Where am I? Experience and imagination

Angus Willson

‘Lily is nearly two and she wants to show she is really good with the map.’

Which of these viewpoints most reflect pupils’ geographical experiences?

Which of these viewpoints most reflect pupils’ geographical experiences?

• What learning experiences do you want to supplement these thoughts?

Check key processes• What geographical knowledge would contribute

towards developing these thoughts?

Check key concepts and range and content• And what would be the resulting actions by

pupils?

Check curriculum opportunities a, b, f

Getting to know the key concepts

“Your students are intended to develop understanding of them gradually as they study the places and topics you have chosen… The concepts and ideas of the subject represent economies of thought which are useful if geography is not just to be a mass of memorised fact… Concepts are not something to teach to students directly, nor will you wish to hand out definitions for them to learn.”

Source: Rawling (2008) p23

< Community Woodland

Victoria Park >

Public open spaces

Identify areas of public parks within the locality of the school. Are there any indicators of their age? Do they vary in purpose or size? In what ways are they intended to serve the local community? Or, are they now obsolete as the nature of the community has changed? What age groups do the parks cater for?

Source: Rawding p117

Your curriculum

What interpretation of the ‘substantive’ concepts do you intend? (per unit)

“For example, is a sequence of work intended to develop an understanding that places are contested, that places are connected, that people can be seen to belong or not to belong to places, or another perspective entirely?”

Source: Kinder, Alan (2007) Teaching Geography, 32 (3) pp 131-134

Sense of place and imagination

“Survival challenge – find shelter

Write a paragraph in your diary to explain which site you chose and why. Give reasons for not choosing other sites.”

Source: Widdowson, John (2006) p42-23

How many India’s are there?

India’s economy has grown at 8-9% a year since 2002. Income per capita is $730 a year. At this rate India will be the world’s fourth largest economy within 20 years.

Four of India’s poorest states: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa account for nearly 40% of India’s population but only 20% of its national income.

At a basic level, concepts are classifiers

“– ways of dividing up our experience of a complex and messy world into more manageable units, enabling us to communicate about things we can’t immediately see. Concepts can refer to concrete things (for example ‘farm’) or more abstract phenomena (such as ‘power’).”

Source: Taylor (2008)

Angus Willsonangus.willson@btinternet.com