Exact Directions Challenge

This challenge by a father to his kids to give exact instructions to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich are hysterical, enjoyable, educational, and a great example of the power of details for operational definitions.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cDA3_5982h8


posted by Chuck Schallhorn

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Psych Files: A Brief Survey

Hi Everyone,

Michael Britt over at the Psych Files is a friend of the blog. As you may know, he has been working for free for psychology teachers and students around the world for more than a decade. Recently, that has become unsustainable for him. He has added advertising to his blogs and podcasts. In the interest of helping to keep his efforts going, he is requesting the responses of you and your students. The survey takes less than five minutes. Thank you for your help.

http://podcastlistener.com/files


posted by Chuck Schallhorn

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APA TOPSS Charles T. Blair-Broeker Excellence in Teaching Awards

APA TOPSS Charles T. Blair-Broeker Excellence in Teaching Awards

The American Psychological Association (APA) Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) Charles T. Blair-Broeker Excellence in Teaching Awards recognize outstanding teachers in psychology. There will be up to three annual awards.

Winners will receive a framed certificate, engraved award, cash prize of $500, and a free TOPSS membership or renewal for the 2019 membership year. Additionally, Worth Publishers is generously donating a $500 credit to Bedford Freeman & Worth Publishers and a copy of the “High School Psychology Video Anthology DVD” to each of the winning teachers.  For additional details and the nomination process, please see http://www.apa.org/about/awards/teaching-excellence.aspx.  

The nomination deadline is February 15, 2018.

posted by Chuck Schallhorn

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Smartphones: Let's think critically!

Several people recommended this Atlantic article by Jean Twenge to me recently (link below). The author makes a compelling, and frightening, argument about the impact of smartphones on our students.

Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation? 

Psychologist Sara Rose Cavanagh wrote a response in Psychology Today, arguing that Twenge doesn't have evidence to back up her claims in the Atlantic article:

No, Smartphones are NOT Destroying a Generation

Psychology teachers might be able to use these two articles as part of a useful critical thinking lesson: what can we "know" based on a lot of correlational evidence? What can't we know? What conclusions should we draw about important issues when all we can get is correlational evidence?


posted by Rob McEntarffer

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Radio West:  The Hidden Brain        

Hello Everyone!

Radio West is a program produced by KUER (our local NPR affiliate) that delves into many topics that help the public understand how the world works.  The host, Doug Fabrizio, does an excellent job interviewing interesting characters and delving into topics relevant to the teaching of Psychology.  Check out this interview with NPR's Shankar Vedantam who is the host of the podcast the Hidden Brain.  In this program, the conversation centers on how our behavior is oftentimes influenced by unconscious forces. You'll be hooked!


http://radiowest.kuer.org/post/hidden-brain-0


Best!


Kristin Whitlock

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UTOPSS Fall Conference

The UTAH-Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools Fall Conference is just around the corner!  We have a FABULOUS line-up of guests!

Friday, September 29, 2017

8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Westminster College, Salt Lake City Utah

Presentations:

*Tiffany Karns, Rowlett High School, Rowlett TX

“It’s Not Just What We Teach, But Also Who We Teach

Making it Personal: Adverse Childhood Experiences and Brain Development”

 

*Dr. Susan Manville, Westminster College

"Teaching At The Intersection of Psychology & Health"

*APA Summit on High School Psychology Education: Exciting directions for Introductory Psychology

Julie Gowans, Payson High School

Annette Nielsen, Woods Cross High School

Tomee Pace, Mountain High School

Dan Rozanas, Alta High School

Kristin Whitlock, Davis High School

*Participant Idea Share

*Break-out sessions

AP Psychology: Jonathan Lungreen (Tooele High School)

Introductory Psychology: Erik Bayles (Utah Valley University & Pleasant Grove High School)

Sports Psychology: Bart Thompson (Salem Hills High School)

Registration is $50.00 and is due September 22, 2017

Go to: 

https://www.westminstercollege.edu/about/academic-schools/undergraduate-schools/school-of-arts-and-sciences/psychology-department/utopss-conference#0

I hope you can join us!

Kristin Whitlock

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Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. address, APA convention, 1967

Did you know that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addressed the APA convention in 1967? I didn't! This blog post about his talk might be a very useful (and timely) post to use with your students.

Answering MLK Jr.’s Wake-Up Call

Here is the full text of his speech at the APA convention:

King's challenge to the nation's social scientists

posted by Rob McEntarffer

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September psychology workshop in the St. Louis area

I am happy to share this announcement:

Fall 2017

STLTOPSS Workshop

St. Louis Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools

Partially funded by a generous grant from the

APA High School Psychology Teacher Network Grant

Wednesday September 13 , 2017

5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

 

Where: Education Plus

1460 Craig Rd

St Louis, MO 63146

Bring your Own: Side Dish or Dessert and Best Practices to Share!

Sandwiches and Mostaccioli from Psghetti’s

Agenda:

College Psychology Student Panel

Book Club

Planning for Spring Meeting

Sharing of Best Practices

Registration:

Please email Jennifer Flores or Melody Barger if you would like to attend

Jennifer Flores – Jennifer.Flores@fhsdschools.org

Melody Barger – mbarger@parkwayschools.net

Sign up to bring something at: 

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0f4baea72ca5fc1-psychology

--posted by Steve

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How stressed are your students?

I've been reading quite a bit lately about high school students and stress (especially students in AP and IB programs). I'm also talking with my daughter (10th grade, IB program) about stress (not very successfully) and it's making me wonder about the connections between high school psychology and student stress.

This topic "fits" most obviously in a "Health and Stress" unit, but I'm not sure how many of us teach a chapter like that? It could belong in the Motivation and Emotion unit too? Or maybe just Bio Psychology? I've talked with many high school psych teachers about how the Cognition unit can help students figure out how to study and how to "learn how to learn." I wonder if there might be similar and equally important lessons from our psychology content about how to FEEL about learning (and trying, and failing, and succeeding, and how to handle the emotional components of learning).

I don't have many great resources to share about this yet, and I'd love to hear from you all. Here's a good (I think) article from Psychology Today - might be a place to start?

A Back to School Stress-Management Toolkit for Teens

(Image source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/firesam/5242760927 - labelled for reuse) 



posted by Rob McEntarffer

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Excellence In Psychology Instruction Conference (EPIC)

Saturday, October 7 has a fantastic conference for anyone in the Midwest if you can make it to Green Bay, WI. Details here.

posted by Chuck Schallhorn

Announcing the Third Excellence In Psychology Instructposted

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