Provost of Weber State, Dr. Aaron Ashley, Psychology Department Chair, and Dr. Charles Wright, President of Weber State all greeted and welcomed us officially for our first day of work.

Next came Dr. Yaira Sánchez, from Academia Marie Reina in Puerto Rico, who introduced Dr. Tammy Hughes of Duquesne University. She valiantly stepped in for the ailing Dr. Frank Worrel for today's keynote speech. She had to take Dr. Worrel's work and presentation on diversity research and make it her own. If we had not known that it was not her presentation and that she had only a week to prepare, we would not have known she was the pinch hitter. She shared many important pieces of research on identity, connection to dominant groups, academic achievement, and connections among these and other variables.

After a brief break, we began to work in our strands.

Psychology as Science
Skills that Improve Flourishing and Well-Being
National Standards for High School Psychology Education
Assessing Skills and Content in Psychology
Identifying and Credentialing High School Psychology Teachers
Ongoing Professional Development
Diversity and Access
Technology and Online Learning

Each working group has two co-chairs and at least six other people to complete the work. There is more to come on the details of what each group will be coming up with and recommending. A big part of this summit is to lay the groundwork and framework for work that will be completed by groups to come later. Some will be within TOPSS such as reworking the national standards and working with the education directorate to obtain funding for more week-long professional development opportunities for psychology teachers as well as taking the resources already in existence and reorganize them and create video demonstrations for teachers to learn how to show a concept in class. So as you can see with both this and with the additional ideas above, there will be work that will be years in progress for this group to begin and for others to continue and/or finish.

During lunch, we viewed a video of students from Maria Vita's classes and Kristin Whitlock's classes about what psychology meant to them. We were already sitting with our teams in our respective strands. We discussed as a group our takeaways from the video and then shared out as a large group from each table.

After lunch, we returned to our work rooms and spent the afternoon progressing in our various strands. Work was intense and beneficial. The pure joy so many of us felt at working with others who are just as passionate about psychology is so incredibly energizing. Friendships have been both created and continued today.

Dinner was a barbecue of steak or chicken. Excellent food again Weber State!

For some pictures, check out the Facebook page for the NCSS Psychology Group if you are a member. If not, contact Daria Schaffield to become a lifetime member. I have Daria to thanks for most of the pictures posted below. She and friends went on a walk after dinner and saw spectacular views.