Royal Patronage 1993

While in the GA archives at Solly Street at the start of the week, I came across some images of HRH Princess Anne meeting GA staff.

This was on the occasion of the 1993 Centenary Conference which was held in Sheffield. Simon Catling was President in that year.

In the second photo is former President Mike Morrish.

May also be Andrew Goudie in the picture as well.

Frances Soar filled in the details.

"These are press photos of HRH The Princess Royal, Frances Soar and Julia Legg at the GA Centenary Annual Conference, Sheffield 1993.  When the GA approached the Princess to be Patron of the GA, she (or her representative) wrote that because she only takes on this very significant role when she can devote sufficient time to do the job properly, she would have to decline. However, she offered to become Patron just for the Centenary year - and she was great in the role.  

I remember sending her lots of briefing notes about the GA, its history and its current activities.  She used the lot as part of her speech at the opening ceremony - but without consulting notes as she spoke! - and in chatting with us (as in the photo) knew exactly what she was talking about and to whom she was talking.  I was hugely impressed.  She is a real professional.  

There was a biography of HRH published shortly afterwards, which I bought because the GA got a mention in the list of patronages. 

Any other memories of the Royal visit welcome.

Lost in the Post - 23rd June 2009

'Lost in the Post' was the name of David Lambert's inaugural professorial lecture at the UCL Institute of Education. I helped with the presentation that David gave on the evening. A good evening down in London, with a reception to follow where I had the chance to speak to many of the names who are featured on this blog.

Published copies of the lecture are still available to purchase. 

Description:

In tandem with many schools embracing a post-disciplinary approach to the curriculum, geography itself seems to have fragmented, struggling for its identity and is, arguably, lost in the post.

This lecture posits that contemporary geography is a school subject of great significance and has a lot to offer children and young people growing up in a confusing, rapidly changing and dangerous world. Well-prepared teachers can use this subject in a way that contributes both to their own and their students' capabilities. Lambert argues that geography is re-emerging as a subject discipline for its times, both in academia and in the public realm. In the context of our collective need to more fully to understand human occupancy of the Earth, geography in schools has a new role to play.

Image: Copyright: UCL IoE

Past Presidents' reception

For some time, there was a tradition of Past Presidents and Long standing members' receptions to be held at the GA Conference. I have been present at one of these some years ago, well before the idea for this blog came about.

While down in the GA archives at 160 Solly Street, I came across a photo album. There were several pictures from the 1993 Centenary conference meeting in there. Here are a few of them.

Frances Soar gave me some further information on the context.

"This is a Past Presidents' reception at Sheffield in 1993, I think, as Simon Catling was President at the time. It could be the first time we had run a special reception for Past Presidents.  We introduced it in response to comments that Past Presidents (and other long serving members) would welcome a chance for a get together with their contemporaries rather than have to try and find them amongst all the other attendees, given that the 'sessions' were no longer their main aim in coming to Conference."

In the top image, Julia Legg - a GA administrator - is far left.

Frances also told me that: 

"Long serving GA staff member Margaret Vickers (standing, centre). Margaret used to do all the conference booking administration. She retired when we moved to Solly Street."

 

On the bottom images, Simon Catling on the far right is chatting to the guests.

Julia Legg is just behind Simon.

I can see Bill Mead in the background chatting to someone who may be Molly Long.

Thanks to Julia Legg, via Frances Soar for providing further details of the lady in the blue dress in both photos:

The person in the corner, full face, is Mary Ellis, who was Assistant Editor ( I think that was her job title) for 'Geography' for many years and came into Fulwood Road regularly. I think her husband was Ronald Ellis and he may too have been someone involved with geography and possibly the GA - maybe Hon. Secretary?

Mary Ellis later received Honorary Membership from former President Wendy Morgan.

If anyone can identify any other people, please let me know.

John Lyon

Alongside the Presidents, this blog also features other notable figures from the GA.

One of my best professional experiences was working with John Lyon for three years at Solly Street in Sheffield when I was the GA's Secondary Curriculum Development Leader during the 2nd half of the Action Plan for Geography.

John had a long career as a teacher in the Rotherham and Sheffield area, eventually becoming a Deputy Head in Anston, a place I visited regularly when I was at school as I had friends who lived there, and used to cycle over from my home in Wickersley. 

