The magic of Geography- session 1

Sharon WittJanuary 2011

PGCE

Introduction to the five week Geography course

• To gain knowledge and understanding of the Geography National Curriculum

• To consider how children learn in a geographical context, including the enquiry process

• To provide a range of teaching and learning strategies to promote good quality geographical experiences within the classroom

• To explore appropriate resources, including ICT to support children’s learning in Geography

• To understand Geography’s role within the wider curriculum.

Aims of the session

• To outline the course content

• To know the National Curriculum Programmes of Study for Geography and be introduced to the new curriculum requirements

• To begin to understand the nature of geography and the enquiry approach

Teaching and learning of module

• Experience a variety of teaching and learning strategies for making geography accessible to you and children

• Input- mixture of lectures, practical activities,

discussion, group tasks and visits out into the locality of Winchester

Magical geography is not …

• Completing unnecessary worksheets! • Colouring in! • Watching television • Cutting out and sticking on !

• This has been described as “Joyless Geography”

by Margaret Mackintosh

In praise of Geography… “Geography is of immeasurable importance . It just

gets into everything. Everything we do, we do in a context that involves a complex web of people and places with all sorts of implications. All our lives are just one big geographical puzzle and I believe that when we try to relate ourselves to the bigger picture we can make sense of our place in the world more easily . Geography offers us the skills to understand and tackle many of today’s big issues , such as poverty, inequality, pollution, multi-cultural understanding and energy needs”

(Owens, 2006,p.12)

Geography is where we are at! • Routes and journeys to school, work and other places.• Choice of clothes we make according to the weather • Choice of games / activities we play or undertake • Jobs people do and role playing of these jobs E.g. grocers ,

dentists, undersea world , doctors • News • Holidays and special days out • The food that we eat • Considering day to day information / tables – decision making

PRIMARY GEOGRAPHY IS IN TROUBLE ( nationally)!

• Low achievement in both key stages in two-thirds of schools

• Lack of subject knowledge, low expectations and poor planning

• Poor leadership of the subject • Assessment is weak • Use of outdoor learning ,such as fieldwork, is

underdeveloped • Views of geography are at odds with perspectives on

children’s learning• Good primary geography exists and should be emulated

www.ofsted.gov.uk/publications/annualreport0405/4.1.4html

Geography is surviving in Hampshire!

• Hampshire is only one of three Counties that have an Inspector for Geography

Jeff Stanfield

• Supported by Advanced Skills Teachers

• Area support network meetings

• Primary Geography News

• Training for teachers

Action Plan for Geography

• “Beginning to see signs of change” Leszek Iwaskow HMI Specialist Adviser for Geography and Education for

Sustainability – March 2007

• Geography is at a crossroads!

• G.A Action Plan - Geography Teaching Today website is now live!

www.geographyteachingtoday.org.uk• Success in the future relies on the provision of a

curriculum relevant to students in the 21st century?

OFSTED – 17 January 2008 Geography in Schools- changing practice

• Geography teaching is in decline, with school children claiming it is "boring and irrelevant" and teachers avoiding field trips due to health and safety concerns, school inspectors report today. Pupils are failing to gain an understanding of climate change, environmentalism and global citizenship through lessons which are too often led by non-specialists, according to the study from Ofsted.

• Professor David Lambert, chief executive of The Geographical Association, said: "The report really shows that teaching geography well is challenging. For a start, teachers need to keep up with a rapidly changing and eventful world. Geography tries to keep in mind all the interrelated economic, social, cultural and environmental processes that bring change, which can be complicated. Teachers need professional support, and not only through their subject association."

You are not alone………..

Primary Geography Champions Hampshire Network

• Social network site called NING ! To exchange resources, ideas , good practice etc

• Two face to face network meetings a year for teachers to discuss and share examples of good practice .

• Want to get involved e mail Sharon.Witt@winchester.ac.uk

A different view – a manifesto from the Geographical Association

Geography is …

enquiry and skills

knowledge and understanding of

places

knowledge and understanding of

patterns and processes

knowledge and understanding of

environmental change and sustainable

development .. the study of place, space and environment

Place

Scale

Environmental Interaction

Changing physical and

human processes

Inter- dependence

Diversity

Space

Geography

Key Geographical Concepts

What next?

• Pupils at school in England are facing too many "dull and uninspiring lessons“( OFSTED Nov 2010, DFE White Paper, Nov 2010)

• New Primary Curriculum details due “shortly”• “We intend to restore the National Curriculum

to its original purpose – a minimum national entitlement for all our young people organised around subject disciplines”

• http://www.education.gov.uk/curriculum/a0061710/faqs-about-the-new-national-curriculum/#faq1

Teaching and learning in Geography “Geography teaching and learning

should be an enjoyable , creative , stimulating and magical

experience for pupils and teachers alike. Geography is

about places, people and issues both locally and globally , all of

which are of interest and concern to everyone…First hand

experience and practical work should underpin much of what

we do in the name of geography and the wide boundaries of the

subject should allow us to provide pupils with a wonderful

learning opportunity”

Richardson, P.( 2004)”Planning the geography curriculum in Scoffham, S. Primary Geography handbook, Sheffield:

Geographical Association.

Places • Central to Geography in the NC

– “the study of placeplace, space and environment”

• The attachment to place we develop as adults is derived from childhood experiences and based on our knowledge of “the place we call home”– Attachment and identity (Scoffham 1998)

• Teaching about place is not just about facts but also feelings and attitudes ( Weigand,1994)

• Transactions with the environment when young help children to invest the environment with meaning and effect attitude to places when older/ adults .

Through investigating and interacting with the environment we gain a sense of:

PurposeCommitment Emotional well- being Peace and tranquillityExcitement Awe and wonder Identity belonging

Jeff Stanfield

Geographical / Environmental detectives

Unravel the mystery of places Read the geography of landscapes Read the landscape story board

The TECHNICAL Story

The EMOTIONAL Story Aim: to create a true sense of place to provide real life skills

Jeff Stanfield

In defence of Geography… • Current debate accuses the geography curriculum of

being too fact-based. ( Bell)

• David Lambert acknowledges geography’s ‘immense vocabulary’

• Whilst pointing out the need to use this vocabulary in conjunction Geography’s ‘grammar’ (its conceptual language) to help us make sense of a place

Geography needs you!

The Geography we deliver must be:

• Relevant• Dynamic• Challenging • Emotive • Motivating • Radical • Progressive AND …

Jeff Stanfield

Jeff Stanfield

Everyday is a geographical adventure waiting to happen…

(Witt, 2009)

Contact Details

Sharon.Witt@winchester.ac.uk

Room 33 St Grimbalds Court 01962 827071

Independent Study Tasks

• Explore the Learning Network resources posted for geography

• Join in with the forum: Special Places. Post a photograph if you are able!