Don't have a textbook for your high school psychology class? No worries! Trust me, you've got everything you need to rock this subject without those dusty old tomes.
Strategies for teaching psychology without a textbook
Let's dive into some awesome strategies to teach high school psychology in a fun and engaging way, with or without a textbook.
Embrace real-world examples: Who needs a textbook when we've got the entire world as our psychology playground? Bring psychology to life by incorporating real-world examples into your lessons. Use news articles, documentaries, or even interviews with experts to illustrate psychological concepts in action. Your students will love connecting the dots between what they learn in class and what's happening out there in the real world.
Get hands-on with experiments: Psychology is all about understanding human behavior, so let's put that knowledge to the test! Conduct experiments or demonstrations that your students can participate in or observe. It could be something as straightforward as a memory experiment using flashcards or a social psychology study on conformity. Remember, hands-on learning is the way to go!
Engage in group discussions: Who needs a textbook when you've got a classroom full of bright minds? Foster lively group discussions and debates to explore different perspectives on psychological topics. Encourage your students to share their thoughts, personal experiences, and opinions. It's amazing how much learning can happen when we all contribute to the conversation.
Bring in guest speakers: Shake things up and bring in some outside experts to spice up your lessons. Guest speakers, like psychologists, counselors, or people with unique experiences related to psychology, can offer fresh insights and perspectives. Plus, it's a fantastic way to show your students that psychology isn't just a subject in a textbook—it's alive and thriving in the real world.
Tap into online resources: Say hello to the internet, your new best friend! There's a treasure trove of online resources waiting to be explored. Look for reputable websites, educational platforms, and psychology-focused blogs that offer engaging articles, videos, and interactive materials. Read on for more on this one:
Online resources that can replace a textbook
That last tip is really the big one! There is so much available online that textbooks are basically obsolete. Here's some of the common things we use textbooks for and how to use online resources to replace them:
Using as a curriculum guide: Use the APA standards to guide your curriculum. They were just revised in 2022, so you know they're current. Not sure where to start? Join the 14-day Psychology Teacher Challenge for guidance!
Assigning student reading: Assign chapters from an online book, like OpenStax (also available in print), have students read recent articles on specific topics, and supplement with videos to watch that cover the same information. From TED Talks to Crash Course Psychology, you'll find a wealth of information in video format.
Assigning student work, like answering questions at the end of the chapter: No one likes answering questions from a textbook. Let's let this one go and bring in a wide assortment of more engaging activities.
Having students find definitions for key terms/vocabulary: Use the APA Dictionary of Psychology that has more than 25,000 entries across 90 subfields of psychology. Students can search for terms or look alphabetically. Many terms also link to other terms to add context and further explanation.
Assigning independent work for students that have been absent: Use these independent work packets instead. They can use the dictionary link above for finding definitions.
Collecting dust: Well the internet can't help with that...
Teaching high school psychology without a textbook is not only possible but also loads of fun and incredibly freeing. Embrace the world as your classroom, get hands-on with experiments, encourage lively discussions, invite some guest speakers, and tap into online resources. The possibilities are endless. Psychology is so much more than words on a page—it's an adventure waiting to be explored!
Share in the comments. How are you moving beyond the textbook?
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