PRESIDENT LETTER BLOG
This blog contains an archive of "Greetings from the President" that appeared since January 2020 on the STP home page and in STP News. To view letters from STP Presidents from 2016 through 2019, click here.
I hope your March has not come in like the proverbial lion although I am seeing a lot of unpleasant weather around! Please don’t let that dampen your enthusiasm for teaching and your students.
This month I want to talk a bit about our high school colleagues. Kristin Whitlock, our VP for Programming is my guest columnist. (The link brings you to more information about Kristin’s accomplishments). I want to give some history and context of high school psychology for those who may not be familiar with it.
High school psychology did not really exist when I was in high school, lo these many years ago. I first encountered it when I became a reader for the Advanced Placement Psychology exam. I started as a Reader in the early years when we really got to know all of the readers. As I became acquainted with the high school teachers participating in the Reading, I was gobsmacked! (One of my favorite British terms). They knew so much more than I did about the breadth of psychology plus they could read any handwriting when we, college faculty, were struggling to read essays.
High school psychology has existed in some form, albeit with various names, for over 150 years (Benjamin, 2001). In 1992, Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) was formed by APA. Since then they have published National Standards, adopted by APA and also have published multiple lessons on common topics in Introductory psychology. I have used their lessons many times and point new faculty to these for ready-made activities. TOPSS has been working to move psychology into the science curriculum, rather than the social science area. They are now sponsoring annual workshops at Clark University and at Oregon State University. There are about 840,000 high school students who take psychology each year and Advanced Placement Psychology is the 6th most popular AP course. I could go on with more high school teacher accomplishments but I want space for Kristin’s thoughts. (Thanks to Emily Chesnes of APA for some of this information; you can read more information here).
When I really look at all that is required of high school teachers, I am exhausted. They generally teach five or six sections of courses every day with 30 or more students in each. They are expected to help with extracurricular activities as well as tutor students. They serve on committees and help prepare students for AP and other college exams. As society expects them to be social workers, financial literacy teachers, counselors, surrogate parents, and many other roles, I marvel that they have the time needed to plan lessons and actually teach. I hear a lot of complaints on social media about how unprepared high school students are when they come to college but that has not really been my experience when students have completed high school psychology. STP is fortunate to have so many high school teachers willing to give time and energy to our endeavors. So, the next time you run into a high school teacher, thank them!
My Connection to Psychology
Kristin Whitlock
Lately I’ve been reflecting on the events and people that have influenced the development of my teaching identity. I am not sure why I’ve been feeling this so keenly lately, but it might be due to being in my 33rd year in the classroom. I feel so blessed to be surrounded with so many wonderful psychology instructors and to have so many resources within my easy reach. But when I began teaching it was a much different story. I felt the lack of a community intensely despite being in a large school. For much of my career, I’ve been the only psychology teacher in a social studies department filled with history teachers. My colleagues have been, and continue to be, wonderful, but they didn’t have the background to help me establish my identity as a psychology teacher. I was so unprepared to teach the science of psychology.
My first introduction to a larger psychology community was as a participant at the National Science Foundation Psychology Institute at Texas A & M University in 1994. With Dr. Ludy Benjamin, and a group of incredibly talented high school and college faculty, I found exactly what I needed. I learned the content of psychology, as well as creative and pedagogically sound ways to engage students. It was also here that I learned about the APA’s Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools. I couldn’t believe there actually existed an organization that was just for me. The resources available, such as lesson plans and the National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula, were absolutely invaluable. To this day, TOPSS is still a vital resource for me. When I left Texas A & M, Dr. Benjamin challenged all of us to “go home, and do something” to help build psychology education.
My first opportunity to give back came when Dr. Irwin Altman, at the University of Utah, contacted me about starting a grass-roots organization for high school psychology teachers in our state. Along with other passionate educators, we established the Utah-Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (UTOPSS) in 1997. We have held our annual fall teaching conference every year, minus 2020, growing from about a dozen participants in 1997 to over 70 in 2022. In a unique partnership, Westminster College, in Salt Lake City, and UTOPSS collaborate to improve the teaching of scientific psychology at the high school level. This conference provides opportunities for teachers to learn new content, obtain new teaching resources, and build professional networks. We’ve hosted amazing high school and college faculty presenters. It is the only professional development offered to all high school psychology teachers in our state and surrounding areas. As a group, we look forward each year to reconnecting and learning together.
My professional learning community has continued to grow with my membership and involvement in the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP). I’m deeply appreciative of the many wonderful colleagues that I have worked with and learned from in this incredible group. Along with quality conference programming, it is a deep dive into the many resources STP has to offer, including the journal Teaching of Psychology, free eBooks, Project Syllabus, and more. When I began teaching this course, the challenge was finding solid resources; today, it’s almost overwhelming how many peer-reviewed resources are so readily available.
Yet, there is still work to be done! There are still too many instructors that are working in isolation that would deeply benefit from the work of both TOPSS and STP. It’s time for each of us to “do something” to improve the teaching of scientific psychology. Help us get the word out to new colleagues in your departments and local schools. Resources exist to help you develop regional teaching networks, such as UTOPSS. TOPSS publishes a guide to the process called Building, Guiding, and Sustaining Regional Networks For Psychology Teachers, that is easily available online. If you are interested, but concerned about starting from scratch, look on the TOPSS webpage to see what networks might currently exist in your area. You’ll find contact information for those who are currently involved. There are so many ways that you can give back and express the gratitude you feel for the benefits you have received as a member of our community.
References and Resources
APA (2018). Building, Guiding, and Sustaining Regional Networks For Psychology Teachers. regional-networks-guide.pdf (apa.org)
APA (2019, March) Report of High School Psychology
Benjamin, L. T. (2001). A brief history of the psychology course in American high schools. American Psychologist 56(11):951-60. Doi: 10.1037/0003-066x.56.11.951
National Standards for High School Psychology Curricula
Professional Development for High School Psychology Teachers
Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools
Happy February! Did you know that the word February comes from the Latin “februa” which means to cleanse? The month was named after the Roman festival of Februalia which was a month of atonement and purification. I have always found this interesting since we in the United States do not view February in this fashion. We tend to focus on Valentine’s Day and all that holiday represents in current society. As I learned about the actual history of the day, the connections began to make more sense. (Check history.com for information). How do these two views of the month reconcile? Some experts think the emphasis on love is an attempt to Christianize the pagan festival which had overtones of fertility. I do not think we will ever know, and I think that having time dedicated to love is sorely needed in today’s world. Throughout the year, I will be having guest columnists since I do want to “invite everyone in” (my Presidential theme).
This month, Dr. Stephanie Afful, from Lindenwood University, is sharing her thoughts. She is currently the Secretary for STP. She does an amazing job of taking minutes and keeping the Executive Committee on track with to-do lists and past votes. I have known Stephanie for a long time since she served as the first Chair for the Early Career Psychologists Committee which was started during my tenure as VP for Membership. I have always been awed by her dedication to teaching and by her energy. I know you will enjoy her ideas and I am sure she will welcome comments and discussion.