He worked as the GA's Programme Director, which meant he had oversight of many of the GA's activity strands, with an eye on the bigger picture. I was more the 'ideas man'... some of which were good :)

John was involved in a great many GA projects, whether coordinating them, or contributing to them. He has served on the moderating team for the GA's Quality Marks for many years as well. He was involved in a BECTa funded ICT project and the Making my Place in the World project - working with young people in Sheffield. He and I presented a number of times at GA Conference, including a session with Michael Solem from the AAG. He was also involved in the early stages of the I-USE project which was Erasmus funded.

He is one of the authors of the 'Progress in Geography' textbook published by Hodder.

He has contributed to GA journals over the years, and worked to write resources for a whole range of areas of the GA's work.

John is also the host of the GA's Podcast series, which has to date interviewed around 40 people and produced an hour long-ish discussion each time with supporting resources. Hunt out GeogPod, particularly the episodes where he interviews people such as Margaret Roberts.

You can listen to them on the GA website, or on all the usual streaming services such as Spotify.

Here he is on a Worldwise Weekend with Nick Lapthorn - another former GA President. He has been involved with Worldwise and the Worldwise Challenge for some time, and this led to involvement in the International Geography Olympiad eveents - iGEO.

John is a keen cyclist and runner, and lives high up in the Peak District in a perfect place to carry out these hobbies. He also acts as quiz master on the GA Conference quizzes which are very popular.

As mentioned, John was also one of the writers who worked on this textbook, of which I have a few copies in my classroom.

John also serves on the Physical Geography SIG. This is one of the GA's SIGs or Special Interest Groups.

Other memories of, and embarrassing stories about, John very welcome as always.

Association at Work - with Alan Kinder - image Bryan Ledgard

Images for Warrington

Another find from the GA Archives at Solly Street. In 1938, Thomas Cotterill Warrington was seemingly asking a whole range of GA volunteers to send him images from wherever they were travelling, or perhaps of specific locations for a book that he was compiling. I discovered a whole stack of replies to his request. This envelope was sent by Stanley Beaver, who was later to become GA President. At the time, the GA was based in Manchester as you can see from the address on the envelope.

This was labelled as mid-Severn. There were several pictures in the envelope, which also included pictures of Ironbridge Gorge from Stanley Beaver taken in 1938. Here's one below. The quality of reproduction is really good on these little prints.

Here is a letter from Percy Rowley, who was the Honorary Secretary of the Shewsbury and District Branch at the time, accompanying some images that he had provided.

And here are some images which were sent by James Fairgrieve, showing the South Wales valleys and coal mining villages.

I will return to these images on my next visit to Solly Street and investigate further.

Useful additional colour for the 'A Geographer's Gaze' project.

Thomas Cotterill Warrington was GA President from 1942-1945.

1988 Conference

One from the GA archives at 160 Solly Street, found on my recent visit...

Was anyone present at this lecture and remember it?

Global Learning Programme

The Global Learning Programme was a delayed iteration of an earlier project which was due to take place in 2011, but the funding was delayed as a result of government intervention ahead of a General Election. One unfortunate outcome of that was the loss of my job at the GA, which I had worked towards for many years, and had completed just three years before the trustees 

The Global Learning Programme (GLP) ran from 2013 to 2018 and was funded by the UK government. It achieved a great deal of success.

The GLP in England (GLP-E) was managed by a consortium of partners: 

Pearson (lead), 

Geographical Association, 

UCL Institute of Education, 

Oxfam UK, 

Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), 

SSAT and 

Think Global.

I applied for one of the senior positions on the project, and had an interview lined up when I received an offer of a teaching position, which I am still in, and which has outlasted the Global Learning Programme.

Aims of the Programme

• To help young people understand their role in a globally-interdependent world and explore strategies by which they can make it more just and sustainable.
• To familiarise them with concepts of interdependence, development, globalisation and sustainability.
• To move them from a charity mentality to a social justice mentality.
• To stimulate critical thinking about global issues both at a whole school and at student level.
• To promote greater awareness of poverty and sustainability.
• To enable schools to explore alternative models of development and sustainability in the classroom.

GA Worcester Branch Programme - 1978-9

 From the GA Archives at 160 Solly Street.

Down in the stacks

After over two years, I was able to head to Solly Street earlier in the week to do some of the research that I would otherwise have been doing throughout the creation of this blog.

In the 'basement' (although there are other lower floors) sit the rolling stacks which contain quite a bit of archive material which has so far been catalogued and placed into archival boxes and filing systems and given reference numbers. 

