Ray Heath

Teaching psychology can sometimes feel like falling down a rabbit hole - the workload expands, expectations shift, and your brain is expected to perform miracles on very little sleep. This lively, Alice-themed workshop invites teachers to step through the looking-glass and reconnect with the joy of the subject. Expect to roll up your sleeves, work with a partner, laugh a little, and take part in a hands-on replication of a real psychology experiment. You’ll experience first-hand how the body quietly shapes thinking, and why emotions matter so much for learning — especially under stress. Along the way, we’ll explore simple, evidence-based strategies for emotional regulation that support both student learning and teacher wellbeing. The session models embodied, memorable activities that bring psychology to life in the classroom, boosting engagement, strengthening recall, and reminding us why we chose this extraordinary subject.

Title: Eat Me! Drink Me! Are We All Synesthetes? (1 hour)

What if your students could taste a sound, feel a colour, or hear a shape? In this playful, Mad Hatter–inspired workshop, teachers are invited to a topsy-turvy tea party to explore the fascinating world of synesthesia — and to consider whether we might all have a touch of it. Expect cake, music, laughter, and a hands-on replication of a real psychology experiment that explores how our senses interact in surprising ways. Through direct experience, participants will discover how perception is constructed, why sensory crossover matters for memory and learning, and how multisensory approaches can make abstract concepts stick. Along the way, we’ll reflect on how novelty, curiosity, and sensory engagement can re-energise tired brains — both students’ and teachers’. This session models memorable, classroom-ready activities that bring psychology vividly to life, spark discussion, and remind us just how wonderfully strange and creative the human mind can be.