Michael Sandler, MAT, a psychology teacher at Arlington High School in Arlington, Massachusetts, has been named a recipient of the 2025 APA TOPSS Charles T. Blair-Broeker Excellence in Teaching Award by the APA’s Committee of Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS).
After beginning his career in other fields, Sandler was inspired to return to school and pursue a career in teaching. He has taught at Arlington High School since 2008. He quickly gained recognition for his teaching skills, earning the Arlington Education Fund’s S.T.A.R.S. Teacher of the Year award in 2011. In 2021, he was also honored with the University of Chicago’s Outstanding Educator Award.
Sandler’s students describe his teaching style as engaging and memorable, praising his exceptional ability to make psychological concepts stick. Sandler “is not only a likeable teacher, but he also helps us understand complex topics,” said one former student, who also highlighted Sandler’s compassion. According to the student, Sandler prioritizes his students’ well-being and often volunteers his time to help them with assignments or if they are facing personal challenges. This compassion has made him a valued member of the school community. As the student noted, “nearly all of my neighbors who attended the same high school rave about Mr. Sandler and have a thorough understanding of psychology, even a decade after taking his class.”
This praise was echoed by Dr. Matthew Janger, Arlington High School’s principal. Janger commented that Sandler’s classroom is “a hub of energy and curiosity, where learning exceeds traditional boundaries.” Additionally, Janger asserted that Sandler is “not just a teacher but a leader and mentor.”
Sandler is a talented educator whose impact spans far beyond the classroom. He is the creator and host of the AP Psych Smackdown, a live-streamed global psychology competition that attracts thousands of participants every year. He created the Beautiful Brain Conference in 2018, which brought together students, educators, and researchers to explore neuroscience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Sandler also spoke at a TEDx event, and as the faculty speaker at Arlington High School’s graduation in 2010 and 2017.
Sandler’s classroom at Arlington High School is a place “where students discover the fascinating world of psychology through his engaging teaching style,” said APA TOPSS Committee chair Natasha Alston, MPS. “His innovative approaches…extend psychological education far beyond traditional boundaries. His genuine compassion for students' wellbeing and his willingness to volunteer his time to help them…exemplifies why his former students still rave about him. "
The APA TOPSS Committee is excited to present this award to Michael Sandler for his commitment to his students and to advancing the quality of high school psychology teaching.
As an award recipient, Sandler will receive a framed certificate, engraved award, cash prize of $500, and a complimentary TOPSS membership renewal for the 2026 membership year. He will also receive complimentary copies of APA Style’s Publication Manual and Concise Guide to APA Style books, and a curated $200 value package of APA books selected by the APA TOPSS Committee.
TOPSS is the voice of high school psychology teachers within APA. Through APA’s education unit, TOPSS offers teaching materials, professional development opportunities, the Psychology Teacher Network quarterly newsletter, and programs for high school psychology teachers and students. There are approximately 2,000 APA high school teacher affiliates in APA.
High school psychology is a rapidly growing course option. In 2024, just over 320,100 students took the Advanced Placement psychology examination (College Board, 2024). Additionally, over 29,500 high school students worldwide took the IB psychology exam in psychology in 2024 (International Baccalaureate Organization, 2024-a, 2024-b). Other psychology courses are taught at the high school level, including on-level, dual credit, and Cambridge Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) psychology courses. Recent data from the Department of Education indicated that 29.96% of graduating students across the country had earned credit for taking a psychology course during high school (U.S. Department of Education, 2022)
TOPSS’s mission is to promote the highest standards in the teaching of psychology as a science and discipline; promote professional development and other means for lifelong learning for high school teachers of psychology; facilitate networking among teachers from all teaching levels of psychology; encourage recruitment and retention of students in the field of psychology; enhance the visibility and legitimacy of high school psychology; and recommend the appropriate response to advocacy, education policy and certification issues that impact the quality or visibility of teaching of high school psychology. Learn more about TOPSS on the APA Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools webpage and on its Facebook page.
APA is the leading scientific and professional organization representing psychology in the United States, with 172,000 researchers, educators, clinicians, consultants, and students as its members and supporters. APA's mission is to promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives.
For more information, please contact Emily Leary Chesnes.