These include lots of papers and documents, including the W G V Balchin papers, which were used to help create the centenary volume published in 1993. 

I was able to find a number of books and other documents which will be added in to some of the existing posts, and also go towards new posts. Some very exciting finds. Here's a catalogue of Norwegian slides, probably taken from images taken by James Fairgrieve.

Sheila Jones Funeral - 15th July

Today is the funeral of Sheila Jones, who was the GA's oldest living former President until her passing in June. It will take place in her home city of Bristol. She was a great innovator and a trail blazer for other more recent female Presidents.

Lord George Carey (former Archbishop of Canterbury ) will conduct the service.

John and Jane Westaway (John is a former GA President) will represent the GA at the event.

Sheila requested “no flowers” please, but instead charity donations to St Peter’s Hospice Charlton Road, Brentry, BRISTOL BS10 6NL

Here is Sheila enjoying one of her other passions (apart from geography): cricket. She is at Lords and is the lady holding the umberella. Pat Cleverly (another former GA President) is on the far right of the photo.

Thanks to Jeremy Krause for the images and for making the introductions to Sheila a year or two ago as part of this blog project, which gave me the chance to enjoy a number of conversations with Sheila where she shared her memories of her time with the GA.

I shall raise a glass to Sheila tonight.

2019: Gill Miller

Gill Miller is Senior Lecturer Emerita at the University of Chester. 
She has had a long association with the GA, and been involved in a number of committees and SIGs, and is particularly involved in the promotion of the GA's activity in Wales, and  support for Welsh teachers. 

Her Presidential theme was an important one: "Geography Really Matters!".

As the GA's Conference moved online, Gill's Presidential lecture was also the one that has been viewed by the most people and continues to be viewed. She has been a regular attendee of the Association at Work day, which formed part of GA Conferences for many years and features in many of Bryan Ledgard's photos of those events.

Reference: 2020 Miller, G. Geography really matters! Teaching Geography, 45,2, Summer 2020 

Gill's lecture can be viewed here  on the GA's YouTube channel for those who may not have seen it. 

It would also be a good idea to show students during options time to encourgage them to take their geography studies further.

 

The following information was kindly provided by Gill via the Google Form that I set up for all those Presidents who were still able to get in touch.

Gill was born in Tynemouth in 1953. 

She told me:

"It was called Northumberland in those days. Now it’s North Tyneside. I migrated regularly between England and Scotland during my school life. When I was 7 we moved to Milngavie, at the northern outskirts of Glasgow and now the start of the West Highland Way. Then to Surrey, in time to do the 11+ in a small village school with a tiny, freezing outdoor swimming pool. Then back to Bearsden in Glasgow, back to Surrey and finally landing ‘home’ in Tynemouth. Along the way, I had some interesting experiences in the Scottish and English styles of education, notably the rote learning and strict regimes in Scotland. But it was the 1960s!"

"I studied for a BSc in Geography at University of Liverpool, then on to complete a PGCE at St Katherine's College, now part of Hope University. Years later in 2004-5 I returned to Liverpool for an MA in Globalisation and Development, which set me up for my post at Chester University. How much geography had changed in those intervening decades!"

On her career, Gill said:

"What a privilege to have had such a wonderful career. I very rarely got up in the morning not wanting to go to work. In my first post at Upton-by-Chester High I was spurred on by passionate environmentalists and a very supportive Head. I was Head of Geography for a year at Tarporley High before becoming a rather young deputy head there, leading the sixth form. In each post I enjoyed the freedom to try new ideas, especially developing fieldwork, and thrived on students becoming as enthusiastic about geography as I was. 

After our children were born, I lectured at West Cheshire College, teaching A level geography in one year to re-sit students and also a night class with students aged 25 to 70. How hard those students worked and how committed they were! We focused on understanding the really important concepts and understandings and it was a great pleasure to see them applying their own experiences to the geography of the real world. 

I also developed geography modules for the Access course; more pleasure in guiding hesitant late-comers to education and see them flourish as they applied to university. The final stage of my career was a dream role as Programme Leader for International development at the University of Chester. 

I also developed various geography modules such as Emerging Nations, which became the basis for one on my text books. My research area was health in the developing world, and in particular, ageing; the health and welfare of the elderly in Ghana. The caricature of young populations is now out of date, but many countries in the global south still have to address the needs of their ageing populations, in particular conditions such as dementia, diabetes, and other incapacities. As the traditional developing country model of intergenerational living is changing, so older people become more exposed to abandonment and lack of care. 

