50 years of Teaching Geography journal

I've previously blogged about the origins of Teaching Geography journal under its first editor Patrick Bailey.

The current editor: Richard Bustin reflects on the 50th anniversary of the journal and how it has changed in the most recent Spring 2025 issue.

It includes a nice summary of the development of the journal by former GA President Richard Daugherty.

We are all Gravesian

 Earlier this week was Norman Graves' 100th birthday, as mentioned in a previous post.

John Morgan has written a piece on the enduring importance of his work for those involved in curriculum design and teacher education for the GERECO blog. This blog has infrequent posts, but they are always worth reading.

GEReCo is the Geography Education Research Collective / UK Commission on Geographical Education of the International Geographical Union

Members are listed here. Some very well known names there, including former GA Presidents.

Primary Geography Journal - Spring 2025

The theme for this issue, edited by Ben Ballin, is the Geography of Togetherness. 

I am very pleased to have an article in this issue on this theme. 

Thanks to Ben for asking me to contribute some time ago. 

Subscribers can now download the digital issue and print copies will be arriving shortly. There are some other excellent pieces in this issue too as always, including a lovely contribution by Sharon Witt and Helen Clarke and also a personal piece from Steve Rawlinson on the loss of the Sycamore Gap tree.

In my article I talk about rural and urban ex/inclusion of certain groups and offer some suggestions of projects that might be of interest to explore this topic with pupils.

RGS / GA Festival of Geography

Do you like festivals? Course you do...

Like geography? Of course - love it!

How about a Festival of Geography! Yes please!

The Festival of Geography brings together colleagues from the Royal Geographical Society and Geographical Association (GA) for a joint celebration of geographical knowledge and understanding.

This special event is an opportunity for teachers at all stages to come together and share their passion for geography. Over a full day, attend sessions on creative and practical ideas for the classroom and get subject updates from experts in the field.

The day is bookended with sessions from the GA and RGS-IBG on the future of geography teaching and its value as a subject for students of all ages.

The festival consists of a full day of talks and workshops held live at the RGS-IBG in London on 16 June 2025.

Programme

• 10.00 - Welcome
• 10.15 - Geography: the Big Picture (Steve Brace, GA Chief Executive)
• 10.45 - Keynote lecture: Mark Maslin (University College London)
• 11.30 - Tea and coffee
• 11.45 - Creative curriculum ideas (Fiona Sheriff)
• 12.45 - Lunch
• 13.30 - Practical fieldwork ideas (Chloë Searl)
• 14.30 - Tea and coffee
• 14.45 - Subject knowledge sessions (Anjana Khatwa and guest)
• 15.45 - Choose Geography: embedding careers education into your teaching (Alan Parkinson, VP Education Royal Geographical Society)
• 16.15 - Close

Full details and a booking link can be found on this link.

I hope to see many of you down at the 'Home of Geography' for this special event...

It's really good to have a joint event again. 

I was part of the Action Plan for Geography team - at a time when we used to work more closely together. 

GA President 2026-27 - an election has been called

An election has been called to elect the GA President who will follow Catherine Owen as GA President, and serve for 2026-7.

Voting will close on Friday 28 February 2025.

Nominations have been received for Kit Marie Rackley and Fiona Sheriff.

The GA President holds a number of key responsibilities, including setting the theme of the GA Annual Conference, chairing the Conference Planning Board and delivering the Presidential Lecture at Conference.

The President serves as Vice President (2025–6) in their first year and as an ex-officio member of Education Group. In the second year, they serve as President (2026–7) and for one further year as Immediate Past President (2027–8). Throughout this time they are a member of the GA’s Board of Trustees. During the period of office, they work with the Chair of Trustees and Chief Executive to help steer the work of the Board of Trustees and the Association.

Please do vote – by taking part in this election you are ensuring that your voice is heard within the GA and you will be helping us to continue to respond to and meet the needs of the GA’s membership.

 
Go here to read their statements and cast your vote if you are a GA member.

Image: King's Ely Geographers supporting me at my Presidential conference in 2022

Happy 100th birthday to Norman Graves

Norman Graves was GA President in 1978. 

He reaches the milestone age of 100 years old today.

Happy Birthday Norman!

Read all about him here.

There are quite a lot of very long-lived former GA Presidents (I hope that's a good omen) but I think Norman may be the first to have reached the century...

Norman's work on curriculum continues to be referenced in academic work, and many of a certain age (such as me) will remember using his white school textbook written with John Talbot White.

A picture of my personal copy can be seen below:

New WordArt

I hadn't updated the WordArt of all former (and current) Presidents' names for a few years... so made this earlier to ensure everyone is mentioned...

Norman Graves - a special milestone celebration

As part of my GA Presidential journey, I created a blog which features a biography of every President of the Geographical Association.

The GA President in 1978 was Professor Norman Graves.

Norman told me in an e-mail back in 2020 that: "I am conscious that the year of your birth, 1963, was the year I arrived at the Institute of Education to head the Geography Department."

I had a message earlier from his daughter via the blog:

"Norman is celebrating his 100th Birthday on 28th January 2025.

For those that might want to wish him well, please contact me on: 

 helenescott@virginmedia.com.
We are holding a celebratory lunch for him at a local hotel and are expecting quite a crowd. He is an exceptional man, and I am more than proud of him."

I am sure there will be many people who may wish to congratulate him. Please forward this message to those who may have known him or, like me, were influenced by his work or used his books when they were at school.

All your messages will be passed on to Norman.