INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY

PSYCHOLOGY IS A SEMESTER COURSE THAT INTRODUCES STUDENTS TO THE STUDY OF INDIVIDUAL HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND MENTAL PROCESSES. EMOTIONS, FEELINGS, & COGNITIVE PROCESSES ALL IMPACT HUMANS ON A DAILY BASIS. PSYCHOLOGY IS A SOCIAL SCIENCE, BUT ALSO HAS FOUNDATIONS IN THE NATURAL SCIENCES.  ALTHOUGH THIS IS AN ELECTIVE, STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE WEEKLY COMMUNICATION OUTLINING VARIOUS READINGS FOR UNITS THAT WILL BE PRESENTED IN CLASS.  DUE TO THE CURRENT PANDEMIC, I WILL COMMUNICATE THE READINGS, ASSIGNMENTS, ETC. TO STUDENTS USING MY GOOGLE CLASSROOM, "REMIND" MESSAGES AND DIRECTLY WITHIN THE CLASSROOM.  STUDENTS ARE ALLOWED TO USE THEIR NOTES AND HANDOUTS THEY RECEIVE IN CLASS TO ASSIST THEM ON THEIR TESTS.  STUDENTS WILL RECEIVE A GENERAL INTRODUCTION TO PSYCHOLOGY TEXTBOOK WHICH WILL BE TAKEN HOME. THIS TEXTBOOK WILL BE USED FOR ASSIGNED READINGS, AND TO SUPPORT THE CONTENT IN THE COURSE. STUDENTS WILL NEED THEIR CHROME BOOKS CHARGED ALONG WITH A CHARGER AND EAR BUDS.  EPISODES OF "MONK" MAY BE SHOWN AS WELL AS 1 OR 2 MOVIES PERTAINING TO THE NATURE OF PSYCHOLOGY. PARTICIPATION WILL BECOME AN INTEGRAL COMPONENT IN THE CLASS FOR GENERATING POSITIVE DISCUSSIONS, ASKING QUESTIONS AND HAVING OPEN DIALOGUE.

IT IS MY INTENTION FOR STUDENTS TO DEVELOP AN APPRECIATION OF PSYCHOLOGY, AND ITS USEFUL APPLICATIONS IN EVERYDAY LIFE.  STUDENTS WILL ALSO BE INVOLVED IN OPEN-DISCUSSION FRIDAYS (2-3 STUDENTS PRESENT A TOPIC OF PSYCHOLOGY TO THE CLASS AND ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR A 1 PAGE OUTLINE ABOUT THEIR CHOSEN TOPIC ALONG WITH A GOOGLE SLIDE PRESENTATION (BRIEF VIDEO CLIPS MAY BE INCLUDED AS WELL).  REFERENCES USED WILL NEED TO BE INCLUDED AT THE END OF THE PRESENTATION. THE TOPIC CHOSEN ALONG WITH THE MATERIALS USED FOR THE PRESENTATION MUST MEET MY APPROVAL & BE APPROPRIATE FOR A HIGH SCHOOL SETTING - ESPECIALLY ANY VIDEO FOOTAGE THAT MAY BE USED TO HIGHLIGHT THE TOPIC.  STUDENTS WILL NEED TO TAKE THESE OPEN-DISCUSSION PRESENTATIONS SERIOUSLY SINCE THEY WILL BE GRADED ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT ELEMENTS (GRADE RUBRIC SHEETS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE CLASS). THIS PARTICULAR ASSIGNMENT IS DESIGNED TO BE FUN, INFORMATIVE AND REWARDING FOR ALL. ASSESSMENTS WILL BE A COMBINATION OF ACTIVE PARTICIPATION, HOMEWORK QUESTIONS, ASSIGNMENTS, OPEN DISCUSSIONS AND UNIT ABBREVIATED TESTS THAT COME FROM CLASS NOTES &/OR TEXTBOOK READINGS.

LASTLY, DUE TO THE CURRENT PANDEMIC WE ARE FACING, THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR IS LIKE NO OTHER.  LIVE, VIRTUAL TEACHING IS SOMEWHAT SCARY AND WILL HAVE ITS UPS AND DOWNS (HOPEFULLY, MORE POSITIVE EXPERIENCES). I ASK IN ADVANCE, FOR YOUR PATIENCE, UNDERSTANDING AND COOPERATION DURING THIS CHALLENGING TIME. I WILL PROMISE TO DO MY BEST TO EDUCATE YOUR CHILD AND BE PROFESSIONAL, RESPECTFUL AND COMPASSIONIATE - I ASK THAT THEY TRY AND DO THE SAME.  HOPEFULLY, WE WILL RISE TO THE CHALLENGE OF NAVIGATING THIS NEW LEARNING JOURNEY AND BE STRONGER FOR IT.  PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME AT:  akremer@sayvilleschools.org