The Month of Love
Dr. Stephanie Afful
February is the month of love, the month where we can celebrate our love of football, of boxed chocolates, of Galantines, and maybe even our love of teaching! One of the reasons I love teaching is that the classroom (both physical and virtual) is a sacred space where we can practice social justice, one in which we can lean into difficult discussions, widen our perspectives, gain empathy and awareness. bell hooks (1994) said of transformational pedagogy "the classroom remains the most radical space of possibility in the academy" (p. 12). And as discussion of Black history should last all year (not just for these 28 days), we might think about how to introduce, continue, or even reignite our passion for social justice and its pedagogical implications.
There are many opportunities to model activism and advocacy in your courses. In my social psychology course, each semester the students pick a non-profit organization for which we fundraise using different compliance strategies (modeled after this Action Teaching award winner). It has been wildly successful in terms of not only funds raised but also in the agency instilled in the students. If you have not checked out this website on Action Teaching, treat yo self (also wondering how many Parks and Rec references I can work into this newsletter).
My colleague, Dr. Sara Bagley, designed a service-learning project where students engaged with aging adults in the community as part of her Learning and Memory course (see examples here). The LU Memory Makers project had students develop events with engaging activities for mental stimulation and opportunities for intergenerational socialization throughout the semester. Not only did the events bring smiles to faces (like decorating gingerbread houses), but it allowed students’ knowledge enhancement through community connections and the community members the opportunity to interact in different ways.
If you are wondering how your courses may fit into this, I have the answer! STP recently published an e-book on Empowering students as change agents (Forner & Katzarska-Miller, 2022). This book details how to build skills with your students as they engage in community partnerships and practice advocacy. And we still have much to learn from each other. You may also consider sharing an activity from your courses in the new proposed e-book Applying Psychology Beyond the Classroom: Social Justice Activities for Intro and Upper-Level Courses.
I hope you take a few moments this month to savor your love for teaching, to also give yourself grace and self-compassion, and to think about ways to integrate advocacy in your courses—so that we may be engaged and critically conscious in the spaces we occupy.
References
Fortner, M., & Katzarska-Miller, I. (Eds.). (2022). Empowering students as change agents in psychology courses. Society for the Teaching of Psychology. https://teachpsych.org/ebooks/empoweringstudents
hooks, b. (1994). Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom. Taylor & Francis.
by Diane Finley, STP President
Happy 2023! I hope that everyone was able to find some time to recharge over the traditional winter break. We have all seen how important such self-care can be. Even if you are still teaching or doing other work, do try and find a few moments to sit and do nothing. I know that can be difficult for many of us. I know it is for me, but research (during, after, and before the pandemic) shows that it is important to take time for ourselves. I discovered that email was still there, and the world kept turning even though I was offline and not working.
I want to reshare some super news that Executive Director Tom Pusateri shared via the DIV2PSYCHTEACHER Listserv:
First: STP (APA Division 2) received enough votes on the apportionment ballot to provide us with a third representative to APA Council! This will give teachers of psychology a greater voice on the Council. We will be holding an election for our additional representative to APA Council early in 2023. Second: All three bylaws’ amendments passed! The bylaws will be amended (a) to update the mission of the membership board to align with current practices at APA, (b) to grant voting privileges to APA Associate Members after one year (instead of five years), and (c) to add a graduate student member to several APA governance boards. On behalf of the STP Executive Committee, thank you to all APA members of Division 2 who voted in the elections. We appreciate your support for STP and for teachers of psychology.
First: STP (APA Division 2) received enough votes on the apportionment ballot to provide us with a third representative to APA Council! This will give teachers of psychology a greater voice on the Council. We will be holding an election for our additional representative to APA Council early in 2023.
Second: All three bylaws’ amendments passed! The bylaws will be amended (a) to update the mission of the membership board to align with current practices at APA, (b) to grant voting privileges to APA Associate Members after one year (instead of five years), and (c) to add a graduate student member to several APA governance boards.
On behalf of the STP Executive Committee, thank you to all APA members of Division 2 who voted in the elections. We appreciate your support for STP and for teachers of psychology.
Now, back to my thoughts. I would like to thank you again for the opportunity to serve STP as President. STP has been my professional home for teaching since I found it at an APA convention right after I graduated. It is hard to process the fact that I am now President – this seemed so far away when I became President-Elect eighteen months ago! I look forward to serving STP. Please let me know if you have questions, concerns, or ideas on how we can better serve and involve everyone. Let me know if there are topics you want to see addressed in these monthly columns. My STP email is president@teachpsych.org.
My Presidential theme is “Inviting Everyone In.” As a community college instructor for over 20 years, I have not always felt welcome at gatherings of psychology professionals. I have been told by other psychology faculty that my school (a community college) could not have a psychology program because we are only a two-year school. In STP, I found colleagues and an organization who welcomed me and did not put such artificial barriers on the teaching of psychology. I have noticed, however, that many other faculty at community colleges are still not participating in STP.
To try and figure out why, I have two taskforces that complement my Presidential theme. One will work with community college faculty and the other will work with Historically Black College and Universities, Minority Serving Institutions and Tribal Colleges and Universities. My community college serves these constituencies and as I work with four-year faculty at schools with these designators, I have seen faculty at these institutions are also not involved. The goal of the taskforces is to figure out why these faculty do not participate with STP, why they are not joining STP and how we can invite them to become active. What can STP do to facilitate that engagement? I suspect many of the issues will be the same, but I want to give each group its own voice. I do want to see STP expand in membership and involvement. Speaking of involvement, please do a regular check of the Get Involved link on the STP homepage under Membership. https://teachpsych.org/getinvolved.php
We often have multiple opportunities to serve. Please do not think you are not “good enough” or “experienced enough.” Everyone has something to offer.
Writing these monthly columns is one of my challenges. The last three Presidents, Amy Fineburg, Susan Nolan, and Linda Woolf have guided the Society through some really challenging times and their columns have been inspiring. I know I will lean heavily on their counsel as I move into this position. They have already been incredibly helpful and supportive as I prepared for my term.
I do want to thank the entire Executive Committee (EC) for welcoming me to the EC and for their encouragement as I developed my theme and taskforces. The EC is focused on making STP the best organization it can be, and their energy is formidable. I want to give a special thank you to Keli Braitman and Susan Nolan as they rotate off the EC. They will be missed. However, as always happens with STP, others have stepped up to continue their work. I want to welcome President-Elect Loretta McGregor and Vice President for Grants and Awards Morton Gernsbacher to the EC. I look forward to working with them.
I also want to welcome new Chairs to some of our committees. I thank them and their committee members for all their work. I wish I had enough space so I could list all the committee members who work tirelessly on behalf of STP. Some committees even ask for more work! Welcome to Skye Mendes (Graduate Student Teaching Association) and Courtney Gosnell (Early Career Psychologists Committee) from the area of Membership. Resources has six new chairs: Elizabeth Shobe (Departmental Consulting Services), Amy Hunter (Professional Development Mentoring Network), Eleni Pinnow (Project Syllabus Editor), Ashley Waggoner Denton (Best Practices in Teaching and Learning Editor), Barney Beins (Today in the History of Psychology Wiki Editor) and Ellen Carpenter (SOTL Workshop). Cobi Michael is assuming the Chair position for the International Relations Committee which falls under the Diversity and International Relations area. Welcome to STP leadership and thank you for your willingness to share your time and talents. As you can see, we have a wealth of talent and a wide range of areas where you can also serve. To view the entire list of STP leaders, visit https://teachpsych.org/STPLeaders.