I became involved with moderating and examining A level Geography when I was at West Cheshire. I met Glennis Copnall, then Chief Examiner for Edexcel A level who went on to work for Ofqual and Curriculum Lead for Geography in Wales. She has been my friend and mentor ever since. Through Glennis I had several writing opportunities, with commissioned work from the Welsh Government. 

I think my most significant work was editing the Atlas for Wales, published with OUP in 2007, which was given to every member of the Senedd and every secondary school in Wales. Preparing the Welsh edition was interesting, especially in find the right translation for geographical terminology. It was a great thrill when the Atlas received Highly Commended at the GA conference in 2009. While I was closely associated with Edexcel geography I led many CPD courses. 

My favourite and most rewarding was ‘Teaching A-level for the first time’. I took so many of these days, and had such a great time giving young teachers the confidence to teach in depth, facing potentially critical 6th form students. If I was to leave one message for them it would be that learning about geography is a shared endeavour. Teachers don’t have to know all the answers, but we can explore and analyse together to increase our knowledge. 

 In 2005 I became Chief examiner of A level World Development. 

We transformed this subject and examination which became enthusiastically received by students, teachers and parents alike. It enabled young people to explore the current environmental and development issues which concerned them, and was really relevant as well as demanding. Sadly we were forced to withdraw the exam in 2016 – a great loss to the sixth form curriculum, but I console myself with the knowledge that several generations of students now have a mature and knowledgeable understanding of the issues facing the world in the 21st Century.

Other than that, over the last 20 years I have written a fair few articles for Geography Review, books about fieldwork, skills and synoptic case studies. I regularly go to GA branches to give lectures – always a delight when I get a second invitation!"

What was your job when you became President? 

"I joined the President’s quartet the year I retired from lecturing at Chester University."

"I have served on the post 16/HE Phase committee for several years, many as Editor of Geog Matters, the annual Post 16/HE newsletter / magazine. It’s an informal conduit for teachers and students to share what they are doing and disseminate case studies, classroom activities and student feedback. 

Colleagues on Post 16/HE were very supportive of my President appointment and one colleague immediately suggested the newsletter as a conference theme. It was only a few moments later that ‘Geography really matters!’ was born. And what a great theme it proved to be. I have a reputation as a forthright speaker, and this theme is me, it’s in my bones: geography really does matter to us all, in every walk of life. It helps us navigate our environment and the economic, social, political and cultural influences we place on it. 

My connections to Welsh Geography reached the dizzy heights of GA HQ and I was summoned to discuss the desirablility of forming a Wales Special Interest Group. We launched at conference in 2012 and since then a small group of us have ‘spread the word’ about the GA in Wales and tried to support Welsh teachers. Our annual bilingual WelshWise quiz has encouraged many teams to find out more about the geography of Wales. Why not test yourselves – all the quizzes are on the GA website here. 

The Wales Geography Forum provides for open discussion with colleagues from all corners of the country. Our latest contribution is to provide curriculum scaffolds for themes in the new Curriculum for Wales."

"Why does the GA matter? It’s a great place to commune with like-minded individuals who share the same passion. It’s also a wonderful way to give something back, to support young teachers and students and encourage them to love geography too. I nearly fell off my chair when I was given the GA Award for excellence in 2013! Geography is sometimes under pressure from the educational trends of the time, so we need a strong voice to represent the geography community at local and national levels. And of course the GA is a place where we never stop learning. There’s always something new and relevant in geography to challenge and excite. 

Conference is a highlight of the year, but being able to contribute in other ways such as GEO or in publications, is very rewarding."

What would you say were the successes / main memories of your GA Presidential year? 

"I would like to think that people ‘got the message’ and that they took to heart that geography really matters! I’m aware that my lecture on Youtube, or bits of it, is still used to encourage students to take geography. I think it helped the geography community come together, and to feel that we’re all involved in a subject which has value and relevance. 

The posters we produced are still available for teachers to help them advocate for geography. 

I added them to LivingGeography so that they can be downloaded.

In governance terms, one success was in encouraging GA trustees to be proactive critical friends of the Association. We changed the governance structure to separate President from Chair of Trustees. In so doing, by sharing the workload, the presidential leadership is more manageable for practising teachers, not just academics or retireds! 

