For/From the Critical Geography Discussion Group


There are moments of communication between academic geographers and geography heads of departments. The GA conference often has a number of academic geographers sharing ground and I know that the Geography Action Plan 

http://www.geography.org.uk/news/actionplanforgeography

has intentions to create academic ambassadors to connect schools with academics, but there needs to be more of this. Often the richness of the subject fails to be driven into schools, which is a great pity. Still, new developments in the GCSE syllabus may be an improvement -- however,  this is yet to be seen, but early indications are that there will be a push in increasing the 'relevance' profile of the subject, which has to be a good thing, and indeed something that informs the richness of much academic geography. The key is to get this kind of thinking into the classroom, whether it be through an engagement with climate change or through human/cultural geography etc.

The RGS-IBG too is developing a standard chartered geographer (teacher) which is encouraging the engagement of teachers with broader professional development which must necessarily connect teachers with the growth areas of the discipline. I spoke just last week with the Head of Information Services and Resources at the RGS-IBG, Steven Brace, who expressed some interest in the creation of refresher courses which could bring educationalists into contact with academics for regular updates about what was happening at the tertiary end of the discipline. (This could also be a two-way vehicle).

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Dr Andrew Lee FRGS
Head of Geography

Westminster Under School
Adrian House
Vincent Square
London SW1P 2NN

T| +44 (0)20 7821 5788
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On 5 Sep 2006, at 12:41PM, Steve Cummins wrote:

Hi

As I am completely ignorant about this issue I was wondering if there was a formal continuing professional development programme for geography teachers in schools. Do school teachers reconnect with academic geography regularly or is it an informal practice? If they don't maybe this could be key..helping teachers make geography 'public'.

Steve

PS Just reading Johnston's new piece on TIBG. Relevant for this debate I think!

Andrew Lee wrote:
I spoke, some time ago to David Lambert, CEO of the Geographical Association, who expressed the need to make geography compelling at GCSE level. Sadly, however, whilst many children can be 'turned on' to geography at this stage, many can also be turned off it in primary and prep school where it can also, sometimes, be poorly taught. Good material, both written and in terms of television broadcasts, under the rubric of geography, are needed to lift the profile of the discipline. Of course there are some good examples available, but we could do with more. It is not the time to look down the nose at colleagues appealing to the popular market, but rather to share our enthusiasm for our discipline. =============================
Dr Andrew Lee FRGS
Head of Geography
Westminster Under School
Adrian House
Vincent Square
London SW1P 2NN

-- 
Steven Cummins MSc PhD
MRC Fellow
Department of Geography
Queen Mary, University of London
Mile End Road
London E1 4NS

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