#66. Special Edition: APA Positive Psychology TOPSS Module

A few years ago I made a small change that has radically altered the direction of my life. I decided to start saying "YES" to opportunities at work that, quite frankly, terrified me. I piloted a class, started a blog, submitted proposals to and presented at national conferences, and even appeared on a podcast. As a closet introvert with imposter syndrome, the idea of sharing my ideas, activities and passions with the whole world required a whole new level of vulnerability on my part. It was hard, stressful, and very scary but it led to one the most energizing, purposeful, and meaningful periods of my professional life. In this post, I would like to share with you something that I am really proud of - which is a result of me taking a chance and saying "YES."

TOPPS
The Teachers of Psychology in Secondary Schools (TOPPS) is a division of the American Psychological Association (APA). It's mission is to"promote excellence in the teaching of psychological science at the high school level." They offer a variety of supports for teachers and students of psychology including scholarships, essay contests, professional development opportunities and (my personal favorite) teaching modules. These modules were my saving grace as a new teacher! They were easy to incorporate into my daily classes and included both content outlines and engaging activities. I will include a list of all unit resources at the end of this post.

Teaching Modules
The TOPPS modules also served as my first introduction to the field of positive psychology. As a result of this module, I discovered my passion for positive psychology and even decided to pursue a graduate degree in it! Last year, I was asked by TOPPS to collaborate with a team of educators to help redesign the very positive psychology module that I originally fell in love with. It was truly an honor to even be asked to contribute. I would love to share a little bit about what we created and how you can use it in your own classroom.

Positive Psychology: A Seven-Lesson Unit Plan for High School Psychology Teachers
This unit was developed over the space of a year by a team of teachers from across the country. The purpose of this unit is to provide the most recent research regarding this blossoming field of psychology and to provide students with opportunities to increase their own well-being using empirically-validated interventions. It is FULL of engaging activities that your students can participate in. However, it is up to you to decide how you want to incorporate them into your curriculum. You could teach the entire unit at one time. This breaks down to about (21) 45-minute class periods or (10) 90-minute class periods. For example, I love to teach a Positive Psych unit after the AP exam. However, you don't have to teach it all at one time nor do you have to teach all of the lessons! Each lesson can be taught as a standalone lesson or built into pre-existing units. If you aren't sure where to "fit" each lesson into your existing units, you will find unit connections on pages 2-4 on the document. The Positive Psychology unit includes seven lessons covering the following topics:

• Psychology of Happiness
• Character Strength
• Gratitude
• Mindfulness
• Growth Mindset
• Grit and resilience
• Reprogramming Habits

You can pick and choose which topics you want to focus on with your students based on their individual needs and interests. Every lesson is ready-to-go and includes a content outline along with engaging activities and authentic assessments.

YOU CAN ACCESS THE MODULE HERE.

Power of Saying "YES"
Saying "YES" to new opportunities was (and still is) a challenge for me. I have to be vulnerable. I have to have an attitude of openness. I have to be willing to develop new skill sets. I have to be deliberate in my own development. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I would be approached to write for a national organization. This was only possible because I had already said "YES" to some things that were really scary.

I would like to challenge you to say "YES" to something that you would not normally do. Ask yourself, "what is one small change that I could make today that could lead to big effects?" I bet that whatever you find yourself saying yes to will open you up to new challenges and opportunities for growth. Please share your what you will say "YES" to in the comments below. I would love to be able to encourage you on your journey.

Be Well.

Cori

Some Shout Outs!
I would like to recognize my colleagues for their amazing contributions to this project; Leah Greene-Everson, Fernando Romero, Emily Chesnes, and Sue Orsillo. It was truly a pleasure working with you! I would also like to thank the APA and the TOPPS board for your continued support of high school psychology. You produce amazing resources and opportunities. Lastly, I would like to thank Randy Ernst. Randy challenged me to look beyond the walls of my own classroom and explore the possibilities of positive education. It is because of him that I decided to continue my education in the field of positive psychology.

TOPPS Resources and Unit Plans
As promised, here are all of the FREE unit plans that are currently offered by TOPPS with links!
Biological Bases of Behavior (PDF, 333KB)
Cognition (PDF, 562KB)
Consciousness (PDF, 348KB)
Emotion (PDF, 442KB)
Learning (PDF, 320KB)
Life Span Development (PDF, 404KB)
Memory (PDF, 712KB)
Motivation (PDF, 171KB)
Personality (PDF, 395KB)
Perspectives in Psychological Science (PDF, 306KB)
Psychological Disorders (PDF, 305KB)
Research Methods and Statistics (PDF, 624KB)
Sensation and Perception (PDF, 252KB)
Social Psychology (PDF, 429KB)
Stress and Health Promotion
Treatment of Psychological Disorders (PDF, 108KB)
Careers, Education and Vocational Applications in Psychology (PDF, 290KB)
Psychoanalysis and Psychodynamic Psychology (PDF, 284KB)
Childhood Obesity