Biographies of all the Presidents of the Geographical Association since the founding of the Association in 1893. Researched by Alan Parkinson (GA President 2021-22), with contributions from others, including the former Presidents themselves where possible.
They discuss the topic of geography teaching in schools and how to develop, implement and support a high quality geography curriculum. They also talk about how teachers can be supported to create a curriculum that works for their cohort first of all and ways that long term teachers can break out of the cycle of teaching the same topics the same way, year on year.
The deliberate decisions people make are important. What questions are we asking?
The best curriculums are designed so that there is a coherence to them.
Mark unpicks the example of hydrology in KS3, and explains why fieldwork is also critical to the subject.
He talks about the work he did when writing a book about generative learning, using the SOI system, and also the importance of CPD.
The later stage of the talk moves towards the Discover Geography series - this is an International series and there are some issues.
You need to make it very clear what the purpose of the learning is (the intent), the misconceptions that people bring to classrooms, and help explaining complex ideas with analogies.
This is well worth listening to... check out the archive of previous issues as well.
Listen to conversation with Eleanor Rawling, Dr Emma Rawlings Smith and Katie Richardson and find out what makes Teaching Geography such an important publication for teachers and the GA community, with personal stories about getting involved with the GA, their favourite articles, and what's next for the journal.
In a special episode to celebrate Black History Month we join Professor Pat Noxolo from the University of Birmingham, Professor James Esson from Queen Mary University of London and Francisca Rockey, founding member of Black Geographers.
They discuss the intersections between race, gender and class that affect young people today. Topics include how to navigate complex ideas in a complex world, the importance of recognising different narratives, and the possibilities for change, revealed by the amazing work done by geography teachers.
Anti-racist work has been a means of support, comradeship and helping keep hold of talented people. Here are a few of the groups and resources mentioned in this episode:
The latest GeogPod has been released and it features Paula Richardson and I talking about the GA's National Research Report and how that fed into the development of the National Fieldwork Week.
It was in September 2008 that I started work for the Geographical Association. I worked there for three years, and it was the best time of my professional life and every day was CPD as I travelled across the UK and Europe, learning, writing, teaching and pushing forward the idea of what school geography could be.
I worked with many wonderful geographers, and had the chance to visit hundreds of schools and work with thousands of teachers as we worked to deliver the projects funded by the Action Plan for Geography and meet the KPI targets.
See the recent post on John Lyon for more on the time we worked together at Solly Street.
I kept notebooks all the way through that period of three years, to jot down everything I was doing, and also keep agendas of meetings etc.
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.
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.
It's well worth catching up with the latest GA GeogPod where Rachel Kay, a former colleague on the GA's Secondary Phase Committee for much of my time serving on the committee, talks about her experience of going through an OFSTED Deep Dive - with host John Lyon - which is part of the new approach to school inspection. Instead of spending a lot of time with the senior management, inspectors follow a three stage process of interviews, lesson observations, student chats, book scrutiny and other tools to explore specific departments and the extent to which they have thought through their Intent, Implementation and Impact.
Along with the podcast, check out Rachel's article in 'Teaching Geogaphy' that goes along with the chat. A very useful resource for all subject leads.
I've already blogged about the Action Plan for Geography, which funded a whole range of CPD, activity, events, and support for teachers.
This was the brochure for some of the events that took place in the early years of the APG, just before I joined the GA (more on that in future blog posts).
During 2007 and 2008, the GA were involved with CFBT to provide support for the new National Curriculum.
This brought Ruth Totterdell to the GA, and also David Rayner who were the two national subject leads. I was one of the regional advisers for the project and it was a stepping stone to my eventual appointment at Solly Street. I worked in the East of England.
Here I am at a hotel in Norwich leading some training in February 2008. I think I met John Lyon for the first time here too. This was where my session including 'never gonna give you up' by Rick Astley also got its venue I believe... where I explored case studies and topics that people persisted in teaching despite being less relevant...
The latest GeogPod podcast, and the last for a few weeks, is an interview with Alan Kinder who talks about his journey to becoming the GA's Chief Executive, and the work of the Geographical Association. He says lots which are of relevance to this blog, and mentions some former GA Presidents who have featured here, such as Rex Walford and Douglas Freshfield.
John talks about his own experiences with the Geographical Association, going back to 1976 and visiting the library at Fulwood Road. He and Alan also say something which I've heard quite a few times before - that visitors to Solly Street can't believe how much is done by such a small number of staff.
Alan talks about the purpose of the GA and its link with the subject discipline and the notion of community and lays out with his usual clarity the key purposes of the GA, and how those are communicated and sometimes contested.
The GA is an association of geography educators, and developed to enable discussions of shared values and the exchange of ideas.
John discusses Douglas Freshfield's introduction to the first journal 'The Geographical Teacher', something I've also covered over on the blog, and the impact of the internet on teacher development and communicating.
Alan reminds us of the importance of the GA, and how it has got to where it is now... influenced by the 100+ GA Presidents who have held the role over the decades, and those who have got involved in whatever way they have with the GA - and there are several options for that.
He also talks about the value of being a GA member, and why some people may not become members.
Alan talks about the future of the GA, and the challenges ahead as well as the powerful work that continues to be done, and discusses the GA's new Strategy as well as trailing the GA Conference ahead - conference began in 1921, so this is the centenary year for that.
John also mentions that his own tutor was Jim Jay, so I asked him to tell me a little bit about him, and this is what John sent me:
He was a lovely man. He interviewed me for a place at Sheffield University for the geography education course. I’m not entirely sure how he assessed me as being suitable for the course and indeed as a teacher. As I recall he did most of the talking. Obviously he was sharp ... and perceptive.
'Geography teaching with a little Latitude' is a wonderful book and somehow expressed all that made him a high quality tutor. It’s packed full of practical ideas, challenges the reader to think about their own practice and how to improve, yet all the while being served up with his gentle humour. I’ve still got it. Chapter four on image and reality could be used very effectively for perception of place today.
He invited us all for tea with his wife at his house in Dore and we had a wonderful time. He had the ability to make people feel rather special. He certainly made us evaluate the what and why of our planning. An all round excellent teacher trainer.
Margaret Roberts on the development of her teaching, and the changing nature of school geography. This is very well worth taking the time to listen to.... Margeret Roberts was GA President for 2008-9 I was privileged to have been in attendance at the lectures that are referred to here by 'whispering' John Lyon. Lovely to hear Margaret mentioning EU DIGCOMP Competencies which are at the heart of our D3 ERASMUS project.