It may sound as though I am a broken record, but I do want to encourage involvement by all STP members, and I am here to facilitate that. Have a wonderful start (or continuation) to your academic year. I look forward to hearing from you and serving you.
Gratitude: Taking a Look Back . . . Way Back
“When eating fruit, remember the one who planted the tree.” – Vietnamese Proverb
As I write my last Presidential column, I am experiencing a mix of emotions—emotions that mirror those sentiments that often swirl at the end of a semester: relief, pride, sadness, and accomplishment. I am sure that everyone reading that brief list can relate and add to the list, as we say goodbye to students and start to look forward to a new semester. Although many of us have experienced the ebb and flow of semesters across the years, these past two-and-a-half years have been unique. Many of us have lost family, students, friends, colleagues, and mentors during this time. Many of us have experienced our own physical difficulties. The pandemic has challenged and changed us as individuals, teachers, and communities. It has been an emotional rollercoaster. Nonetheless, as I sit here and reflect today, the primary emotion that I feel is one of gratitude.
We all know that there is a growing literature related to the power of gratitude to help us shape and find meaning in our lives. As I reflect on this past year, I am grateful to all of our members within STP. It has been an honor and privilege to meet and work with you—teachers committed to both psychological science and our students. I am extremely grateful to have been able to serve as your STP President and to build on the work of so many others who have served in this role over the decades.
Looking Back a Few Decades
If you look at STP today, it would be easy to assume that as a Society and a Division of APA (Division 2), we have always been a thriving and successful organization. We also might assume that early in our history, that teachers would have flocked to Division 2 and the mission of the organization would have been clear. Yet, that is not the case.
In the years following World War II, APA put forth the idea of creating “divisions,“ which focused on specialty areas. Interest in psychology was growing in large measure due to the growth and success of applied areas of psychology, including clinical, child, personality, and educational psychology. In total, APA initially created 19 divisions and decided to assign Division 1 to General Psychology and Division 2 to Teaching of Psychology, as both cut across specialty areas. At one point, there was discussion of combining the two divisions but a vote of the involved members kept the two divisions as distinct.
Division 2 (Teaching) was slow to draft bylaws and develop membership categories. Indeed, I think I can safely say that for many psychologists, enthusiasm for the division was lacking. As noted by Wight and Davis (1992), it was a “division in search of self” (p. 365). Early membership figures are unclear but the numbers were small. Moreover, in 1948, Helen Wolfle, Secretary of APA, noted that the Teaching Division had one of the largest numbers of resignations—21% of the membership had resigned leaving only 184 members. In 1951, the Division President Claude E. Buxton surveyed the membership about “whether the division should continue to exist” (Buxton, cited in Wight & Davis, 1992).
Part of the challenge for psychology was the growing divide between specialty areas of practice and teaching. Buxton (1952) stated, “Once we were all teachers” (p. 111). However, with increasing areas of specialty practice, Buxton noted a growing divide and conflict between those who focused on teaching and those he defined as subject matter specialists. Certainly, subject matter specialists were instrumental in the growth of divisions based on areas of practice and research interests (e.g., clinical, measurement). Teaching was often secondary to many of these areas of practice and as noted by Buxton (1952), “undergraduate teaching has assumed a subordinate role among us” (p. 111). Buxton further wrote that undergraduate teachers often were overloaded with too many responsibilities, stretched in too many directions, and focused on helping students. He wrote, “As we all know, very few of our undergraduates in psychology are going to become psychologists. Psychology teachers are accountable, then, for attempting to help their students live more advantageous private lives” (p. 112).
With these challenges, it was hard to muster broad support for the division. Fortunately, in that 1951 membership survey, a slim majority of individuals leaned towards keeping Division 2 with renewed focus on ways to build the division and expand its mandate. According to Wight and Davis (1992), Buxton articulated the following objectives for the division: “(a) communicate research or experience in teaching, (b) facilitate studies of the teaching process and situation, and (c) symbolize the teaching profession itself” (p. 373).
Membership was lean through the 1950s but began to grow dramatically in the 1960s as Division 2 added affiliate membership categories (e.g., student, international, high school). In the decades that followed, Division 2 expanded to become the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP) creating parity between members of all backgrounds.
Certainly, those basic objectives outlined by Buxton have flourished, and today our Mission Statement reads:
The Society for the Teaching of Psychology promotes excellence in the teaching and learning of psychology. The Society provides resources and services, access to a global collaborative community, and opportunities for professional development. It endeavors to promote equity and social justice for teachers and students of psychology with marginalized, racially minoritized, and intersecting identities. The Society also strives to advance the scholarship of teaching and learning; advocate for the needs of teachers of psychology; promote diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the teaching and learning of psychology; foster partnerships across academic settings; and increase recognition of the value of the teaching profession.
From a struggling division in search of an identity, STP has grown into a thriving organization with a top-tiered Teaching of Psychology journal, an array of programming (e.g., the amazing Annual Conference on Teaching), numerous awards and grant programs, resources, eBooks, social media, professional services, and the list goes on.
So, today I am filled with gratitude for all of those early teachers who struggled to keep Division 2 alive—individuals who envisioned a dynamic and creative home for teachers of psychology. Division 2 could have easily become one of these division numbers with no name and no membership. Instead, early teachers of psychology kept working and refining the mission of Division 2 until it began to flourish. I am grateful for all the teachers who sustained Division 2 and then transformed it into STP, all the while growing the resources and opportunities for teachers. I am grateful for the work of all within STP over the past couple of decades, who have been dedicated to fostering ongoing development of a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive society with a global reach.
Additionally, for today, I am grateful to and want to thank all of the leaders within STP, including Susan Nolan (Past-President); Diane Finley (President-Elect); Stephanie Afful (Secretary); Jeffrey Holmes (Treasurer); Bill Altman (Vice President for Resources); Keli Braitman (Vice President for Grants and Awards); Danae Hudson (Vice President for Membership); Teceta Tormala (Vice President for Diversity and International Relations); Kristin H. Whitlock (Vice President for Programming); Thomas Pusateri (Executive Director); Maureen McCarthy (Representative to APA Council); Jodie B. Ullman (Representative to APA Council); and Amy Fineburg (Chair, Elections and Appointments Committee). Of course, this list is just the tip of the iceberg! STP functions because of the myriad of individuals who serve as leaders (e.g., committee chairs, editors, directors). The STP leadership page highlights these impressive individuals who form the foundation of STP.
I am also deeply grateful to all of who worked on the presidential task forces this year and will continue to work on their various projects over the coming months. These projects will expand our knowledge related to the teaching of psychology and bring additional resources to teachers. I am in awe of all who have worked so diligently on these projects.
