GeoLincs - 18th March

GeoLincs is the South Lincolnshire GA Branch. I visited when it was in Bourne, back in 2015 in an early meeting of the branch. I'd just taken over as Head of Geography at King's Ely Junior (now Prep) and took a drive over to speak to a good group of teachers. I'm heading back there next month.

Via LinkedIn from Dr. Aidan Hesslewood, who is a fellow moderator on the GA's Secondary Geography Quality Mark moderation team.

The second Geolincs session of this academic year is approaching, and we have Richard Bustin and Alan Parkinson coming along to share lots of important ideas: Wednesday 18th March, from 1400-1700 (light refreshments included) at Spalding Grammar School.

I’m really excited to welcome Alan back to the branch (he last spoke in 2015) and to Richard for the first time, and I hope you can join us for a stimulating afternoon of geography curriculum discussion, particularly in light of upcoming reforms. This session will be suitable for all: student teachers, teachers, subject leads, and senior leaders.

Feel free to message me here if you'd like to come along.

Geolincs (the GA branch for South Lincs and surrounding counties) aims to sustain excellence in geography education in Lincolnshire and the surrounding counties. It is a non-profit network that provides opportunities for professional growth and events are completely free to attend. 

It endeavours to:
· Explore and develop teaching expertise and subject knowledge
· Share ideas through participation and networking
· Provide a forum for debate and discussion

Here's the title slide from my presentation. Hope to see some of you there.

Karl Donert

Another person with a long association with the GA is Karl Donert, who worked at Liverpool Hope University for some time.

Here is an interview of Karl by the legendary Joseph Kerski.

He has presented numerous times at the GA Conference, and was also involved in other GA activity over the years.

Karl also wrote books with former GA President Bill Chambers who worked with him at the same university. These were mentioned in Chris Kington's Presidential lecture.

He has been the President of EuroGeo for many years, until recently and worked on numerous projects which have seen him cross-cross Europe for over a decade before the last year's hiatus in his peripatetic lifestyle.

He has worked on a great many ERASMUS projects with me, including some where the GA or GA personnel were involved. These include the I-USE project, which I was involved with for several years, along with John Lyon and Iain Palot.

Another project which is ongoing and included Professor David Lambert, Duncan Hawley and myself amonst others was the 2nd phase of the GeoCapabilities project, which explored ideas around powerful knowledge.

Karl has done a great deal to inform my own practice and provide me with professional opportunities which have enriched me in many ways, and I am very grateful to him for support over the last decade in particular.

Image: Karl walking on the frozen Wothersee in Klagenfurt - image by Alan Parkinson, shared under CC license.

As always, memories of working with Karl welcome.

2002: Professor David Lambert

Any blog that is aiming to tell the story of the GA can't help but mention the huge contribution made by Professor David Lambert.

David was appointed at the start of Peter Fox's term as President, and he also helped appoint David, as he has with all the CEOs and also myself as I mentioned in Peter's blog entry.

For three years, I had the great privilege of having David as my boss, and it was a time when I learned more than at any other time. Here is the announcent of his appointment in GA News.

This German lecture from 2015 gives a flavour for the tremendous scholarship around the subject that embodied David's contribution to the new direction and strength

Along with Rita Gardner of the GA, David was successful in gaining ministerial support and government funding for the Action Plan for Geography - 2006-11 - 2 phases of funding.

David's inaugural Presidential lecture was held at the Institute of Education - more on that to come nearer the time.

David has published widely, and his work continues to be influential and will be for many years to come. He has written handbooks for teachers with other colleagues, as well as books on curriculum thinking, and powerful knowledge. He has also made numerous contributions to GA journals, and to content on the GA website.

He also involved me in the GeoCapabilities project to help shape the teaching resources and training course that were part of the 2nd phase of the project.

David started out as a geography teacher before moving into teacher education and ending up at the Institute of Education. For a while, he shared the job of CEO of the GA with his work at UCL, bringing some synergy between the two roles, and the CPD work of the GA and the development of the manifesto.

Here is the actual Manifesto launch at the GA Conference in 2009. David is about to show the film that we made to support the booklet. More on that nearer the time when it was created.

This was the first public screening of the film that I made to go with the manifesto, and which has been viewed thousands of times since on various platforms. You can watch it below. I remember my heart was pounding right about now:

A Different View: Promoting Geography from The Geographical Association on Vimeo.

Ideal to use at open evenings, with parents, governors, your leadership team or at options evenings.

The GA's manifesto for geography A Different View, published in 2009, describes geography as 'one of humanity's big ideas' and makes a compelling case for geography's place in the curriculum. It shows the value of thinking geographically, provides an introduction to 'living geography' and some important reflections on the changing role of fieldwork, demonstrating the practical importance of 'real world' geography. You can use the Manifesto to promote geography and in any context where geography is taught, explained or encouraged. A Different View was produced and funded by the GA, as part of its charitable role to advocate for geography education.

Find out more: https://www.geography.org.uk/GA-Manifesto-for-geography

I helped to create some of the supporting materials for the manifesto, which occupied quite a bit of my time working in Solly Street.

Image: Alan Parkinson