Introduction to Psychology
Course Syllabus
Springville High School, 2016-2017
INSTRUCTOR: Mr. Jacob Douglas ROOM: E5
Email: [email protected]
TEXTBOOK Psychology: Principles in Practice, by Spencer A. Rathus
Dear Students and Parents/Guardians:
Welcome to Introduction to Psychology. This is a one-semester course that deals with some of the fundamental principles and basic controversies involved in the study of the human mind and human behavior. Below, you will find some useful information about the course. Please sign, date and return the Summary portion of this document by August 26th.
Teacher Bio:
A native of Southern California, after completing a double Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and History (with a minor in philosophy) at Brigham Young University, I went on to earn a Master of Arts in Education with an emphasis in Social Science Teaching from the Stanford University Graduate School of Education. I taught both middle school and high school in the San Francisco Bay Area for eight years before relocating to Utah Valley in the summer of 2016. Outside of school, I enjoy reading, cooking, gardening, being outdoors, and spending time with my wife and our one-year-old daughter.
Teacher Philosophy:
While I understand that each student has different needs, I firmly believe that every student is capable of growth and success with the right combination of motivation and effective effort. I subscribe to the “growth mindset” philosophy in education, meaning that while your skills and abilities may be at a certain level today, I believe that they are not permanently fixed at that level; rather, you have the ability to grow and improve even in the areas you feel are your greatest weaknesses. My role is to help you find the most effective ways to facilitate that growth. My primary goals are for you to be a happy, successful student, a responsible community member, and a critical consumer of information. My secondary goal is for you to learn and apply the principles of psychology. As long as you are willing to try, I am willing to do whatever I can to support your success.
COURSE CONTENT
The semester will be divided into the following five topical units:
Learning Goals
The objective and learning goals for this course are drawn from the Utah State Core Standards and the American Psychological Association’s High School Psychology standards. A detailed list of learning goals by unit will be made available at the start of each unit, but the following objectives summarize the goals for the course:
CLASS MATERIALS
“Error marks the place where learning begins”
-Mike Rose, Author and Educator
GRADES
Please remember that I never give grades—students earn grades. Your grades are determined by the percentage earned out of total points available in three grading categories:
Students will have the opportunity to re-take tests and revise writing assignments, lab reports, and projects that earn below a 70%, however the responsibility is on the student to set up an appointment to meet with me regarding re-takes and revisions.
90% + = A
80-89.99% = B
70-79.99% = C
60-69.99% = D
59.99% = F
Cheating is not tolerated and includes letting someone else see one’s work to get an answer (whether on homework or test/quiz), using any kind of “cheat” notes during a test/quiz, coping work from someone else, or copying a textbook or resource directly - all work should be written in one’s own words. Plagiarism is not tolerated on any assignment or work. Any assignment (whether a student copies another student’s work or a student allows their work to be copied) that is considered plagiarized will receive a score of “0”. Do not cheat. It wastes your time, my time, and taxpayer dollars.
Course Syllabus
Springville High School, 2016-2017
INSTRUCTOR: Mr. Jacob Douglas ROOM: E5
Email: [email protected]
TEXTBOOK Psychology: Principles in Practice, by Spencer A. Rathus
Dear Students and Parents/Guardians:
Welcome to Introduction to Psychology. This is a one-semester course that deals with some of the fundamental principles and basic controversies involved in the study of the human mind and human behavior. Below, you will find some useful information about the course. Please sign, date and return the Summary portion of this document by August 26th.
Teacher Bio:
A native of Southern California, after completing a double Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and History (with a minor in philosophy) at Brigham Young University, I went on to earn a Master of Arts in Education with an emphasis in Social Science Teaching from the Stanford University Graduate School of Education. I taught both middle school and high school in the San Francisco Bay Area for eight years before relocating to Utah Valley in the summer of 2016. Outside of school, I enjoy reading, cooking, gardening, being outdoors, and spending time with my wife and our one-year-old daughter.
