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Page 5 - Ways to improve geography teaching
Implement Geography for Life: National Geography Standards
Concern over lack of geographical knowledge in the United States has been expressed by all branches of government. Geography is included among the core subjects in the Goals 2000 program to improve United States education. As a result of this initiative and others, national geography standards have been published and are being voluntarily adopted around the country. These geography standards are benchmarks against which the content of geography courses at all grade levels can be measured. Standards will affect the education of all children in the United States, and they should be a part of your school's program.
Encourage geography learning
Nation-wide geography contests such as the NCGE's National Geography Olympiad and the National Geographic Geography Bee offer geography students the opportunity for recognition. Students in your school(s) should have an opportunity to participate in the contests.
Work with teachers to make geography an integral part of the total educational package. Encourage the use of suitable maps and the introduction of application geography concepts in history, economics, government, biology, and other classes where they can enhance students' learning opportunities.
Encourage school decision-makers and teachers to set aside certain days or weeks for the study of specific geographic areas such as a state or region within the United States or a foreign country or region. Activities might include preparing posters and maps, presenting facts about the area, or bringing typical articles such as clothing, handicrafts, or foods to school. Foreign-born students can be encouraged to present information about their homeland. Outside speakers could be invited to talk about certain countries, as well.
Hire qualified teachers
Look for teachers with formal geography training; do not assume that any teacher can pick up enough geography to teach the subject. Teachers with training in geography should know their subject and should be enthusiastic about teaching it. Would you hire a teacher with no math courses to teach math? Why hire teachers without geography training to teach geography.
Provide opportunities for teachers to upgrade their geography knowledge
There are many ways for teachers with a limited geography background to improve their knowledge or for those with training to stay abreast of new developments. Every state has a state geographic alliance, with produces teaching materials and holds meetings, training sessions, and summer institutes on geography teaching. Encourage geography teachers to become affiliated with the state geographic alliance (alliance coordinators and addresses may be obtained from N.G.S., Geography Education Program, 1145 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036-4688). Encourage teachers to enroll for summer or evening courses in geography at a local university, college, or community college. Make sure school libraries subscribe to important publications for geography education such as NCGE's Journal of Geography and the Pathways in Geography Series.
Insure that geography classes have proper equipment
All classrooms where geography is taught should be equipped with up-to-date globes, atlases, and wall maps of the world, the United States, and world regions or continents. Simple maps and atlases will do for lower grades, but middle and high school classrooms require more advanced materials. Depending on the grade level and the type of geography being taught, flat maps of various types such as United State Geological Survey topographic quadrangles may be needed. A modern geography classroom should also be equipped with at least one computer with appropriate programs. For lower grades, this might include simple computer geography games and map programs. For upper grade levels more complex programs with mapping and database manipulation functions and network access are needed.
Make learning geography interesting and exciting for student
Encourage teachers to use creative approaches to teaching geography. Use examples from the school area in teaching and for student projects. For example, geography students might make maps showing local flood plain areas, indicating the directions in which the city or town is growing or showing land uses along highways or major streets as an aid to understanding how cities develop. In class, games can be created to help students learn to identify places on a map or to identify areas that are in the news such as Japan, Mexico, or Bosnia. Hold a school district or regional geography fair to encourage students to explore geographical topics in depth.
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