The GA should have leaders from within the profession and I look forward to more practising teachers leading us with their vision and expertise. 

"In August 2017 I joined the Chief Executive at a meeting at Scottish RGS in Perth, with the RGS and SAGT. What wonderful headquarters they have! We had a constructive discussion to work more collaboratively in future. This has yet to bear much fruit but I live in hope." 

On former GA Presidents:

"I knew Michael Bradford - he was always so encouraging, inclusive and generous with his time. Hazel Barrett was our external examiner for IDS at Chester. Hugely supportive. She came to the UN in Geneva with our students during her last year and had a great time. She did some great research on FGM, in the Somali population in Bristol. 

Professional Associations and committees 

2019 - Member, SAGT

2012 - Chair, Special Interest Group for Wales, GA committee 

2012 - Chair, Special Interest Group on Transitions into Higher Education, for the Higher Education Authority – GEES (Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences) 

2007 - Member/Fellow of Royal Geographical Society 

2009 - Development Studies Association 

2008 - Committee member GA Post 16- Higher Education group 

2007 Member RGS Development Areas Research Group (DARG) 

2001 - Geographical Association (GA) 

2013 - Trustee of Five Talents, microfinance NGO 

2013 - Trustee of Field Studies Council 

2008 - Trustee of Mines Advisory Group (MAG), an international NGO. 

2009 - Member, Chester World Development Forum

Work for Accrediting Bodies 

2014 - QAA member of Subject Benchmark Statement (Geography) review group. 

2014 - University of Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate: External Reviewer of International A-level in Geography. 

2003 - Chief Examiner of A level World Development Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC) 

2012 - Consultant for OCR A level Geography 

2007 - 2008 Consultant for WJEC new A level 

2005 - 2009 External Advisor for Higher Tier Geography International Baccalaureate 

2004 - 2009 Senior Examiner, Advanced Extension Paper, Geography WJEC: 

1998 - 2002 Chief Examiner, Principal Examiner Edexcel Specification A Geography 4. Consultancy 2018 - 2020 Welsh Government, Curriculum for Wales Humanities Stakeholder group 

2012 - Higher Education consultant for WJEC A level Geography 

2012 - Higher Education consultant for OCR A level Geography 

2009 - Visit to Mines Advisory Group (MAG) to review work in progress in Lebanon. 

2009 - Resolve International NGO. External consultant 

2008 - UCAS Subject panel consultant. 

2008 - UCAS/Scottish Advanced and Highers: Tariff Expert group panel 

2007 - National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) Key Stage Three Geography assessment materials for QCA. 

2004 - Qualifications and Curriculum Authority. Performance Descriptors for A level World Development 

2002 – 2004 - Field Studies Council staff training: Requirements for fieldwork in A level Geography 

Publications 

2020 Miller, G. Geography really matters! Teaching Geography, 45,2, Summer 2020 

2020 Miller, G. Geography really matters! Primary Geographer, 103, 6-7 Autumn 2020 

2017 Miller, G. Global Education Report: So far, so good. Must try harder, Geography Review 29.(tba) 2017 Miller, G. One nation India: the challenges of forging a national identity, Geography Review 29.(tba) 

2016 Whaller, R, Adams, C, Miller, G and Schultz, D. Encouraging students to read beyond the core text, Teaching Geography, 41.3, pp103-106. 

2016 Miller, G. Water shortages in Sao Paulo, Geography Review 29.3. 

2015 Miller, G. what is microfinance? Geography Review 28.3. 

2014 Miller, G. Development and traditional societies: the case of the Jarawa, Geography Review 28.1 2014 Miller, G. Do big media campaigns work? Geography Review 27.3 

2013 Miller, G. Development and the Media, Geography Review 27.1 

2013 Miller, G. The remnants of war, Geography Review, 26.3 

2013 Miller, G. Education for Citizenship: Community engagement between the Global South and the Global North, In Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 37.1 

2013 Miller, G & Elman, E. Improving the quality of education: Kenya’s next challenge, Geography, 98.1. 

2012 Miller, G. Tata: the giant family firm, Geography Review, 26.1 

2012 Miller, G., Bourn. D and Bowes, E. Learning about development at A level A study of the impact of the world development a level on young people’s understanding of international development, Institute of Education, Development Education Research Report no.7 

2012 Miller, G, Brace. S and Walkington H. GEES Transitions Special Interest Group report, Higher Education Academy 

2012 Ribchester, C, Wakefield, K and Miller, G. Examining the impact of pre-Induction online social networking on the student experience, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 36.3 

