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APA Teachers of Psychology
in Secondary Schools (TOPSS)
All teachers of high school psychology are invited to join TOPSS as affiliate members.
| Mission: |
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- To promote the scientific nature of introductory and advanced high school psychology; to meet curricular needs of secondary school teachers; and to provide opportunities for high school students to be recognized and rewarded for their academic excellence.
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| Statistics: |
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- Approximately 2,000 members of TOPSS (as High School Teacher Affiliates of the American Psychological Association).
- Estimated that there are 500,000 high school students of psychology.
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| Current Programs and Activities: |
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- High School Teacher Workshops
- Professional development opportunities for teachers; workshops are conducted by college and high school faculty who provide new and relevant information that would enhance teaching and learning in the classrooms.
- Workshops and/or program sessions offered in 2005 at national and regional meetings and conferences.
- Unit
Lesson Plans
- A signature product of TOPSS, unit lesson plans provide guidance
for teachers in developing a curriculum in psychology; enable teachers
to teach a specific area of psychology, e.g., learning, memory,
developmental, cross-cultural, and positive psychology.
- There are currently 14 unit lesson plans available.
- Psychology
Teacher Network (PTN)
- Quarterly newsletter that features scholarly and cutting edge
articles relevant to HS teachers and are appropriate for teachers
to apply in their classrooms.
- Circulated to TOPSS and PT@CC members, and college teachers
of introductory psychology.
- Scholarships, grants, and awards for teachers and students of psychology
- APF/TOPSScholars Competition
- APF/TOPSS Excellence in High School Student Research Awards
- TOPSS Excellence in Teaching Awards
- APF Nationwide Psychology Program
- TOPSS Invited Addresses at the APA Convention
- 2005 program will focus on development.
- National
Standards for the Teaching of High School Psychology
- Curriculum for high school psychology based on the APA National Standards has been adopted for schools in the state of Rhode Island, Montgomery County in Maryland, and the city of Lincoln in Nebraska. Similar programs are being proposed for the states of Alabama and Minnesota.
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| Initiatives: |
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- Psychology Awareness Initiative
- Psychology in Science Fairs
- Regional/local/national collaborations
- Online continuing education opportunities for high school teachers
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Annual Reports
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| Website: |
http://www.apa.org/ed/topss/homepage.html |
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MS
Powerpoint presentation [366kb]