The Salina (Kansas) Journal reports on the positive aspects of teaching geography in schools as part of social studies. The article also talks about the benefits of the discipline, including career opportunities. What do you think? Share your thoughts by clicking "comments" below.
Teaching Geography is a "Lifelong Thing, Not a Set of Statistics"
By Matt Rosenberg, About.com GuideApril 4, 2006
Explore Geography
Comments
Geography should be included in all lessons. Each classroom should have on display large maps of the United States and the Earth along with a globe. There is always something in all subjects that could be associated with a geographic location: countries, cities, birthplaces, mountains, etc. Adding geography would help the students who need visual teaching.
Geography is one of a continuum of disciplines that need to be taught. Ethnology, economics, geology, cartography, oceanography, and others all fit into geography to a greater or lesser extent. How nice it would be if we all had a better understanding of the world around us.
We live in a global society with world news available at our fingertips in a moment’s notice. All people should have a basic knowledge of geography, but especially our children as we prepare them to work and live in the world. I teach 7th grade world geography and in my state, it is only required for one semester. My students would benefit from a year long course to prepare them for other social studies courses down the road.
I teach a one semester class on Geography at the high school level, it really helps get the kids set up for World History. One semester though is much too short – a year would be better. With a year the students could do more digging into a place with all of the 5 themes. A lifetime is not enough – I can only hope that I pique their curiosity.
I teach a two-semester geography class for a 7th/8th split. We cover the five themes, etc, in these two semesters, and follow with one semester of World History. I’ve found this really seems to catch their attention and prepare them for history.
Unfortunately people with the ‘knowledge’ of geography – people who know there is a distinction between physical and human geography, between regional and systematic geography and know the names of Hartshorne, Davis, Chorley and Haggart – are retiring from universities, colleges and schools not only in the US but also in Australia. The void is not being filled because school curricila are being compressed to include more and more subjects. Hence, in Australia, students once studied History, Geography and/or Citizenship Education. Now they study one subject – Study of Society and Environments – taught by teachers who know no better because that is what they were taught.
Fortunately there is GIS which, because it is directly employment related, may sustain the subject but what if it is being taught by the Maths or Technology departments?
I teach a full year course of Geography to 9th graders in Texas. This is the best subject to teach! We study every aspect of a region and get to learn about their unusual cultures, eating habits, etc… My favorite video is of Koreans eating live octopus where the octopus is grabbing their chins, noses, trying to get back out. Our students desperately need to know that the American way is not the only way or always the right way. Memorizing capitals and statistics are not the focus in my room. Those change and can be referenced when needed. I try to help my students see the big picture of the world and why it is the way it is. I love showing them pictures of places they can only imagine going to one day.