You need to read this...

[Tony Cassidy]

I think this is the most important blog post that you'll read this year by Alan,

http://goo.gl/UhmY0

and the associated curriculum document by Dr Standish...

[HB100]

Jesus Christ.....

- are they for real?

Does it include a class to sew our leather patches back on??

I am sure 13 year olds will be running to lessons based on the 'regional differences of agriculture.....'

And all that in one hour a week.....

[Geogphotos]

It is disgusting Tory geography.

But how long before there is a comment on here saying:

" This will make my job much easier"

It gets to the stage when people have to make a stand.

But I don't see it happening. For most people Geography is just stuff they teach and then check the exam results.

Ian Murray

[Tony Cassidy]

I doubt it Ian. Seems any type of discourse is no longer acceptable. Perhaps I've become a cynic.

It says to me standardised assessment, particularly at the end of KS3.

Helen I agree. I feel very down by all of it. I think we have been stuffed by the exam boards, now this makes upsetting reading.

[HB100]

I hadn't thought of standardised assessment at end of KS3 - if this maniac coalition stay in power education will be screwed for decades.

Yep, after the results debacle this is making me ask big questions about what this job is all about 

[Noel Jenkins]

I'm not commenting on the GA website as I can't find the words to express how I feel. For what it's worth I felt that Standish had something to say back in 2003 to those teachers who were perhaps, in their naivety, focussing too much attention on "issues and feelings", though I also found his opinions to be quite insulting.

It's really depressing that his personal vision of a geographical curriculum resonates so strongly with the current government. His claim that "regional geography went out of fashion in the UK with the decline of Empire, and that it's high time it was reintroduced makes me think that throwing out the department copy of Strange People From Distant Lands was premature.

We need academics from Higher Education to come to our aid and join the dialogue. If we're not very careful there will be no students coming through KS4 at all.

[Des]

Regional geography has more or less disappeared from geography degree programmes in the UK, but it is still quite common in the US where Alex Standish works...which presumably must have influenced his views. Although I do have a bit of a soft spot for regional geography from my student days, I'm inclined to agree with those who fear that its reintroduction has the potential to scare pupils off.

[swhitch]

First of all Controlled Assessment and now this ........ seem to recall Dr Standish from the old forum ........ wasn't there quiet a debate that he was involved in on the messageboard around 8 years ago or so? Quickly scanned the 17 pages and it seems rather heavy at first view.

An interesting link between Private schools and IGCSE although many state schools are changing to IGCSE simply to to get away from Controlled Assessment I believe. There is the constant rumour that IGCSE is more rigourous, get hold of copies of the past papers and see for yourself. http://www.cie.org.uk/qualifications/academic/middlesec/igcse/subject?assdef_id=859 

If you want a rigourous curriculum look at some of the Geography textbooks provided by the Kenyan Government - they make your eyes water

You cannot argue about the need for more geography at primary school level though.

Don't know much about Alex Standish so Googled Alex Standish Western Conneticut State University - here is what his Bio states:

Alex Standish, Assistant Professor of Geography, holds a Ph.D. in Geographic Education and Citizenship in American Schools from Rutgers University. His master's dissertation at Canterbury Christ Church University College considered the changing nature of geography education in England. His other research interests include the globalization of culture, political geography and the contemporary dynamics of communities in Western countries.

[KML]

Absolutely agree with all that's been said so far.

I don't know where this regional geography is coming from... I can tell you now, my students don't want to learn about Turkish culture' and 'landscapes of Russia' as this ridiculous Standish document refers too. Academic Geography doesn't do regional geography anymore - just as the gap between school-based geography and university geography was beginning to close, the Tories try to open it up again.

Look at KS4 - Burgess and Hoyt are back! I love teaching my Edexcel B GCSE with refreshing and comptemporary topics. The old AQA B regional geography spec was the least popular...

I suppose they're going to change the whole style of GCSE assessment to ensure that it's back to regurgitating facts - my 'secondary modern' students are screwed.

[swhitch]

Christaller in KS 3  ...............      The Y13 don't get it so should be fun with Y7-9 still it is really little more than dot to dot

Can't wait to do exurbs ....... although the proposals for changes to planning laws may mean a rewrite of the textbooks for both these ideas. 

[missgeo]

I whole heartily agree but my students have asked why they don't learn about where countries are and what they are like. It's what they are expecting from geography.

[Plene]

This makes interesting reading from when he was a graduate researcher in 2003

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/education/education-news/is-geography-brainwashing-596832.html



 

[Geogphotos]

Better stock up on the colouring crayons...

[Evlinda]

Completely agree- Christaller in yr 7?? WTF??? My yr 12 just about get it. It is so prescriptive. How can they?

Apart from anything else, why do they have to tinker with things ALL the time? Can't they just leave us alone to actually teach the current curriculum? We are in the last year of rolling through the KS3 changes (have been doing it one yr at a time over 3 years). So are we supposed to change it all again at the drop of a hat?

I'm fed up.

I hate the Tories/coalition. (sorry if i'm not allowed to say that- i will remove if need be.) 

[Blue Square Thing]

Hey, at least you'll have something left to teach - I think the government thinks ICT is something that kids will come automatically installed with (unfortunately I imagine it's prolly the Vista edition...).

I haven't read this stuff yet, but I will do. Can I check something though - frei skools and academies are free to ignore everything the government says aren't they?