Astonishing Awareness

How can we combine new school “case study heavy” geography with old school

“country memorization” geography?

Albert Einstein

Any fool can know. The point is to understand.

The Problems• Pupils are not

confident with world maps.

• ‘Googleisation’ has presented new obstacles.

• Time/department pressures restrict teachers.

• Memorising rivers/countries does not increase geographical knowledge.

• Negative stereotypes!

I know where Justin Bieber

lives, and where his dad

is from.

My auntie moved…she went to a in France… on the coast…

They already know quite a lot. We just need to provide the platform to inspire and expand their existing

knowledge.

The Solutions• Greater use of

maps.• Engage with

‘googleisation’.• Allow more in

depth conversation.• Set memorisation

challenges. My auntie moved…

she now lives in Toulon.

Justin Bieber lives in the world’s second largest

country…Russia is bigger. People argue about the land

which China owns.

The Solutions• Greater use of

maps.• Engage with

‘googleisation’.• Allow more in

depth conversation.• Set memorisation

challenges. My auntie moved…

she now lives in Toulon.

Justin Bieber lives in the world’s second largest

country…Russia is bigger. People argue about the land

which China owns.

African CountriesTop row:

Most African Tigers Love Elephants.

Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya,

Egypt

East Coast:Every Decent Snake Kills Twenty Meaty Students

Eritrea, Djibouti, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi,

South Africa.

Earth Readers

We, as teachers, are guiding young people to learn how to read ‘earth writing’.

By teaching them to look at the world through a geographical lens we can help them relate the new

information with which they are presented to their existing knowledge; or if necessary to correct their misconceptions.

‘Geography n. 1 the study of the physicalfeatures of the earth and of human activity asit relates to these. 2 the relative arrangementof places and physical features. Origin: C15from Fr. géographie or L. geographia, fromGk ge ¯ographia, from g¯ e “earth” + -graphia“writing”’ (OED, 2006).