Psychology for teachers: An overview of the discipline psychology and its relation with education

Abstract

This paper wishes to invite local educators, researchers, and psychologists to share their insights into the roles of psychology and psychologists for teachers. It is not intended to provide standardised answers. The paper raises several questions: Should psychology be perceived as a core subject, a supplementary discipline, or a part of the curriculum of teacher educational programs? What are teachers’ and educators’ concerns? How can psychological models and theories be applicable to education? Are there Singaporean psychological models of teacher educators? How can local psychologists design socio-culturally appropriate models and theories? The first section of this paper elaborates briefly on field psychology. Several questions and doubts related to this field are presented. The second section defines educational psychology, and poses some questions related to this sub-discipline. The third section evaluates the contents and directions of psychological courses for Singaporean teachers. Lastly, reflections on the role of psychology for teachers for the next century are presented.