Teaching Psychology

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Why it works

Psychology is a highly popular and engaging subject, but it is prone to being taught as a collection of interesting facts, or worse, pop-psychology myths (left-brain/right-brain, learning styles, and others that research has debunked). Standards and research in psychology education (such as the APA's) emphasize teaching psychology as an empirical science: scientific methods and reasoning, evaluating evidence and claims, understanding major findings accurately, and applying critical thinking, including to the many myths students arrive believing. Engagement plus scientific rigor is the goal.

The research: APA National Standards for High School Psychology.

The run-of-show

Choose your slot. The agenda, timings, and length update to match.

The core activity: teach psychology as a science

Teachers leave with a psychology topic taught through evidence and critical evaluation.

Pick a psychology topic.
Teach the evidence and scientific methods behind it, not just the conclusions.
Have students evaluate claims and correct common myths.
Apply critical thinking to the science of behavior and mind.

Psychology as a science, not folklorePsychology engages, but teach it as empirical science, methods, evidence, critical thinking, and debunk the pop-psych myths students arrive believing.

Facilitator notes

Teach methods and evidence.
Evaluate claims and correct myths.
Keep it rigorous and engaging; it is a science.

Pop-psych facts and myths are not psychologyTeaching psychology as interesting facts, or repeating debunked myths, undersells it. Teach the science, evidence, and critical evaluation of claims.

Adapt it

Middle school: intro, scientific thinking about behavior.
High school: methods, evidence, major findings, myths.
All settings: science, evidence, critical thinking.

Participant handout

One page for every teacher. Print it, or save it as a PDF.

K12 Academics · Professional Learning

Teaching Psychology: a science, not folklore

Rigor plus engagement: methods and evidence, critical evaluation of claims, and debunking pop-psych myths.

The psychology topic:
The evidence and methods behind it:
How students evaluate claims and correct myths:
How I apply critical thinking:
A myth to debunk:

Make it stick

Science, not folklore:

Teach psychology as a science.
Debunk myths.
Bring a psychology lesson that built scientific thinking to the next PLC.

Common questions

Isn't psychology just interesting facts about the mind?

Interest is a strength, but psychology is an empirical science. Teach the methods, evidence, and reasoning, not just facts, and especially help students evaluate the many pop-psych claims they believe.

What about myths like learning styles?

Many popular psychology claims (learning styles, left/right brain, and more) are not supported by research. Teaching students to evaluate evidence, and correcting myths, is central to good psychology teaching.

How do I keep it rigorous and engaging?

The content is naturally engaging; add scientific rigor, methods, evidence evaluation, critical thinking, so students learn psychology as a science, not folklore.