2011 Miller, G. Delhi and the Commonwealth Games, Geography Review, 25. 2 

2011 Miller, G. Health in Ghana, Geography Review, 24. 4 

2010 Miller, G and Warn, S. Emerging Superpowers: China and India, Geographical Association. Sheffield 

2007 ‘Atlas for Wales’ OUP. Oxford. Commissioned by Department of Education, Welsh Assembly and Welsh Joint Education Committee (WJEC) 

2007 Changing Wales: the new economy’, a DVD / text of 5 programmes for GCSE, GNVQ and A level Geography. Commissioned by Department of Education, Welsh Assembly, Tinopolis, Llanelli. 

2005 Miller, G and Holmes, D. Welsh Landscapes: skills in practice Key Stage 3 Birchfield Interactive, Cardiff (Commissioned by Department of Education of the Welsh Assembly) 

2005 Multiple Choice questions for AS and A2 Geography, Curriculum Press, London 

2004 On-line A level examination resources, Hodder and Stoughton, London 

2003 AS Landmark Geography 2nd edition with R. Prosser, V. Bishop and M Raw. Collins Educational 2002 Miller, G and Lane, C. Synoptic Exercises for A level Geography, Hodder and Stoughton, London 2000 Miller, G. Fieldwork Ideas in Action Hodder and Stoughton, London 

1999 Miller, G.‘The Global Economic System’ and ‘The Development Process’ in G.Copnall (ed) People Production and Environment. Hodder and Stoughton, London 9.

Conference presentations 

2011 Global Health conference, University of Edinburgh, Centre for African Studies: Developing policies for health and welfare of the elderly in Ghana. 

2011 International Medical Geography Symposium, University of Durham: Developing policies for health and welfare of the elderly in Ghana. 

2011 Royal Geographical Society annual conference: Health and Ageing in Ghana 

2011 British Population Studies conference, University of York: Developing policies for health and welfare of the elderly in Ghana. 

2010 Royal Geographical Society/Institute of British Geographers: Community engagement between the Global North and the Global South 

2010 Geographical Association conference: Introducing new book series Top Spec Geography 

2009 University of Chester staff conference: Engaging new students before induction using social networking. With C. Ribchester. 

2009 Royal Geographical Society/Institute of British Geographers Sixth Form study day: Investigating population change and migration. 

2009 Shropshire branch of Geographical Association, Shrewsbury School; Environmental globalisation: 2008 Royal Geographical Society /Institute of British Geographers: Exploring student learning experiences when incorporating digital newsfilm into the undergraduate curriculum. With D. France. 2008 – 2012 Developing Areas Research Group of the RGS: Development Studies at A level 

2008 Geographical Association: the new A level in World Development 

2008 Chester World Development Forum AGM lecture: China in Africa 

2007 & 2008 Cirencester College ‘Aim Higher’ conference, 

2007 University of Chester staff conference; A levels and the school – HE transition 

2008 North Staffordshire branch of Geographical Association, University of Staffordshire: Food wars; food security 

2008 University of Chester - Connections career teachers conference International Development Studies 2008 NEWI Careers conference; Geography at university 

2008 Neston High School; Food wars and Studying Geography at Chester; 

2002 – 2012 INSET courses for teachers in London / Cardiff / Chester on A level Geography and World Development

As always, if anyone has further memories of Gill's association with the GA, please get in touch.

National Strategies

GA colleagues were part of the development of support during the early 2000s.

At the time, I worked with 'The Guardian' to write reviews of software and also worked at the BETT Show for about 4 years in a row, and wrote the Geography preview for their special supplement. I remember handing these out to delegates from the DfE stand at the time. Came across this while sorting out some cupboards at school earlier in the week.

David Gardner

The blog has shared stories of numerous individuals who have been involved with the GA over the years. The latest to be mentioned here is David Gardner. Here he is presenting at an event at the GA HQ in Sheffield in the Patrick Bailey Room.

He has worked on a number of projects and publications, drawing on his experience of working with QCA and also as an experienced and prolific author of textbooks and other resources. 

From David's LINKEDIN biography:

For 6 years he led and managed major curriculum and research projects as part of his work at the QCDA. Before that he was the author of various textbooks, teacher guides, and websites for a range of publishers and subjects including geography, history and ICT. David has 28 years experience as a teacher of geography, history, and ICT. 