I encourage all of you to become involved in STP. It is an opportunity for professional development as well as service. It is also incredibly rewarding—you will never find a better group of people with whom to work and it is a wonderful and open community.
I began this column with a Vietnamese proverb: “When eating fruit, remember the one who planted the tree.” I know that I am grateful for all who planted the tree of Division 2. I am even more grateful to all who over the decades through today have continued to plant and nurture the orchard that is STP.
Buxton, C. E. (1951). Teaching: have your cake and eat it too? American Psychologist, 6(4), 111–118. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0057978
Wight, R. D., & Davis, S. F. (1992). Division in search of self: A history of APA Division 2, the Division of the Teaching of Psychology. In A. E. Puente, J. R. Matthews, & C.L. Brewer (Eds.). Teaching psychology in America: A history (pp. 365-384). American Psychological Association.
Wolfle, H. (1948). Across the Secretary’s desk: A comparison of the strength and weakness of APA Divisions. American Psychologist, 3(8), 378–380. https://doi.org/10.1037/h0054683
Transformational or Transactional: Different Views of the World
“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe
Early in my career, I bumped into one of my former graduate school professors and we did the “What are you doing now?” dance. Now to be quite honest, I remember very little of the conversation. However, I clearly recall that he asked if I was a member of APA or a Division. As I recall I somewhat smirked and remarked, “APA is for clinicians—I’m not a clinician. What is the point of joining? What would APA ever do for me?” I will admit—not my best moment. Fortunately, my former professor was quite kind and endeavored to teach me again. I do not recall all that he said but he mentioned the Education Directorate, the importance of APA in lobbying efforts, resource development within Divisions, and APA’s role in advocacy on legal issues, including influence of the Federal Government and Supreme Court.
What I have come to realize over the years is that my cultural upbringing clearly shaped my view of the world as transactional. Essentially, with this view, we determine the worth of our relationships with others, organizations, and communities based on elements of exchange. With this view, I value my job in large measure because I am paid. I evaluate organizations I join based on what services/resources that they provide to me. I appreciate friends based on what emotional, financial, or other support that they may offer. With this worldview, life is about transactions with the underlying idea of “What is in it for me or my family?”
Today, I see the world as more interconnected and inclusive of persons and peoples around the globe, animal life, and the planet. I value human rights and social justice as fundamental elements of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are all valuable and interdependent. Within this context, I think I take a much more transformational view of the world—how can I make a difference in the world and how can I inspire others? Essentially, it is the same contrast provided by President John F. Kennedy in his inaugural address, when he asked, “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”
So how does all of this relate to the Society for the Teaching of Psychology (STP)?
I think all too often, many of us think about our connections with our professional organizations as a transaction. I pay my dues and here is what I get in return. And “yes,” with STP you do get a lot, such as access to our excellent journal, Teaching of Psychology. However, STP also offers all sorts of resources and opportunities for “free.” Anyone—regardless of membership status—can access almost all of the STP resources (e.g., eBooks, syllabi, teaching resources) and all are welcome to join our listserv and social media pages. We want to be a welcoming and open community of psychology teachers, at all levels.
Additionally, the STP Executive Committee is committed to its Mission Statement and, as such, we are intentional in our decisions. The Mission Statement reads:
The Mission Statement is transformational in its goals and ideals. We can see evidence of that vision, as well as our intentionality in recent decisions grounded in the ideals of diversity, equity, and inclusion (e.g., creation of the new affinity groups; reduced dues for teachers living in low income countries as defined by the World Bank; leadership diversity training). STP endeavors not just to have a Mission Statement but to also to live that mission.
Throughout this past year, I have often referenced, what STP can do for you in terms of programming or resources. Now I want to open the door for you to become involved. We need your voices and efforts as part of STP in our endeavors aimed at “excellence in the teaching and learning of psychology.” And there are so many opportunities for involvement. For example:
The gift of your knowledge: If you look back at recent issues of STPNews, you will find a range of Calls for Chapters, Papers, Submissions, Grants, and more. You can submit your research and articles to Teaching of Psychologyor share your ideas through the E-xellence in Teachingblog. Explore the STP webpage for other opportunities to contribute to the teaching of psychology.
Involvement: You do not need to wait for someone to reach out to you to become involved in STP’s range of leadership positions, committees, task forces, and work groups. Check out Get Involved in STP! and explore all of the different opportunities where you can share your expertise and enthusiasm. STP is an amazing community of educators and you are welcome to become involved. Make sure you check out STP’s President-Elect Diane Finley’s 2023 Task Forces: Community College Involvement with STP Taskforce and HBCU/MSI/TCU Involvement with STP Taskforce. These are important opportunities where you can make a difference.
Membership: Many of us are juggling teaching, family, community engagement, and a host of other responsibilities. You may not be at a point in your life to add one more commitment to your professional life. Regardless, your membership in STP is contributes significantly to the work of the Society. Your dues open doors for other teachers and expand the ability of STP to offer grants, awards, expanded programming. In addition to membership, your votes within STP as well as APA, if you are also an APA member, are essential. For example, the APA apportionment and bylaws ballot would have arrived in your email inbox, if you are an APA member. This ballot is really important! We encourage APA members to cast all or some of their 10 allotted apportionment votes for Division 2 and to vote “yes” on all three bylaws amendments. Indeed, always remember that seemingly small actions are a key contribution.
There are so many ways that you can give back, make a difference, or engage in transformational efforts within STP. If you have new ideas, reach out. We are always looking for ways to inform and transform the profession. If nothing else, please remember that all are welcome in STP! We value and need your voice!
Time to ACT
“There cannot be a stressful crisis next week. My schedule is already full.” Henry Kissinger
For a while, there was a meme circulating that had a heading, such as “Teacher,” and then some picture boxes labeled, “What society thinks I do,” “What my friends think I do,” “What I think I do,” and other questions until the last box highlighted “What I really do.” Of course, that last box has little resemblance to the previous characterizations. Now I am sure we could have a long discussion relating this meme to psychological concepts such as attribution, stereotypes, self-serving bias, and more. However, I am not going to engage in such an analysis. Rather, I want to talk about this meme in the context of the STP Annual Conference on Teaching.
Now if you do a quick search for the meme with “Teacher” as the heading, you will find a great deal of similarity between options to share on your Facebook page. Apparently, what society thinks that we do is largely hang out on the beach relaxing in a hammock or on lounge chairs—umbrella adorned adult beverage is optional. Yes, you may find many psychology teachers doing exactly that bliss while attending the National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology (NITOP) in January. Generally, however, the closest most of us get to the beach is our screensaver. In response to the prompt, “What I think I do,” you will find an array of images from movies with teachers inspiring minds and transforming the world. And yes, that is what I like to think that I do. Regardless, the last box entitled, “What I really do” contains a host of disturbing images: teachers passed out from overwork, desks lost in a sea of paper, and images of weary human beings exhibiting stress and crying.