Teacher Philosophy:
While I understand that each student has different needs, I firmly believe that every student is capable of growth and success with the right combination of motivation and effective effort. I subscribe to the “growth mindset” philosophy in education, meaning that while your skills and abilities may be at a certain level today, I believe that they are not permanently fixed at that level; rather, you have the ability to grow and improve even in the areas you feel are your greatest weaknesses. My role is to help you find the most effective ways to facilitate that growth. My primary goals are for you to be a happy, successful student, a responsible community member, and a critical consumer of information. My secondary goal is for you to learn and apply the principles of psychology. As long as you are willing to try, I am willing to do whatever I can to support your success.
COURSE CONTENT
The semester will be divided into the following five topical units:
- The History of Psychology
- Consciousness and the Mind
- Language and Learning
- Mental Health
Learning Goals
The objective and learning goals for this course are drawn from the Utah State Core Standards and the American Psychological Association’s High School Psychology standards. A detailed list of learning goals by unit will be made available at the start of each unit, but the following objectives summarize the goals for the course:
- Students will be able to identify basic psychological principles and apply them to real-world situations
- Students will be able to critically evaluate the claims and assumptions of various schools of thought within the discipline of psychology
- Students will be able to conduct psychological research and draw conclusions from their research, supported by evidence
CLASS MATERIALS
- A 3 ring binder with at least one divider section devoted to Psychology
- Notebook Paper
- A pen (black or blue), a pencil, and a highlighter
- A small notebook or composition book to be used as a journal (this will be collected periodically)
- Behavior expectations in this class are simply summarized in the following statement: My classroom is a safe space in which everyone is learning. If further clarification is needed, see below:
- “Safe Space” refers first and foremost to the physical safety of both individuals and their property, but also to social and emotional safety. This does NOT mean that we will avoid controversial issues or that we will be placing undue limits on free speech; it DOES, however, mean that such issues will be approached respectfully, and that the right of free speech will be exercised productively and responsibly, that the classroom is and should always be a welcoming social environment, and that bullying or intentionally making others feel unwelcome or uncomfortable will not be tolerated.
- “Everybody is learning” means not only that you enter the classroom each day prepared both physically and mentally to learn, but also that you refrain from any activity that might distract from your learning or the learning of others. The more you are able to use good judgment to determine what will best support the learning of everyone in the room, the fewer specific restrictions I will have to put on behaviors in class.
- To be sure we are on the same page in terms of these expectations, here are a few guidelines that will help make the classroom a safe space where everyone is learning:
- Students are expected to be in their assigned seats on time at the beginning of every class period, with the necessary materials to begin class.
- Students are expected to participate actively in class, which means listening attentively to the individual speaking (whether a student or the teacher), and making comments and asking questions at the appropriate times
- Students are expected to avoid distracting or disruptive activities, including (but not limited to) consuming large quantities of food, or using personal electronic devices for non-academic purposes.
- Students are expected to use academic and classroom-appropriate language, and to speak respectfully to and about their peers
- Student are expected to respect the personal space and property of others, and to avoid doing anything that might intentionally or unintentionally cause harm to a person or their property.
- And perhaps most importantly, STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO MAKE MISTAKES, but also to own up to them and to be willing to work to fix them.
“Error marks the place where learning begins”
-Mike Rose, Author and Educator
GRADES
Please remember that I never give grades—students earn grades. Your grades are determined by the percentage earned out of total points available in three grading categories:
- General Assignments (includes most homework and classwork, journals, worksheets, etc.): 20 % of your grade
- Lab Reports, Projects, and Writing Assignments: 30% of your grade
- Unit Tests, Final Project, and Semester Final: 50% of your grade
Students will have the opportunity to re-take tests and revise writing assignments, lab reports, and projects that earn below a 70%, however the responsibility is on the student to set up an appointment to meet with me regarding re-takes and revisions.
90% + = A
80-89.99% = B
70-79.99% = C
60-69.99% = D
59.99% = F
Cheating is not tolerated and includes letting someone else see one’s work to get an answer (whether on homework or test/quiz), using any kind of “cheat” notes during a test/quiz, coping work from someone else, or copying a textbook or resource directly - all work should be written in one’s own words. Plagiarism is not tolerated on any assignment or work. Any assignment (whether a student copies another student’s work or a student allows their work to be copied) that is considered plagiarized will receive a score of “0”. Do not cheat. It wastes your time, my time, and taxpayer dollars.