Post 9: Dear AP Psych Students

It is hard to believe the school year is finally coming to an end (thank goodness), but the hardest part will be leaving AP Psych. I learned so much about myself and others through this class, so I will be sharing my thoughts and experience in the class.



Dear Future AP Psych student,


AP Psych is a very manageable class with many fun activities, movies, and projects. While this is a fun class, you must stay on task, and this is something I had to learn the hard way. We had unit tasks with 2 main assignments with about a week to complete (which was very helpful), as well as an optional vocab we can do for an easy 100 daily grade. The main task could be a detailed colorful mind map (or a different activity) and you watch several AP Classroom videos to complete a unit check MCQ, which can be time-consuming. These tasks aren't necessarily difficult, but it is very easy to get distracted and underestimate the amount of time needed to complete work and gain a full understanding. Also, PLEASE DO YOUR VOCAB! Even if you aren't proficient in the content, simply doing the vocab gives you a 100, which helps balance out a poor quiz grade. So, stay on task and meet target deadlines because they keep stress limited and could possibly get you additional points (or Ms. Halfen will like you better because you actually do your assignments). Also, study outside the class and deep-dive into experiments or ideas you are less familiar with because it helps with quiz grades and will help you do better on your AP test! There are so many topics to go over, and there is simply not enough time in class to get through everything you need to know, so explore on your own as well! TLDR: you have a lot of time for work, use it and study.



My Favorite Project


While I enjoyed many activities/projects this year, I have loved the blog project the most! Every week, I explore a new topic and give my insight on it. I love writing, so this was a perfect outlet, and blogging helped put a fun spin on research! The blogs helped me refresh terms and develop a deeper understanding since I had to find links to support my tangent. Adding pictures was a nice touch as well because it breaks up the text and provides a visual representation of the topic, which can help clear up confusion or help you see things in a different way. Also, reading other people's blogs and seeing how they view things was beneficial because it showed me there are various ways of thinking, all based on the individual's experiences. TLDR: the blog was the best project.



Least Favorite Assignment


I was not a huge fan of the "brain" we made out of food earlier in the semester because it was messy and seemed to be a struggle for my team. Likely, this project will usually work fine, but group members argued about who would cut it, then they would say they cut it wrong, and there was a lot of tension among a few group members. I guess letting kids cut things up and rearrange items can be difficult when team members are perfectionists who don't want anyone else to "ruin" the project. Also, on days we had a substitute, we had paper worksheets that I struggled to finish during class. They felt super rushed, which added stress, so I couldn't focus. This could be a personal skill issue, but I feel as though my work would turn out better if we could take them home for completion. The worksheets certainly helped me learn more, and I know many didn't have trouble finishing, so it's okay if this is a suggestion you don't focus on.

TLDR: making food "brain" bad, not enough time for sub day worksheets.



Suggestions for Next Year


Next year, I think it would be cool to test out an experiment you studied in class. Obviously, a cruel experiment that damaged people previously would not be an option. I think a good way to introduce the Milgram Experiment (before the class knows about it) could be to recreate this but on a smaller scale. Ms. Halfen is the authority figure, a kind teacher (or student who will keep their mouth shut about it being fake) behind a divider, and class members would be the subjects who press the "shock" button. The person behind the wall will pretend to get shocked using a machine (most kids probably have no clue about how tech works, so you could decorate a printer or cardboard box so it appears like a real device to students). This could help to find out who listens and who doesn't. Or it could tell you some people to be afraid of and not trust. After it's over, reveal it wasn't real and tell the class it was imitating the Milgram Experiment and explain it. I know there may be hurdles trying to schedule, plan, execute (so it looks real), and keep kids' attention, but I think the shock factor (no pun intended) of hearing screams and thinking they are in control will keep them engaged. Make sure you don't have any phones because some kids may think it's real and get worried and record it, but I don't think they will be traumatized once they realize it's fake. If you are looking for things to keep, I appreciated work days, vocab notebook, open-note quizzes, and unit tasks as opposed to tests! TLDR: recreate Milgram Experiment, keep works days and unit tasks



I hope AP Psych is just as amazing next year, and hopefully, these suggestions will be helpful! I will miss blogging, but these 9 posts have been fun. 


Signing off. Forever,


AP

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