One specific take on the teacher meme takes a more humorous approach to the “What I really do” characterization. In that box, you will find the “balancing act” from the Cat in the Hat. The famous cat dances precariously atop a ball while balancing a rake, umbrella, books, tea cup, cake, tray with milk jug and cup, fishbowl, fan, model ship, and a tiny toy figurine. Nonetheless, that famous Cat adorned in a red and white Hat is still quite joyous. Indeed, I think this image is a fairly good representation of all that we do as we juggle our responsibilities. So, what are those responsibilities and how can STP and the Annual Conference on Teachinghelp? Let’s start with a look at all that we juggle while dancing atop a moving ball, in no particular order.
Service: We engage in professional service to our schools, the profession, and our communities. This service can take many forms such as assessment, faculty committees, student event coordination, or coaching the volleyball team. The number of opportunities for service is seemingly endless. Without teachers engaged in service, many of our schools would cease to effectively function. Such work is largely unpaid but a key component of our daily work lives.
Professional development: Professional development is an umbrella term that ranges from research, publication, and presentations to improving our own skills related to teaching and the discipline. The value placed on professional development may vary by institution but without involvement in the discipline of psychology and the practice of teaching, we would stagnate as educators.
Advising: Advising often falls under the radar but our ability to mentor our students is essential. Most of us engage in academic advising, career planning, letter of recommendation writing, answering student emails, and a host of other tasks on a daily basis to meet the needs of our students. We may also engage in crisis referral and support for our students as they struggle with the challenges of life.
Teaching: Teaching also takes many forms from being in the classroom to grading to developing curricular materials. As we all know, teaching is most visible in the classroom but we build that brief time in the classroom on a foundation of continuing education and study:
Is it any wonder that the meme portrays “What I really do” as an overwhelming juggling of tasks and responsibilities? Of course, as you look at the list above, you probably thought to yourself, “But she forgot to include . . .” Teachers are some of the hardest working people that I know.
So how can STP help lighten the load? Certainly, STP is here to assist with a host of resources and I have mentioned these on several occasions. So, go explore the STP webpage and all that it has to offer. If you teach high school or Intro Psych, check out the TOPSS webpage. Certainly, STP resources, our journal, Teaching of Psychology, and our vibrant social media are all available at a moments notice. Lots of good stuff!
Regardless, the point of my comments today is to give a shout-out to the STP Annual Conference on Teaching or ACT. It truly is a one-stop-shop for the best in learning about all aspects of our work experience. This month, you can attend ACT either in person or virtually. STP has designed the programming to address the broad areas described above such as professional development, SOTL, best practices, and equity, diversity, and liberation. Explore the schedule to see what fits your interests. In addition to the concurrent sessions (which are not available virtually), there are several keynote addresses, award sessions, participant idea exchanges, poster sessions, and more! And should you be tired of juggling while tap dancing on a ball? There is a session on academic burnout as well as a “game night” for a bit of fun.
Of course, I would be remiss if I did not mention that there is a special Early Career Psychologists Committee Speed Mentoring! As described in the schedule:
Join the Early Career Psychologist (ECP) Committee as we host an event to bring together seasoned and new teachers of psychology. This session will allow you to meet with several mentors for a few minutes each to pick their brains and receive candid answers to your most pressing career questions. This event is geared towards both ECPs and graduate students, but all are welcome to step into the mentee role for this informal but structured mentoring event. Note that pre-registration required. Sign up today!
One of the advantages of a conference as opposed to resources is that you have the opportunity to socialize, network, commiserate, and we can learn from each other.
So please check out STP’s Annual Conference on Teaching. It is an excellent place not only to advance your work as a teacher but also to reinvigorate your spirit. Let us make that box labeled “What I really do” look a bit more like that “What I think I do.” STP can help you juggle less and teach/inspire more.
Thanks to Dr. Lindsay Masland, Director of the Annual Conference on Teaching, for coordinating all of the events and programming! She has put together an amazing program!! Of course, as with any conference this size, many individuals contributed to what will be an exciting program both in-person and virtually. Thanks to all involved in making ACT a success!
When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just, you have to speak up. You have to say something; you have to do something. -John Lewis
Early in my career, I remember being told that as teachers, we should never use the classroom for advocacy. Rather, as an educator, my responsibility is to teach my students the fundamentals of our science but not to stray from “the research.” I often felt as if I was in an episode of Dragnet, hearing Sgt. Joe Friday utter, “Just the facts, Ma’am” (For those of you unfamiliar with that 1950s drama, it is still in reruns). Similarly, I heard that advocacy is antithetical to the basic assumptions underlying research and professional scholarship. Science should be about a search for truth as opposed to confirming our particular advocacy beliefs—too political. Today, we hear a lot in the press or on social media about the dangers of teachers pushing “agendas” on students, whether it is in the form of “critical race theory” or LGBTQ+ rights. Essentially, we are being told to “stay in our lane.”
Well, today I want to say that education is at its core about advocacy in many forms and we should embrace that role. Note that I am not arguing against our science—we should teach the fundamentals of psychology and we should engage in quality research and professional scholarship. In addition, within that context, we can use our science and our skills as educators to advocate for our students, advocate for our science, and advocate for social justice based on psychological knowledge. Moreover, we can teach our students to be advocates for themselves, their friends and families, and their communities.
Part of the challenge of advocacy is that the word has many different definitions. Just a quick Google search garnered a host of definitions:
And here are two definitions, which speak particularly to me:
What I like about these two definitions is the focus on partnership and learning. First, advocacy occurs in relationship, dialogue, and actions of individuals working together towards change. Second, advocacy cannot exist without a process of educating others—individuals, groups, and communities. We teach and learn to improve not only our lives and the lives of our students but also to facilitate the development of more effective global citizenship grounded in psychological science.
To engage in advocacy, one must be knowledgeable, know their goals, have a plan, be committed to action, and then exhibit a high degree of persistence. Certainly, that sounds a lot like teaching! So in what arenas, do we as teachers engage in advocacy?
Advocacy for our students. All of us have advocated for our students at one time or another. We often step in to advocate as they struggle to maneuver the labyrinth of high school, college, or university policies and procedures related to financial aid, registration, or other stumbling blocks. When we have students with disabilities, we may advocate for services to insure that the student has equal and equitable access to needed services, as well as learning. We advocate for students when we write letters of recommendation, opening doors to future opportunities. And many schools operate food banks, host professional clothing drives, maintain emergency housing funds, offer scholarships, and a host of other products/services—all of which were most likely driven by individuals engaged in advocacy.
Advocacy in the classroom. As we teach psychological science, I would urge us all to understand the necessity of advocating for science. Sadly, as I wrote in my March column, there is a strong anti-science movement often driven by conspiracy theories occurring in many countries around the globe. All opinions are being treated equally, as if any random idea is equivalent to empirically grounded knowledge: The world is round or potentially quite flat; the Holocaust happened or it is a myth; racism exits or we live in a post-racist society. We should not only teach critical thinking skills but also advocate for why these skills are essential to learning, quality of life, and citizenship. Additionally, the various topics that we teach all have relevance to the lives if individuals, peoples, communities, and global concerns. There are social justice implications embedded in almost everything we teach from neurobiology to learning to developmental to mental health/wellness to social psychology. Our science is not a dry subject to be solely discussed in the context of research but rather we can advocate for students to explore its use to tackle real world issues. We can also teach advocacy skills!
