We have two sections, a highly interactive website-based section taught by Bonnie Gonzalez and a less interactive email-based section taught by Gary Welton.

Section 1

Teacher: Bonnie Gonzalez

Email: gonzo123@dejazzd.com

Texts required: E-text: Exploring Psychology by David Myers (Seventh Edition). The e-book will cost $27.80 and will be available in June for downloading from the publisher's e-commerce website: www.ebooks.bfwpub.com.

Class fees: $400 plus the cost of the required text.

Tech Requirements: A good computer with antivirus protection and reliable internet access. High speed internet is suggested, but not required.

Who should apply: This is a highly interactive class where students are required to participate in weekly discussions regarding web research into a variety of topics of interest in the many fields of psychology. In addition outside reading from a variety of sources (websites, magazines, and books) will be required. Students will be given a supportive yet challenging learning environment with many opportunities to enhance their understanding of psychological concepts. Lectures in both Word and MP3 format will be provided for downloading to explain and enhance the subject matter. In addition to tests and quizzes, students will be required to design and perform a research study, a personality profile, and a clinical treatment plan.

This class will cover the basics in psychology including the topics of neuroscience, the nature and nurture of development, sensation and perception, the methods of learning, memory, intelligence, motivation and a study of personality and psychological disorders.

Since my experience is highly weighted in the field of personality and psychological disorders and the treatment of those disorders, we will be giving special attention to this area in our class assignments and online discussions.

Instructor Qualifications: I have 27 years of experience as a counselor in the fields of individual, marriage and family counseling where I have had the opportunity not only to explain behaviors, but also to instruct individuals in developing new and more productive behaviors. I also have experience teaching Introductory and Child Psychology at a local community college, as well as instructional experience with this online AP Psychology class. I have an M.ED. in Counseling Psychology and a B.A. in Psychology both from Temple University. Over the past 11 years I have home-schooled my own three children and have spent 6 years teaching in a homeschool co-op.

Click here to read class reviews from past participants about Bonnie Gonzalez's section of this class.

Section 2

Instructor: Dr. Gary L. Welton

E-Mail: glwelton@gcc.edu

Telephone:

• Home: (814) 786-9575
• Office: (724) 458-3374

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS: (no exceptions)

1. The student must be a home schooling high school student in 10th, 11th or 12th grade.

2. The student must have completed a high school level biology course.

3. The student’s academic performance must be average or above average, as substantiated by standardized tests scores.

My Ph.D. is in the field of Social and Organizational Psychology. I have 22 years of full-time teaching experience at the college and university level, including 17 years in my current job at Grove City College. I have taught this particular course for homeschooling high school students for 12 years, working with approximately 210 students. I am a homeschooling father of two.

REGISTRATION PROCESS

Completed registration by August 1 is encouraged. There will be no additional registrations after August 31 (no exceptions). To register for the course you should take the following steps:

1. Request a registration form from the instructor.
2. Submit the completed registration form, providing all information and indicating that all admission requirements have been satisfied.

CLASS FEE. The instructor’s fee for the class is $360. All payments are to be made through PA Homeschoolers, by check, money order, or credit card. You should expect to spend an additional $70 to $90 on the textbook and study guide.

DESCRIPTION

Psychology, a discipline in the social and behavioral sciences, is the study of mental processing and behavior. An introductory psychology class is usually included in a college's general education requirements. It is becoming common for high schools to offer a semester or a yearlong class as an elective.

Because psychology involves people studying themselves, it is a most subjective science. Perhaps more so than in any other field, the assumptions one makes about human nature influence one's perspective on this subject. I approach psychology from a conservative position. My conservative Christian beliefs impact my view of psychological theory. Nevertheless, I am not proposing a class in “Christian Psychology” for several reasons. One, there is little agreement on what such a term means, as different Christians have unique perspectives on the discipline. Two, such a class may be of marginal help in passing the AP exam. Instead, I am proposing a class that would cover the traditional content, but from a conservative perspective.

Topics will include the brain (biological roots of behavior), human development, learning and cognition, sensation and perception, motivation and emotion, personality, disorders, therapy, and social behavior. Students find most chapters to be interesting and involving. Students with a motivation to learn and achieve will have little difficulty with this material.

Texts required: Myers, David G. (published 2004, copyrighted 2005). Exploring Psychology, 6th edition. New York: Worth.

Click here to read class reviews from past participants about Gary Welton's section of this class.