The British Psychological Society (BPS) Teachers' Toolkit

A TILE Network Seminar

Abstract

Psychology is the second most popular A-Level subject. However, studying and teaching it comes with many challenges. Firstly, it is far different to other subjects offered in colleges and schools, so students often come in with little to no prior knowledge of the subject. Secondly, there are many misconceptions about both the nature of the subject itself, and how it is taught in schools and colleges. Thirdly, there is a shortage of psychology teachers who are psychology graduates in the UK, so there is always a need for high quality subject specific teaching resources and training course for teachers. The British Psychological Society (BPS) is the voice of psychology, psychologists and the wider psychological professions in the UK, while the Association for the Teaching of Psychology (ATP) is a non-profit organisation which has been supporting UK pre-university Psychology Teachers for over 40 years. Both are, therefore, ideally placed to assist psychology teachers to navigate these complex barriers, through their unique joint collaboration on the teachers toolkit.

In this talk, I will first explain what the teachers toolkit is and the history of how and why it came into being. Second, I will explain how the toolkit is produced and maintained. Finally, I will give examples of how it has been affectively used to support psychology students and teachers in the UK, as well as how it has led to further joint projects between the ATP, BPS and other stakeholders, such as UK awarding bodies.

About the speaker

Lyndsey Hayes (she/her) is a Post 16 Psychology Teacher who has taught in London and the Home Counties in the UK. For the last 22 years, she has taught and led accredited and non Psychology courses ranging from level 1 Open Network College Courses to the first year of the BSc (hons) Psychology degree. She is also a former Psychology Examiner for AQA and OCR. In 2020, she was awarded Chartered Status with the BPS via the researcher and teacher route in recognition of her work. She is a member of the Association for the Association of Psychology Teaching (ATP) committee and represents the ATP on the British Psychological Society's Division for Academics, Researchers and Teachers in Psychology Committee, as well as the British Psychological Society's London and Home Counties Membership Branch Committee. She was also recently appointed as Chair of the British Psychological Society's Standing Committee on Psychology Education in Schools and College.