AP® Psychology

This workshop is designed for both new and experienced AP® Psychology instructors and will include review of course content, planning, and a variety of teacher resources, strategies, and assessments. It will assist you in building a solid foundation of knowledge and skills for a high-interest and successful AP^© Psychology course in your school’s specific academic schedule and setting. Materials will be presented for the current CED (Course and Examination Description), which will be used for the 2022-2023 AP Psychology Exam.

By attending this institute, you will gain a deeper understanding of the course content, planning the course, teaching the course, assessing student progress, and engaging as a member of the AP Community. Individualized activities will be provided for both new and experienced teachers to navigate through the latest updates in the CED (Course and Examination Description), AP® Audit, and AP® Classroom. There will be opportunities to explore how to use instructional planning reports, unit guides, personal progress checks, and the AP question bank. New teachers will be provided time to review various syllabi for a semester or year-long course, sequence & pacing, and textbook options.

Another focus of the institute will be on helping students acquire the test-taking skills they need to be successful on the AP® Psychology Exam. Instructors will be exposed to previously released exams and we will evaluate strategies for preparing students. Particular attention will be devoted to understanding how the free-response questions are graded and learning simple and effective teaching strategies for writing and scoring these types of questions.  Each of the nine content areas of the course will be addressed and participants will be provided with materials to enhance their course including demonstrations, critical thinking exercises, and assessments. Projects that build content and enhance scientific skills will also be examined. An emphasis will be placed on bringing difficult content to life for students and helping instructors with content assistance in those difficult to teach areas of the course.

This course will assist teachers in gaining the content and skills to allow for both teacher and student success. Instructors will be encouraged to ask questions and share ideas. It will be a week of professional development focused on building meaningful connections within the AP Community and adding to your “tool box” of best practices. You will be provided with activities and strategies that can be implemented in your classroom immediately. Come ready to learn and leave energized to be teaching AP^© Psychology!