From 2011 to 2014 David led PGCE Geography at Goldsmiths University, and was Senior Lecturer in PGCE Geography at UCL Institute of Education, from 2014 until August 2018. From July 2012 to February 2013 he was also subject leader for PGCE Geography at the Open University. David is a freelance educational consultant.

As senior advisor at QCA/QCDA he led for the subject two national curriculum reviews - primary and secondary, the development of new GCSE and GCE qualifications.

David has also extensive experience of working with teachers to develop curriculum around the world leading workshops in a range of countries including Kazakhstan, India, South Africa, Indonesia, Jordan and Kuwait, UAE and Singapore.

His most recent substantial project is the KS3 Hodder book 'Progress in Geography' with associated support materials. I also have a copy of his pack produced by Heinemann many years ago called 'ICT Activities in Geography'. If you see a map of Scarborough in a book it's probably been written by David.

David also wrote the accompanying 'Skills' book for the Hodder series which won a GA Award this year.

2018: Stephen Scoffham

Dr. Stephen Scoffham's professional work has been in the area of Primary Geography, and he has a long association with Canterbury Christchurch University, where he is currently Visiting Reader in Sustainability & Education.

He is also involved in a number of campaigns which look to advance the place of geography at this key stage. He serves on the Steering Group of the Humanities 20:20 group, for example.

Stephen's Presidential Address was on the theme of 'Celebrating Geography'.

I have used and referred to a great many of Stephen's books and resources over the years, and this book with Paula Owens has been of particular value when preparing some KS2 work of my own for colleagues as part of our curriculum developments for the coming academic year.

One of the first times I met Stephen was in around 2006 when I worked on a project with David Lambert to develop some atlases for Collins as part of the GA's consultancy work.

 I still use those Atlases in my own classroom, and enjoyed the process of discussing how to make sure the atlases didn't stay on the shelves as much as they normally did.

The following 'biography' was written by Stephen himself and taken from a number of sources.

Initially a primary school teacher, Stephen worked for many years as a teacher educator before taking up the post of Visiting Reader in Sustainability and Education at Canterbury Christ Church University. 

Stephen is an established author of geography teaching materials and one of a very small number of author/consultants for school atlases. 

With well over a million sales, Stephen's publications have been used in many different parts of the world and translated into languages as disparate as Georgian, Hebrew, Gaelic and Portuguese (Brazil). He served for many years as the GA’s publication officer and devised two different editions of its best-selling publication – the Primary Geography Handbook. During his Presidential year he also started a 'tradition' followed by other recent GA Presidents of engaging more with committees and special interest groups and attending meetings - he came to several Secondary Phase Committee meeting while I was secretary, for example.

He joins a number of other GA Presidents in the million-selling club. I have a way to go to reach that yet...

Deeply aware of the dangers of global warming and sustainability issues, Stephen focused his presidential year on contemporary challenges and argued for new and positive approaches using ‘celebrating geography’ as a unifying theme.

Stephen was brought up in Hertfordshire and went to St Albans School before studying philosophy and history at the University of Kent. After training as a teacher, he took up a post as the leader of a research project into urban environmental education. It was here that he developed his ideas about outdoor learning and the value of first-hand experience. As Schools’ Officer for the Canterbury Urban Studies Centre Stephen pioneered new approaches to using the school environment as a teaching resource. 

He then joined Canterbury Christ Church University as a tutor in primary education where his interest in learning, creativity and international understanding provided a rich foil for his ideas about geography education.

Stephen has travelled widely in Europe and Asia. 

He lived for a while in Istanbul after graduating before journeying on foot with friends across the Anatolian plateau – a distance of some 500 miles. As a university tutor he led study visits to south India for over a decade inspiring groups of teacher educators and leaving them with indelible experiences of different ways of living. 

More recently Stephen has directed his attention towards promoting sustainability awareness in academic life, writing about sustainability leadership and pioneering practical initiatives. A sense of place and a sensitivity to the environment pervades all these different endeavours. And his interest in the surroundings, both urban and rural, is something he pursues as a hobby as an enthusiastic walker, gardener and photographer.

In recent years, Stephen has been part of the project team for the Meaningful Maps project.

This explores how young people conceptualise their surroundings. Some of the students at my own school were involved in the early stages of the project, submitting their own maps, and work is ongoing to produce research papers and other outcomes from the project exploring young children's cartographical imaginations.