Advocacy within our institutions. Regardless of where one teaches, we can advocate for change within those schools to create even better learning environments. Certainly, we know a lot about the scholarship of teaching and learning and we can bring that knowledge to our institutions. The STP Annual Conference on Teachingwill soon be upon us and I urge everyone to attend either in person or virtually (not all programming will be virtual). I have yet to attend an STP event where I didn’t bring back information to share with my colleagues on all sorts of topics such as building more inclusive classrooms, mentoring, teaching metacognitive skills, diversity initiatives, ethical reasoning, and more. Alas and perhaps, our persistence at some point will yield results, and all schools will stop teaching the myth of fixed learning styles.
Advocacy in the community. We can all use what we know from psychological science to engage in advocacy beyond the academy. Social justice and work on local to global issues extends well beyond the classroom. However, it is important that one clearly communicate that they are advocating as individuals and not as representatives of their institution, unless it is part of one’s position. Regardless, with a bit of advocacy training—offered by many groups including APA—you too can become an effective change-maker. Explore APA’s Advocacy Office website to learn about APA’s advocacy priorities and how you can become involved. You can also visit, Be an Advocate for Psychology, which includes a brief advocacy training.
STP and Advocacy. There are many opportunities for advocacy and advancing the teaching of psychology within STP. Explore the “Current Service Opportunities in STP” listed in each month’s STP News and check out the STP Get Involvedpage. Additionally, last year’s STP President Susan Nolan wrote, Presidential Task Force Round-Up and a Focus on Advocacyand announced a new Advocacy Committee. She wrote, “The Advocacy Committee will vet requests for STP to sign various statements; bring public policy and position statements to the Executive Committee; monitor our previous statements and suggest further action; communicate with our members to identify areas where our advocacy might be needed; and publicize our advocacy work.” Let me know if you are interested in working or consulting with this committee.
Don’t forget to explore all that STP has to offer in the way of resources (e.g., syllabi, eBooks, and so much more!) addressing a host of topics related to advocacy concerns. Explore these resources! Moreover, you can contribute to these resources. Make sure you receive our email announcements via our listserv (e.g., PsychTeacher) or follow us on Facebook/Twitter. Periodically, you will see a “Call for e-Book chapters” or “STP grant proposals.” For example, Jessica Cerniak, Editor for STP e-books, recently announced a call for chapter proposals for a new e-book project headed by members of STP’s “Teaching to Make a Difference” Presidential task force, tentatively titled “Applying Psychology Beyond the Classroom: Social Justice Activities for Intro and Upper-Level Courses.” Let me know if you want more information about this exciting project. Want to keep up-to-date on new opportunities? All of the info concerning how to subscribe to the Listservs or social media can be found under the News tab on the STP page.
So, let’s remove “advocacy” from the list of things we are to avoid when we teach. Indeed, let us begin to think of advocacy as a tool of education—a tool that must be used responsibly. We can use this tool for the benefit of our students, our classes, our science, and the betterment of our communities. If as teachers we don’t engage in advocacy for our students, our science, or the application of psychology to real-world issues, who will?
Convention & Conferences!
“Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.” – Vincent Van Gogh
Alas, the summer months—at least the summer months as defined by teachers—are soon coming to end. For some of us, the APA Convention marks the beginning of that transition, as classes start just a week or two following the closing presentation, the fond farewell to friends seen too infrequently, and that last flight home. And of course, all sorts of great ideas often come together at Convention and other conferences! So all sorts of possibilities for new beginnings! Despite my fond feelings today, I remember my first APA Convention many years ago. After I got home, I vowed to never attend another convention or conference again!
Let me describe that first trip. The Convention was being held in Atlanta and I drove by myself in an old VW bus that I had purchased for $200. Fortunately, it made it there and back but I needed that old van, as it was also my lodging! I didn’t know anyone at the Convention and as I registered I was handed a schedule the size of a phone book (i.e., the size of a textbook for those of you who are younger). The schedule was overwhelming but I found some “big names” I wanted to see, sat in the back, and was in awe but also overwhelmed. I never spoke to anyone and I think I only stayed for a day or two. Home was a welcome sight!
Over the years, I have learned a lot about how to maximize the benefit of a good conference but also how to have a fun and enjoyable experience. Note that my second conference was NITOP—National Institute on the Teaching of Psychology. What was not to like? Small, totally focused on teaching, lots of good food, and did I mention, it was totally focused on teaching psychology! So, here is what I have learned over the years.
First, different conferences have different goals and benefits. APA Convention is amazing for the vast array of topics. You are a kid in a psychology candy store including just about any topic you want to explore, a diverse impressive array of presenters, a gift shop, and tons of venders with books and bling. Of course, if APA Convention is too overwhelming, you can just focus on Division 2 (STP) programming – a conference within the Convention! Check out STP’s full program! Many of us will just focus on STP programming and events.
In September, I’ll write more about STP’s Annual Conference on Teaching. It is an excellent forum to become connected with psychology teachers across the country and internationally. Of course, STP also pairs up with other international/national/regional/local conferences. To see the full list of STP-involved programming from regional to international, go to the STP webpage and explore the Programming tab.
Second, to really benefit from the APA Convention, you need to do a bit of planning, which includes strategizing on how to meet people for conversation, mentoring, networking, and friendships. Jumping into an old van and winging it is not a good strategy. Note that APA has a nice Convention app, which includes all the programming, a list of attendees, a scheduling feature, and so much more. Want to hear something from APA President Frank Worrell or learn about pivot teaching – just search the app! Want to see an interview with Noam Chomsky or Steven Pinker—search the app. Want to find all the social hours or roundtable discussions, “yes,” search the app.
Now here are some of my additional tips to maximize your APA Convention experience! Talk with others for their suggestions.
Socialize! I’m an introvert so I often struggle with meeting people. However, the friendships that I have developed over the years couldn’t have happened without meeting a lot of these folks at conferences and convention. Don’t know anyone who is attending convention? Not to worry—send a note out via social media and plan to meet some folks who share interests. On the first day of Convention, following my Presidential Address—Psychology and Eugenics: Why this History Matters to Teaching Today—there is an event titled, “Old and New Faces of STP" in the same room. Melissa Maffeo, Director of STP at the APA Convention describes this session: “The goals of this session are to bring some new faces to STP (teaching of psychology should be relevant to most APA attendees, right?), sharing resources that STP has to offer, advertising ways to get involved in STP, and finally, starting conversations about what the future directions of STP might look like. This will be an inclusive and interactive, and fun! session.” This session will be followed by the social hour. This is a good place to meet people, plan some lunches, dinners, or sightseeing together. Note that almost every division or group will have a social hour, which translates into free food and beverages!
Poster sessions – Don’t miss out on the poster sessions. Have a few conversation starters tucked away in your back pocket. So many great ideas related to teaching or almost any other psychology topic (again, take a look at a few other Divisions). Posters sessions tend to be informal so a good place to start a conversation and begin some networking.
