You’ve just invested in new resources for the 2016 GCSE and A Level specifications. Now what? Head of Geography Kate Stockings suggests some ways to get the most out of your textbooks. Nationwide, geography departments seem to be in similar positions: a pile of new textbooks (hard-fought to get!), a crazy amount of content to […]
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As we started the second term of the academic year, my focus with the A Level geographers turned to the Coasts topic of the new Edexcel A Level specification. As any teachers of the new specifications will know, both the amount of content and the rigour has hugely increased – creating new challenges of how […]
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I am currently completing a part-time Masters degree in Geography Education at the Institute of Education, UCL. The module I am currently studying is entitled ‘What is Education’ and asks students to consider the ‘big questions’ of what education is for, both now and in the future. Whilst the assignment does not need to be […]
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Having completed my NQT year, I returned this September with plenty of changes that I wanted to make- both to my classroom routines and my teaching. One particular focus for me this year was encouraging students (of ALL ages) to ‘speak like a geographer’. Previously, my focus on key words and sophisticated language had been […]
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I find my school a very exciting place to be in the run up to Christmas. Whilst the concerts, plays, presents, and games all add to the atmosphere, I think it is also important to strike a balance between fun Christmassy lessons and worthwhile learning, especially during the last week of term. I would like […]
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If you are keen to engage and extend pupils in geography, outside of the constraints of the curriculum, then you may be considering setting up an extra-curricular geography club, or ‘GeogSoc’, as it is known at my school. I read recently that heads of university admissions are placing more value on extra-curricular activities than they […]
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Open days/mornings/evenings are a chance to showcase the great work you do in your department: the event may be aimed at potential GCSE/A Level candidates or it may be for prospective pupils (and their parents) who are entirely new to the school. Whatever the audience here are five ideas to help you make the most […]
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You probably saw the announcement over the summer that geography has seen the biggest rise in popularity of any subject at A Level , prompting articles from the TES and the Guardian praising the subject. With geography attracting all this attention and with specification changes underway at both GCSE and A Level it seems a good time to re-consider what our subject is about and why it matters. It is also a […]
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When I ask my students what they particularly struggle with when it comes to exam preparation I frequently hear the exasperated reply: “case studies!” Some of the geographers I teach, especially in years 10 and 11, feel overwhelmed when they reach the end of a topic (or an entire course) with the realisation that they […]
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