Arthur J Kelly Liverpool Hope University. PR1914 THE FOUNDATION CURRICULUM The Magic of Geography Emma.Morley@winchester.ac.uk@winchester.ac.uk Semester.

Arthur J Kelly Liverpool Hope University

PR1914THE FOUNDATION CURRICULUM

The Magic of Geography

Emma.Morley@winchester.ac.uk

Semester 1 2009

The Magic of Geography

Emma Morley

November 2011

Aims of the Session

• To share evidence from Ofsted on the state of Geography in Primary schools and Research Findings from students on entry to ITE

• To remind ourselves of consider what constitutes high quality geographical learning experiences

• Reflect on the role that YOU will have in the future and sustainability of primary geography

This geographer is dressed for the outdoors with a long beard and a map in his rucksack

How do the children view geographer’s?

“My geographer is happy because he has just hacked through a jungle that ‘s why he’s got an axe and just discovered a new kind of turtle”

This drawing shows the happy geographer fulfilling many

roles: dog walker, recording information, puddle jumping

and gardening.

The sustainability of Geography

Geography is at a crossroads!

And YOU are part of what happens next !

‘Ofsted have highlighted weaknesses in geography in primary and secondary schools and have provided some evidence of decline in the overall quality of provision. In primary schools, this is associated with :

• teachers’ weak knowledge of geography, • their lack of confidence to teach it and• insufficient training to support them. • In secondary schools, the number of pupils opting to study the

subject beyond Key Stage 3 continues to fall… this reflects … pupils’ dissatisfaction with a geography curriculum which they perceive as irrelevant. In many secondary schools, a narrow range of textbooks and a focus on factual recall rather than on exploring ideas fail to capture pupils’ interest’(Ofsted, 2008 p.4)

MA (Ed) Research FindingsFigure 7.Mean Score for each of the subjects ranked by primary trainee teachers on point of entry with 1 being their favourite subject and 10 being their least favourite.

Subject Raw Total Score Mean Score

Art 826 3.91

Design Technology 889 4.21

History 1038 4.91

PE 1126 5.33

Geography 1172 5.55

Music 1191 5.64

Drama 1199 5.68

ICT 1369 6.48

RS 1368 6.48

MfL 1439 6.81

Trainee today…teacher tomorrow…

What sort of geography teacher will you be?

The Power and Relevance of Geography

DETECTIVES

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What kind of activities/ environments / resources will encourage high quality Geography teaching and learning

experiences in YOUR classroom?

All effective teachers have a passion for their subject , a passion for their pupils and a passionate belief that who they are and how they teach can make a difference in their pupils’ lives , both in the moment of teaching and in the days , weeks, months and even years afterwards .

(Day, 2004,p.12.)

What do Geographers do?- Provide a context for the children’s work

Map- maker Explorer Route Finder Traveller Village / Town Planner AdventurerDetective ConservationistsRambler Weather man/ woman Photographer Manager of floods Climber of mountains Puzzle Solver Presenter Investigator Carer News Reporter

Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods

“Nature-deficit disorder is not an official diagnosis but a way of viewing the problem, and describes the human costs of alienation from nature, among them: diminished use of the senses, attention difficulties, and higher rates of physical and emotional illnesses. The disorder can be detected in individuals, families, and communities.”

Why is Geography so important now?

Geography is fascinating and inspiring : the beauty of the earth

The power of earth shaping forces

The future of the planet

• Digital cameras • Remote controls for TV’s • Computers• Music downloads• DVD’s etc……

Health and safety concerns

Growing up in a material world

“In the end we will conserve only what we love. We will love only what we understand.

We will understand only what we are taught.”

Baba Dioum, Senegalese poet and environmentalist, 1937

Geography is best taught through the soles of your boots!

Children’s experiences need to be multi- sensory

Teaching geography is FUNDAMENTAL

Peter had a great sense of humour but was

destined to have a short life

Why is this picture geographically incorrect ?Arthur J Kelly Liverpool Hope University

If I Dig A Very Deep Hole, Where Will I Stop? -

http://www.ubasics.com/dighole/

Sometimes magic happens when you least expect it!

Be part of the future of geography

Geography ‘Fortune Teller’

A Different View: a manifesto from the Geographical Association

http://www.geography.org.uk/resources/adifferentviewhttp://www.geography.org.uk/resources/

adifferentview/promotinggeography/

Success in the future relies on the provision of a curriculum relevant to students in the 21st century?

To do….

Turn the vision of good geography in to

reality…..

Quality Geography… • High quality Geography work displayed around

the school. • Good knowledge of how the child / local area fits

into a global community. Empathy• Enthusiastic children interested in their learning

( independent learners )• Effective use of language and questioning

Children asking questions and finding out• Emphasis of the oral approach to assessment –

encourage geographical conversations • First hand involvement . Learning brought

outside the classroom

The Geography we deliver must be:

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

Jeff Stanfield

Morley, E (2010)

ACTIVITY: The Geography of Music

Is this the geography teacher you will be?

Useful Resources • Primary Geography Handbook edited by

Stephen Scoffham • Primary Geographer• Geographical Association – www.geography.org.uk• Staffordshire Geography learning Net www.sln.org.uk/geography/

HAPPY CHRISTMAS !

http://www.noradsanta.org/

‘You can travel the seas, poles and deserts and see nothing. To really understand the world you need to get under the skin of the people and places. In other words, learn about geography. I can’t imagine a subject more relevant in schools. We’d all be lost without it.’

(Michael Palin, former Python and broadcaster, 2007)