Listen – Some of the best mentoring advice I’ve gotten through the years has been in informal conversations with colleagues I just met at a conference. One of the things I value most about STP is everyone’s willingness to share what they know, how they teach, what questions they have . . . So be open to listening as well as sharing what you know!
Pick a few sessions on topics about which you know nothing! What a gift to be able to bring your new learning back to the classroom and, if you are anything like me, you never get bored when learning something new!
Thanks to Dr. Melissa Maffeo for coordinating all of the STP Convention events and programming! She has put together an amazing program!! Check out the full program!
Note that it is not too late to register! Airfares are still remarkably cheap. Go to the APA Convention website for more information. There is a virtual option available for Continuing Education and also main event programming. However, most divisional programming is not being recorded for virtual access. If you are attending in-person, you will receive information about vaccine verification and masking during the Convention. Important to have fun and learn in a safe environment! I hope to see you there!
“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” Anne Frank
I am a firm believer that teachers hold in their hands the ability to improve the world. We inform, inspire, model, motivate, challenge—we teach. Of course, when I arrive in the classroom, I never arrive alone. Behind me are all of my colleagues, former teachers, and former students who have taught, supported, and inspired me through the years. I am grateful. Additionally, I arrive in the classroom carrying a backpack full of scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) research, resources provided by organizations such as STP, and a wealth of knowledge learned over the years. That backpack is pretty hefty but I could not effectively teach without it. Often, I think I take that backpack for granted, as it is always there when I need it.
Every year, the STP President has the honor of selecting up to two individuals for special recognition—the STP Presidential Citation. This citation recognizes “individuals who have made extraordinary life-time contributions to the Society and/or to the teaching of psychology.” This citation recognizes those who have spent their lives helping to stitch and fill the backpack so that we all can continue to excel as teachers. If there is a common thread between this year’s recipients, it is that they are kind, respectful, humble, and unwavering in their commitment to the teaching of psychology. With all of that in mind, I am honored to announce the 2022 recipients of the STP Presidential Citation: Emily Leary Chesnes and David Kreiner.
Emily Leary Chesnes, MBA, is the Assistant Director of Precollege and Undergraduate Education at the American Psychological Association (APA). She has also served as Precollege Psychology Program Officer and State Advocacy Assistant at APA and Membership Coordinator with the Council on Undergraduate Research. Most importantly, during her years at APA, she has served as staff support for the APA Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPSS) committee and their various projects and initiatives.
Psychology has become a common course offered by many high schools around the globe, and high school psychology teachers have no better friend than Emily Leary Chesnes. As noted by former TOPSS Chair Alison Shaver, “Everything she does is because of the passion she has for high school teachers and her/their love of psychology.” TOPSS is one of the most active and productive committees within APA producing extensive and invaluable resources for teachers of psychology and Emily’s efforts have made all of that work possible. For example, in 2017, Emily provided support and helped organize the APA Summit on High School Psychology Educationat Weber State University. She worked tirelessly with the steering committee and seven summit working groups (e.g., science, technology, credentialing, diversity), and assisted with the publication of all summit deliverables such as an introductory psychology video, an assessment guide and exemplars, a diversity self-reflection tool, lab templates, sample lesson plans, and a starter course. These materials are all available on the Summit website.
Emily also helps to plan and organize the annual APA/Clark University Workshop for High School, an essential program particularly for new teachers of high school psychology. Former TOPSS Chair Maria Vita wrote: “I first met Emily at the Clark Conference in 2010. The APA has provided this conference to high school teachers and it was one of the first times I felt truly respected and honored as a teacher. And yes, part of that was the amazing staff at Clark, but I know another part of that was Emily. She made sure that each person felt cared for. I remember eating lunch with her one day and she mentioned grants for the classroom. She was always trying to communicate opportunities for teachers to improve the classroom.” In additional to the APA/Clark Workshop, Emily helped organize and plan the 2019 and 2022 three-day workshop at Oregon State University as well as other numerous pre-convention workshops and one-day workshops for high school teachers as well as online webinars for teachers. It should be noted that Emily has worked with Dr. Lee Gurel and Dr. David and Mrs. Carol Myers on their remarkable gifts to the American Psychological Foundation to support high school psychology teachers and assist with the management of the grant funding.
Former TOPSS Chair Maria Vita writes of Emily: “While her conscientiousness is something to admire, her kindness is even more impressive. She is thoughtful of the needs of others and she will wait patiently before giving her concerns. She listens to people. Which is a rarity today.” Today, we honor Emily’s conscientiousness, kindness, and indefatigable commitment to the teaching of high school psychology with this 2022 STP Presidential Citation.
David Kreiner, PhD, is a Professor of Psychological Science at the University of Central Missouri. David earned his PhD in Human Experimental Psychology at the University of Texas-Austin. He teaches a range of courses such as General Psychology, Cognitive Psychology, History of Psychology, and Advanced Statistics for the Behavioral Sciences. In addition to being an exemplary teacher, David has been actively engaged in research and contributions to the SoTL literature and unflagging support for STP. He is part of the foundation upon which STP stands.
STP could not survive without all of the individuals who freely give of their time, expertise, energy, and commitment to the organization. Dave’s contributions extend across the breadth of the organization and highlight his commitment to service and teaching. Dave has served a number of leadership capacities such as STP Treasurer, Coordinator of the Departmental Consulting Service, Chair of the STP Fellows Committee, and Chair of the Midcareer Mentoring Work Group. Of course, his service extends beyond these leadership positions as Dave has served on the STP Fund for Excellence Board and as a consulting editor for STP’s journal Teaching of Psychology. He has also regularly served as an ad hoc reviewer for Teaching of Psychology, the Office of Teaching Resources in Psychology and for STP/APA convention programming. Regardless of role, David has made a lasting contribution to the growth and success of STP. He has done it quietly, humbly, and with great care to the benefit of all of STP.
Although David’s STP work alone would be enough to honor him with this citation, his SoTL work is also exemplary and noteworthy. His extensive publications and presentations focus on a breadth of topics ranging from reading comprehension to statistics online education to problem-based teaching approaches to computer-based activities. David is definitely a teacher’s teacher and I know we have all learned much from his scholarship over the years. He has published in flagship journals such as Journal of General Psychology, Psi Chi Journal of Psychological Research, and STP’s own Teaching of Psychology. Moreover, if you have ever attended the APA Annual Convention, the Midwest Psychological Association Annual Meeting, or the STP Annual Conference on Teaching, you may have been privileged to see one of David’s presentations. It is a joy to see, experience, and learn from David.
STP Past-President Susan Nolan writes of David: “He is the epitome of the quiet, behind-the-scenes force who gets so much done. While getting stuff done, he has also touched so many teachers’ lives with his kindness, humor, and support. He does it all on the grand scale – policies—and on the small scale – friendships.” Today, we honor David’s unwavering dedication to STP, commitment to the teaching of psychology, and impressive SoTL contributions with this 2022 STP Presidential Citation.
