Advanced Placement Summer Institute

Information

AP Psychology
Presenter – Amy Jones

Objectives:

  1. To give new or experienced teachers organizational strategies to succeed including familiarity with the requirements of AP Psychology and meeting the needs of AP students.
  2. To provide instructional strategies for addressing common themes and teaching of the various perspectives in Psychology.
  3. To provide guidance in selection of appropriate textbooks and other resources for teaching AP Psychology.
  4. To share interesting and meaningful learning activities that help increase knowledge of psychological concepts and methodology.
  5. To provide content updates and strategies that will enable a teacher to be more current in the topics of psychology.

Level of Participants:

     It is expected that participants will vary in both teaching experience and in psychology background. Teachers may range from a beginning level to many years of experience in teaching psychology and/or AP Psychology.  The objectives are designed to meet the varying needs of this diverse group and many activities are planned that draw upon the experiences of the participants.

 

Description:

The course offers strategies for use in presenting the main topics of psychology as well as the methods being used to study psychology.  Participants will explore techniques geared toward teaching a college-level psychology course to high school students and tips on preparing students for the AP Psychology exam including multiple-choice and free response questions. Materials published by the College Board will be part of the course reading.  Participants will have the opportunity to share best practices with other new and continuing AP Psychology teachers.  Tips on textbook selection, source books, audiovisuals and Web-based sources will also be provided. Additional resources will be provided for the participants, and each participant will be expected to design a lesson, activity, or unit based on the AP Psychology curriculum.

Course Content:

Course content will focus on strategies and resources for teaching major curriculum units which may include: Methodology (experimental and non-experimental methods and testing); Biological Basis of Behavior (the role of genetics and the environment, Brain and Nervous system, Neuro-transmitters); Sensation and Perception; Consciousness; Cognitive Perspective; Learning Perspective (including Behaviorism and Social Learning Theory); Social Psychology; Development; Personality; Abnormal Psychology (including symptoms of disorders and therapeutic systems).  Additionally participants will receive guidance towards designing curriculum, addressing common themes among the various psychology perspectives, prepararing for examinations and incorporating AP exam strategies throughout the year.

DAILY SCHEDULE

DAY ONE

Introductions and Overview

Layout of the week, What do you want from this workshop?  Etc.

Overview of the Acorn Book, Teacher’s Guide and Philosophy.

(Geared to AP Exam, geared to fun.  Why not have BOTH?)

Break

Logistics: Ordering textbooks, finding websites and web sources, joining the list serve, TOPPS and APA organizations, amassing a textbook reference shelf, copy of key books (DSM IV TR, DSM Case Study Books, Hunt’s book, etc.  Collegeboard.com

Lunch

Pacing calendars; Summer assignments; Criteria for admission;  Who sits for the test; Intro Class Ideas (starting the year, setting the tone, etc.);  Outside reading suggestions; Video lists and resources; Activity guides and review books; sample syllabi.

Break

The AP Test. Take the 2004 released exam.  Score and discuss. Discuss the Free Response section of the exam.

DAY TWO

Introduction to Psychology: ideas and suggestions, activities and contributions

The Brain

Break

Sensation

Lunch

Perception

Break

States of Consciousness

DAY THREE

 Thought and Language

Memory

Break

Learning

Lunch

Motivation and Emotion

Break

Personality

Psychological Assessment

DAY FOUR

Psychological Disorders

Treatment of Psychological Disorders

Physical and Cognitive Development

Break

Social Development

Lunch

Social Psychology

Break

Health, Stress, and Coping

What to do after the AP exam, 4th quarter projects, research projects, etc.

Wrap up of week, final suggestions, ideas, questions, exchange contact information.


 Amy Jones – Bio

Amy Jones has taught AP Psychology and Introduction to Psychology at Bountiful High School for twelve years and for three years at Copper Hill High School.  Previously she taught Self-Esteem classes under the title of Peer Support for twelve years and spent eleven years teaching in Davis County School District’s Alternate High School Program.  She has been an AP Psychology Reader for seventeen years and is an AP endorsed National and International Consultant for the College Board.  Over the same number of years she has been conducting day-long and week-long training programs for AP teachers throughout North America and internationally.  She has been nominated twice for the Disney Teacher of the Year Award and has been listed multiple times in Who’s Who in American Teachers.  She has been voted “Most Favorite Teacher” at Bountiful High School, and “Teacher of the Year,” in her current position at Copperhills High School.

Her career objectives include teaching and encouraging students to love to learn, to respect and love themselves, to appreciate and respect the diversity in others and to learn to work together to solve problems and challenges of the future.  She is committed to the idea that critical thinking skills can be taught and employed in inspiring students to assume responsibility for their own learning.

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