AP Psychology offers material and education in a field not so commonly known by high school students.
Photo by Mia Nogueira
Why do people act in a certain manner? Are habits inherited or are they a natural element? What kinds of reactions do humans have to, and how does the brain respond with, emotions? These are all questions that the AP Psychology class digs into at great depth and curiosity. TJ Social Studies Teacher Linda Estlund leads a group of 19 Juniors and Seniors into the wondrous curriculum of psychology in room 232 of TJ.
“The main course objective is to study how the brain leads humans to think, act, feel and behave,” said Estlund. “The majority of students should find the material appealing. The perception of the five senses holds much interest, and acknowledging the student’s opinions on the subjects we cover is truly worth the teaching,” said Estlund.
The kind of content that is looked at involves the human motive to want to eat, reproduce, the interpretation of dreaming, psychology in social settings, and how the brain reacts and sends electronic messages to our senses. By studying human actions and other social elements, Estlund is introducing material she believes is very unique to the overall TJ curriculum. “I feel like this class is sometimes under-appreciated, because in reality we are covering some substantial material,” said Estlund.
With a 50 percent or above pass rate on the AP tests, Psychology is considered one of the “easier” courses of Advanced Placement in the TJ curriculum. “The class covers some broad topics, but the work load is truly only what is needed for the students to learn about the subject,” said Estlund. “ Students benefit from learning concrete information instead of wasting their time in a lecture,” said Estlund.
Students are drawn to Ms. Estlund’s curriculum because of the hands-on learning involved with the class. “Hypnosis and other psychological experimentation is done between the students. I think it’s wonderful that they are so interested and volunteer to do try a new technique,” said Estlund. “The power of the mind is what we study, and the mind is a wonderful thing. I think that my students are really catching on with these marvels,” she said.
Estlund says the relevance of psychology is very real and applicable; this is what makes her class interesting to students. “I feel a lot smarter now that I can apply what I’ve learned in the class to my social setting,” said Junior Samantha Erlacher. “I baby sit a lot, and it’s interesting to apply psychology to my kids, such as the seven cognitive stages of early childhood. You can actually pinpoint what stage they are undergoing, and I find that mesmerizing.”
A Masters Degree in Education and several graduate courses have made Ms. Estlund highly qualified for her teaching position in AP Psychology. “I’m thankful for Ms. Estlund and her teaching; instead of sitting down and listening to a long lecture from a teacher we engage in an interactive learning environment where we apply our knowledge to real life topics and even to each other,” said Erlacher.
AP Psychology has made a name for itself as a one-of-a-kind class here at TJ. “It’s a structured course, but it’s a lot more relaxed than other classes. It’s based off a lot of student-to-student interaction, so that brings an element of entertainment to the class,” said Erlacher.
The workload in AP psychology is kept at minimum to ensure only concrete learning versus receiving unnecessary material. “I love doing all the work. As we progress more, I learn more, and I love learning in that class because it’s very interesting,” said Erlacher.
Estlund’s teaching and the knowledge-hungry students are welcomed into the classroom. “It’s exciting and pleasing to see when the students are genuinely interested,” said Estlund. “They aren’t just completing the work; they want to know things. They come with questions, and always have something to say in a conversation. It’s truly delightful,” said Estlund.
Any incoming Junior or Senior interested in taking the course can request the classw on their choice of studies form. Counselors are available to assist anyone if there are any complications with the request.