In the aftermath of World War II, Eleanor Roosevelt traveled to Paris and in a Voice of America radio address (November 11, 1951) stated, “I think that what you want to know—especially you, the women of past-war Europe—is whether you shall be able, tomorrow, to tell your children that peace is at long last, a reality. For it isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.” I’ve thought a lot about this quote over the past few weeks, as the United States (US) has once again experienced a wave of mass shootings including the Tops grocery store in Buffalo and the Uvalde elementary school massacres. Certainly, there is very little that I can say here that hasn’t already been said in other forums (I’ve added some links below to my writings on this topic, a column by Dr. Dave Myers, and APA resources). These deaths are horrific, are difficult to predict, and should never happen. Our hearts bleed for the victims, their families, and communities. All of us want to be able to tell our students, our families, that maybe tomorrow, “peace is at long last, a reality.”
All of us want an end to this war of violence, the pandemic of hate, and domestic terror. I think all of us would agree that there is much work to be done culturally and politically.
Now please realize that I in no way want to diminish the atrocities of mass killings. Regardless, when it comes to my teaching and my classroom, I know that the odds of a lone gunman coming into my classroom or even my campus are small—not impossible but low in probability. Most schools and colleges provide training for faculty, staff, and students to spot issues and have increased security measures. Yet every day, I most likely have untold numbers of students entering my classroom who have experienced violence and trauma. Whether victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, muggings, a friend’s suicide, or gun violence within their neighborhoods, violence is not new to their lives but rarely makes a headline. The focus largely on school shootings is an all too sad example of the availability heuristic. Although, we may be relatively helpless to address mass shootings, we can be there for our students who experience violence as part of their everyday lives. We can know the resources at our institutions and communities so as to provide support for these students.
Promoting Peaceful Classrooms
In 1999, following the school shootings at Columbine, STP President Jane Halonen put together a task force entitled, “Promoting Peaceful Classrooms.” The task force members included Christopher M. Hakala, PhD, Gail Matthews, PhD, Virginia Ryan, MS, Michael Van Slyk, PhD, Janie Wilson, PhD, and me (Chair). I went back and reviewed the materials we put together for a presentation at the APA Convention in 2000, which included: a discussion of the research concerning building cooperative and positive classroom environments; specific strategies that professors can use to facilitate a positive learning environment; and an introduction to programs and methods of conflict management and violence prevention. We just began to scratch the surface of how we can make our classrooms safe and inclusive. So, let’s explore a little further how promoting peaceful classrooms relates to the topic of school violence.
Peace scholar John Galtung (1969, 1996) differentiated between positive peace and negative peace. Too often, individuals conceptualize peace as an absence of direct violence or conflict. For example, a teacher may assume that they have a peaceful classroom simply if the classroom is orderly and no one is bullying or hitting another student. However, this characterization only defines the concept of negative peace and does not encompass the equally important concept of positive peace (Shields, 2017). Negative peace addresses interventions during times of violence—interventions designed to prevent destructive actions such as bullying, harassment, physical fighting, or school shootings. Such interventions are important and necessary components in an effort to build safe schools.
In contrast, the aims of positive peace focus on reducing structural and cultural forms of violence and enhancing social equality and opportunity. Positive peace focuses on building schools and classrooms characterized by conditions of enablement, social equality, justice, and respect for human rights. Positive peace in schools cannot be attained unless we address issues of racism, sexism, ageism, anti-LGBTQ+ bias, ableism, classism, Euro-ethnocentrism, and other forms of bias and discrimination within what we teach, how we teach, and the classroom environment. Additionally, positive peace involves addressing social, political, economic, and ecological injustices within our educational systems. The ramifications of educational disparities and differential availability of services in the US are not insignificant. For example, a clear connection exists between crime—and most likely violence—and literacy. According to the Literacy Project (2022), “85% of juvenile offenders have problems reading; 3 out of 5 people in American prisons can’t read.”
Eleanor Roosevelt speaking at a luncheon in Stuttgart stated, “More than ending war, we must put an end to the conditions that cause war,” to which I would add that we must also put an end to conditions that inherently cause destructive harm. All of us want our students to be in classrooms and schools where they feel safe. A key component of that sense of safety is that they feel valued, respected, and included. There is a lot in the world for which we have little control. However, we can work to create classrooms characterized as peaceful. Although not a definitive list, here are some important elements that I think are important.
· Build an inclusive classroom and curriculum
· Recognize the importance of teacher immediacy
· Model respect, empathy, and kindness
· Engage in difficult dialogues
· Teach conflict resolution skills
· Teach and model restorative justice
· Service learning
· Teach collaborative work skills
It is important to recognize that how we interact with the students in the classroom is just as important as what we teach in the classroom. As you can see from the above, the list focuses on promoting peaceful classrooms through the development of positive peace. If our focus solely is on addressing negative peace, we may only sow fear, helplessness, and a sense of despair.
Now you may look at this list and think, “what now?” Good ideas, but how do I go about taking these ideas and transforming them into practice within the classroom? Fortunately, there are many within STP who have been researching and writing on these topics for many years. Simply, log into your STP membership and begin your search through our STP journal, Teaching of Psychology, which is available on our website. But wait—there’s more! Look under the Resources tab and you will find a range of eBooks and other teaching resources related to the topic or included as chapters (e.g., in the Compendium of Conference Presentations). Also, come to Minneapolis and learn at the APA Convention this August, as STP has a full schedule of relevant programming. Also, at Convention there are programs from other Divisions related to topics such as peace and school shootings. And don’t forget to check out STP’s Annual Conference on Teaching—more information will be coming soon!
In the meantime, remember that although we cannot control all that is happening in the US related to increases in mass shootings, we can have a daily positive impact in the lives of our students. We can engage in promoting peaceful classrooms that are havens of learning, discovery, relationship, and excitement—all in an inclusive and safe space for everyone. And let’s remember, “For it isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.” Let’s all get to work for peace.
American Psychological Association. (2022). APA resources for coping with mass shootings, understanding gun violence. https://www.apa.org/topics/gun-violence-crime/mass-shooting-resources
Galtung, J. (1969). Violence, peace and peace research. Journal of Peace Research, 3, 176–191. doi:10.1177/002234336900600301
Galtung, J. (1996). Peace by peaceful means: Peace and conflict, development and civilization. Sage.
Literacy Project. (2022). Illiteracy by the numbers. https://literacyproj.org/
Myers, D. (2019). Do something! Stop mass shootings and prevent suicides! But what can psychology contribute? Macmillan Learning. https://community.macmillanlearning.com/t5/talk-psych-blog/do-something-stop-mass-shootings-and-prevent-suicides-but-what/ba-p/6090?fbclid=IwAR0-6y4gA8TDYo2SfEDlRmLNhgvyegbtQZPIjRzofF2zXrnbs32I9AwMT04
Shields, P. M. (2017). Limits of negative peace, face of positive peace. Parameters, 47(3), 5-12.
Woolf, L. M. (2018, February 15). Mass shootings: What role do guns play. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-fight-against-hate/201802/mass-shootings-what-role-do-guns-play
Woolf, L. M. (2018, March 4). Arming teachers: Good or bad idea? Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-fight-against-hate/201803/arming-teachers-good-or-bad-idea
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