Last year the American Psychological Association designated the third week in April as the first annual “Psychology Week” to recognize psychology's contributions to society and individuals' lives. APA encouraged us to highlight our work in psychology, recognize inspiring psychologists, and share the impact of psychology using the hashtag #PsychologyWeek.
This year, Psychology Week is back! The second annual Psychology Week falls on the fourth week of April, April 23-29, 2023.
As high school psychology teachers, we have the unique opportunity to ignite a passion for understanding the human mind in our students. Psychology Week a additional platform for us to celebrate the field of psychology and engage our students (and maybe the broader school community) in exciting activities that showcase the wonders of the human mind.
The Importance of Psychology Week
Psychology Week is a special occasion that shines a spotlight on the field of psychology and its relevance in our lives. It gives us an extra opportunity to highlight the importance of psychology and create awareness among our students about its practical applications in their everyday lives. It allows us to foster curiosity, critical thinking, and a deeper understanding of the human mind among our students, which can benefit them in various aspects of their lives.
Some Psychology Week Ideas from APA
APA invites us to recognize the positive impact of psychology on our lives, our communities, and celebrate the many ways that psychology helps us all. They give the following suggestions.
Tell the world how psychology helps you, your family, and your community
Share your favorite part of being a psychologist
Give a shoutout to psychologists who inspire you
Share a piece of advice for students who are thinking about a career in psychology
Highlight your latest work or research and how it helps us all
Share why you became a psychologist
Connect with psychologists in other areas of expertise to learn about more aspects of the field
Download our social media images below and use them in your profiles and posts
Not sure how to apply these ideas to your classroom? Read on!
How to Celebrate Psychology Week in Your School and Classroom
Psychology Week presents an opportunity for us to engage our students in exciting activities that showcase the wonders of psychology. Here are some ideas on how we can celebrate Psychology Week and make it an enriching experience for our students:
Tell the world how psychology helps you, your family, and your community: Use this instruction as a journal prompt to start class during psychology week. Have students consider how all of the things we've learned in this class are helpful to them as individuals and to their larger community.
Share your favorite part of being a psychologist: Search the hashtag #PsychologyWeek and see what psychologists have to say. Share with students and discuss the different career opportunities available in psychology. You can also hang these posters on your wall to encourage students to see the benefits of careers in psychology.
Give a shoutout to psychologists who inspire you: Tell your students about a psychologist that inspires you. Then have them research one and share with each other through presentations or a gallery walk. You could compile a list of inspirational psychologists to choose from or allow them to choose their own.
Share a piece of advice for students who are thinking about a career in psychology: Invite guest speakers, such as psychologists, researchers, or mental health professionals, to share their experiences and insights with your students. They can talk about their careers in psychology, share real-world examples of how psychology is applied in different settings, or discuss current research findings. This can provide students with a broader perspective on the field of psychology and expose them to diverse career opportunities in this field. If you're able to host this speaker outside of class time, you could also invite students from the larger school community and grow interest in psychology on your campus.
Highlight your latest work or research and how it helps us all: Again a guest speaker could share their research with your students. This could even happen over Zoom if location is an issue.
Share why you became a psychologist: Share why you became a psychology teacher!
Connect with psychologists in other areas of expertise to learn about more aspects of the field: Reach out to other psychology teachers and psychologists and collaborate. How can their expertise influence your classroom?
Download our social media images below and use them in your profiles and posts: You can find APA's social media images here. Use them to share any of the above and connect with other psychology teachers and psychologists.
Additional Activities
Movie Nights: Organize a movie night where you screen a film or documentary related to psychology. This can be a fun and engaging way for students to learn about psychological concepts and their real-life applications. After watching the movie, you can facilitate discussions and reflections to encourage students to critically analyze the psychological themes depicted in the film. This is also an opportunity to invite students from the larger school community and grow interest in psychology on your campus.
Field Trips: Plan a field trip to a local institution or organization that is related to psychology, such as mental health clinics, research laboratories, or universities with psychology programs. This can provide students with real-world exposure to the field of psychology and inspire them to consider psychology as a potential career path.
Psychology Swag
No event or celebration is complete without swag. Whether your hosting a large event or just celebrating with the students in your classroom, whoever's participating will love these fun bits of swag that will serve as little reminders of why psychology matters. There are brain erasers, brain notepads, brain stress balls, and so much more! You can even give out brain-shaped medals to the students who attend the most Psychology Week events or win a Psychology Week competition!
Want printable swag? Download Psychology Week bookmarks with positive messages to give out to your students. They're free for a limited time, so don't wait!
Psychology Week is a valuable opportunity for high school psychology teachers to celebrate the field of psychology and engage our students in exciting activities that showcase the wonders of the human mind.
How are you celebrating? Share in the comments.
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