AP Course:

AP Psychology

CONSULTANT: Michael Berndt

I have taught Psychology and AP Psychology for 28 years at Apollo High School in St. Cloud, Minnesota. I have also taught as an adjunct instructor in the Education Department at the College of Saint Benedict/Saint John’s University. I have attended the AP Psychology Reading every year since 2006 and has served as a Reader, Table Leader, and Question Leader. I am the founder and organizer of a regional network of psychology teachers called Minnesota Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (MNTOPSS). In 2017, I participated in the APA Summit on High School Psychology Education in Ogden, Utah. In 2019, I served as a master teacher at the APA/APR Oregon State University Psychological Science Workshop in Corvallis, Oregon. From 2018-2021, I advised on the course description and exam construction process for AP Psychology as a member of the AP Psychology Development Committee. In 2023, I was a recipient of the APA TOPSS Charles T. Blair-Broeker Excellence in Teaching Award. I was recently elected to the APA Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools Committee (TOPSS) as an at-large member.

Course Description:

This four-day institute is intended to help both new and experienced teachers of AP Psychology. The new course and exam description (CED) that went into effect during the Fall of 2024 and the updates to the CED that went into effect in the Fall of 2025 will be a major focus of the week. The session will be personalized to meet the needs of individual participants as much as possible but will also cover necessary information about the AP Psychology exam format, philosophy, and assessment. Preparation for both the multiple choice and the writing portion of the exam will be addressed as well as looking at samples of how the Evidence-Based Question and Article Analysis Question have been graded. During the session, all units of the AP Psychology curriculum will be covered, with an emphasis on topics that are often challenging for students and instructors. By the end of the week, new instructors to AP Psychology should have the skills and tools necessary to teach an engaging and informative AP Psychology course. Experienced teachers will leave with new activities, demonstrations, and resources to complement their existing pedagogy in their AP Psychology course.