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Teaching Geography
“Geography embraces every fact on earth: every aspect of the composition, occupation and history of the planet. ... As such, geography knows no intellectual boundaries. It deserves to sit at the center of any liberal education…Without a clear grounding in the known characteristics of the Earth, the physical sciences are mere game playing, and the social sciences mere ideology…Geography should be declared a core.” (Simon Jenkins, Times, 1990)
“The function of geography in school is to train future citizens to imagine accurately the conditions of the great world stage and so to help them think sanely about political and social problems in the world around.” (Fairgrieve, 1926)
“A baby learning to crawl is already developing an understanding of physical geography”
(Tina Bruce, 2000)
“A sound knowledge of geography is essential in understanding and appreciating who we are and how we got here: but it is just as important in helping us determine where we are going and what our quality of life will be in the future. ... ” (Spencer Christian, 1995)
“Geography Education of our youth is one of our nation’s top priorities. ... ” (Senator John Glenn)
The development of Geography as a subject for academic study has been a slow and continuous outgrowth of man’s search for knowledge. Geography is defined in terms of its constituent terms of “geo” meaning earth and “graphy” meaning a process of writing on a subject. ... Geography in America is a relatively new subject in our school system. Not until 1957, when the world began to change rapidly with space explorations and an outcry began for educational reforms, did educators begin to improve the position of geography in school curriculums in America. In the 1970’s and 80’s geography was finally considered a subject of serious academic study in public schools. One hundred years after the founding of the National Geographic Society in 1888 experts and professionals sat at a table together to decry the poor state of geography education in our nation’s schools. ... The key to better geography education is teacher training.
Approximate Word count = 1705
Approximate Pages = 6.8
(250 words per page double spaced)
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