Psychology
July 3-Friday, July 7 (4 day session, no class July 4th)
Instructor: Mr. Alan Feldman
This course will focus on the teaching of psychology as a science, including an intensive review of the content of the AP® Psychology examination and released multiple-choice and essay questions. Since the College Board® requires that there is one essay question focused on research methods on the AP® Psychology exam, research methods will be discussed in every content area. Additional topics will include specific content areas that are difficult for students, teaching strategies and resources for students and teachers, using and designing a rubric to write and score essay questions, test-taking techniques, demonstrations and lesson plans for teaching psychology, and important experiments and studies in psychology.
Approximately 250 of the most important terms for the AP® Psychology course will be reviewed, as well as the approximately 80 psychologists with whom students need to be familiar for the AP® Psychology exam. Some time will be spent on using AP® Classroom effectively.
The book, Teaching Introductory Psychology: Survival Tips from the Experts, edited by Robert Sternberg, will be discussed in detail. Participants are urged, but not required, to bring a few of their favorite lesson plans and audio-visual resources to share in class. A survey will be sent out to participants before the course to get feedback as to what areas of the course will be most beneficial to participants.
Please contact the instructor prior to the session if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you.
Alan Feldman, [email protected]
About the Instructor
Alan Feldman served as a script consultant for the film The Experimenter (2015), about psychologist Stanley Milgram, which starred Wyona Ryder and Jim Gaffigan. Here’s a bit more about Alan:
Alan is a teacher at Glen Rock High School in Glen Rock, NJ. He teaches AP® Psychology, psychology, United States history, and at times mathematics. He has consulted at numerous summer psychology institutes since 1992, and has conducted dozens of workshops for the College Board®. Alan received a master's degree in developmental psychology from Teachers College, Columbia University and has taught a variety of courses as an adjunct professor.
Alan has been an AP® reader since the test's inception in 1992. He was a table leader for the AP® Psychology reading, 2004-2022. Alan is a former member of the AP® Psychology test development committee. He attended the 2017 APA Summit on High School Psychology Education, held at Weber State University in Ogden, Utah.
Alan served on the APA Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) Executive Board for six years. He has written many articles that have been published in PTN (Psychology Teachers Network) and the course perspective for AP® Central. He was the faculty night speaker at the 2003 AP® reading in Daytona, Florida.
Selected Professional Highlights:
- ETS and College Board® consultant, 1993-present
- Member, ETS AP® Psychology Test Development Committee, October 2001-July 2005
- 1993 Moffet National Teaching Award Winner for High School Psychology (from Division Two of APA)
- 2003 Princeton University Distinguished Secondary Teaching Award
- AP® Psychology Reader, 1992-2003; AP® Psychology Table Leader, 2003-2018
- 2015 APA TOPSS Charles T. Blair-Broeker Excellence in Teaching Award
Alan also used to be a nationally rated table tennis player.
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