Stephen was also very helpful to me during my time as Junior Vice President, as he was the Past President during that time, and helped me with the responsibilities and chatted through some of his own experiences to help me get used to the role. This is all part of the Presidential 'journey' which those who put themselves forward for Presidency are taken on. 

References
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stephen_Scoffham

https://www.routledge.com/authors/i19629-stephen-scoffham

Meaningful Maps: http://meaningfulmaps.org/

As with some recent Presidents, Stephen has a Twitter account.

Image copyright: Bryan Ledgard / Geographical Association

Numerous books - too many to list here.
SCOFFHAM, S. Using the School's surroundings:A Guide to Local Studies in Urban Schools Guildford Ward Lock 1980

He has also co-authored many books with other Primary colleagues including Paula Owens.

As always, memories of Stephen's time as GA President welcome...

Sandwich Geography

I came across this article which amusingly explored the idea of the sandwich course.

This was a phrase used some years ago to describe a course which included a year in between studying for an overseas placement, or an industry placement to add a vocational element. Several of the degrees at Huddersfield Polytechnic followed this structure. 

This is an article from 1981 which takes the idea of how the phrase might be misunderstood, and is written by David Barker from the University of the West Indies in Jamaica, who thought it interesting that Lanchester Polytechnic in Coventry was offering:

"the only sandwich geography degree courses in the UK"

It wonders what the content of such a degree course might be, and what jobs graduates might be expecting to get when they finish.

There is some historical geography perhaps on the origins of the sandwich, and an exploration of what is called 'gastrogeography'. There could be a look at regional dialect variations on the phrase. My grandad would take his 'snap tin' down the mine with him. There's also the 'dagwood': the name for a multi layered sandwich. You could also consider national variations such as the Scandinavian open sandwich.

This would then move onto the social relations of production of the sandwich.

The Rank Size Rule is also brought into this, and it finishes with the hexagonal sandwiches preferred by Christaller.

Source

Barker, David. “Sandwich Geography: A Bread and Butter Course?” Area, vol. 13, no. 3, 1981, pp. 242–244. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/20001731. Accessed 5 July 2021.

OFSTED Research Review - GA Presidential connections

I mentioned the OFSTED Research Review a week or so ago, and the heavy involvement of former GA Presidents in its content.

This reminds people perhaps of the ongoing work that the GA does in the area of policy and also the link with research that many Presidents have been involved in over the decades.

Presidents referenced in the report include the following, with the number of references added:

- Professor Simon Catling - 9

- John Halocha - 2

- Fran Martin - 9

- Steve Rawlinson - 2

- John Hopkin - 2

- Norman Graves

- Gill Miller

- Patrick Bailey

- Halford MacKinder

- Eleanor Rawling - 2

- Mary Biddulph - 6

- Margaret Roberts

Some other GA stalwarts, and those with GA connections mentioned include:

- Rachel Bowles

- Tessa Willy

- Clare Brooks

- David Lambert

- Liz Taylor

- Steve Pickering

- Doreen Massey

- Simon Renshaw

- Phil Wood

- Alan Kinder

- Lauren Hammond

- David Balderstone

- Paula Owens

- Nicola Walshe

- Grace Healy

- Trevor Bennetts

- Charles Rawding

- John Morgan

- Bill Marsden

- Simon Oakes

- Charlotte Milner

- Steve Puttick

- Alastair Bonnett

- Richard Bustin

- Jane Ferretti

- David Hicks

- Paul Weeden

- Jane Whittle

- Jennifer Hill

- Mark Jones

- Anthony Barlow

- Linda Thompson

Streamflow Model

This review of an early piece of computer software, created for the BBC, was featured in 'Teaching Geography'. It came out in 1986.

This product was a set of three programs: a simulation model for storm hydrographs, river data analysis package, and a statistical package. It was designed for 'A' level students.

The creators were Steve Hanstock, who was my own GCSE and 'A' level geography teacher at Wickersley Comprehensive and David Butcher, who was my tutor in my final year at Huddersfield Polytechnic. Tim Burt was my original tutor but left during the final year of my course. We have met each other periodically since, and he is still very active in the Field Studies Council.

Reference

“Software Reviews in Teaching Geography.” Teaching Geography, vol. 12, no. 5, 1987, pp. 232–232. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23751771. Accessed 25 June 2021.

The review editor at the time was John Chubb.