Santa Claus was a Psych major

I have uncovered a transcript, whereby we now know that Santa Claus had a major in Psychology.
General Psychology (Develop understanding of who people are and what they want)
Abnormal Psychology (To figure out who's been "naughty 'n nice")
Child Development (No explanation needed)
Social Psychology (Social influence on consumer behavior)
Statistics (Analysis of productivity of the elves and their job satisfaction)
Psychology of Personality (Knowledge of the perfect gift for each person)
Behavior Modification (Rewards do influence behavior; and to keep the reindeer in line)
Psychological Testing (Objective method of matching the right elf to the right job)
Physiological Psychology (Brain body connection for all the meals and goodies at Christmas time)
Being Human and Addicted (Study of the powerful behaviors related to shopping the Friday after Thanksgiving; OR beginning the shopping list back in February for the next Christmas; OR leaving up the outdoor lights until May; OR watching all the Christmas videos, over and over; OR dealing with withdrawal after the season is over; OR ... well you get the picture)
Way to go Santa!

“Things That Can Get You in Trouble”

As teachers we realize that good communication is essential to teaching and learning. As we communicate with others we are able to learn new procedures, share strategies that work, and seek suggestions for things that don’t work. Hopefully everyone benefits from this communication venue.

Each semester our department offers a seminar to benefit our first- and second- year graduates. This fall we chose the subject of classroom management, a topic that is of great interest to teachers. Good classroom management is an essential ingredient in effective teaching. It is probably the number one topic of discussion among beginning teachers.

Susan Mize, a former principal, presented on the topic “Things That Can Get You in Trouble.” Ms. Mize shared from the perspective of the principal what every teacher should know about classroom management. Her experience as a principal has given her keen insight into the problems encountered by beginning teachers. The following are suggestions made by Ms. Mize:

• Play and work well with others. You must be a good teacher and a good staff member.
• Dress respectfully and appropriately for your job.
• Get organized and learn to deal with paperwork.
• Plan ahead for class needs so you never have to leave your classroom unattended.
• Involve your students in their own learning.
• Exhibit a positive attitude toward your students and the content.
• Watch your boundaries with students and don’t ever be alone with a student.
• Don’t let students push your buttons and make you angry.
• Teach your students as though their parents were in the room.
• Be teachable.

What are your questions, thoughts, experiences, or suggestions you would like to share by responding to our BLOG?

Mid-West Christian Psychology Conference

On November 15, the Mid-west Christian Psychology Conference will be held on the campus of the College of the Ozarks. SBU hosted this conference last year and it was a delight to see the students and faculty from nearby universities get together and engage in scholarly discussions and presentations. Students and faculty benefit from this type of conference, as we explore the relationship between psychological concepts and the spiritual side of human beings.
We will look forward to some presentations made by our students, as this gives them a taste of the "real world" that psychologists experience in scholarly activities and professional development.
If you are interested in this event, please contact the Behavioral Sciences office at SBU.