What makes a geography lesson good? Margaret Roberts

There are only ever choices The what, the how and the why of teaching is always up for grabs. There is no one correct set of things that students should know, there is no one proper way of learning; there are no self-evident goals of education. Instead there are only ever choices about what to teach, how to teach and to what ends. Castree, N. (2005) Nature, London: Routledge

Standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) Professional attributes 1-9 Professional knowledge and understanding Professional skills The standards …are outcome statements that set out what a trainee teacher must know, understand and be able to do to be awarded QTS.

Three essentials Geography Constructivism: connecting with existing knowledge Making sense Images of children removed for copyright reasons Source:

Geographical data Images of geographical data including maps, diagrams, graphs and photos removed for copyright reasons

Geographys big ideas

Geography: in context Source: BBC

Standards: subject knowledge 14 Have a secure knowledge and understanding of their subjects/curriculum areas… 15 Know and understand the relevant statutory and non- statutory curricula and frameworks…for their subjects/curriculum areas 22 Plan for progression … designing effective learning sequences within lessons …and demonstrating secure subject/curriculum knowledge. 25(b) build on prior knowledge, develop concepts and processes, enable learners to apply new knowledge, understanding and skills

Dream School Images of Jamie Oliver, Robert Winston and others removed for copyright reasons

Entering childs mind: Zone of Proximal Development Within ZPD: With support On own: without support Beyond ZPD: Scaffolding Image of a child building a basic Lego tower removed for copyright reasons Images of complex Lego buildings removed for copyright reasons

Entering the childs mind: Constructivism Humans actively construct their knowledge rather than receive it, fully formed, from external sources (Physical world, social wisdom, schooling, television) Humans use information from these various sources to create theories of the world… concepts of other people and of society and modes of problem solving

Constructivism: key ideas How we see and understand the world depends on our existing ways of thinking Each individual sees and understands the world differently In constructing new knowledge we are not adding separate new bits of knowledge to what we already have Our constructions of the world are not fixed but are being modified continuously

Constructivism in practice We need to: take account of students existing knowledge and ways of understanding allow time for students to explore new information provide opportunities for students to reconstruct their existing knowledge in discussion with others make students aware of the way they see things

Connecting with existing knowledge

Connecting with existing understanding

Connecting with existing opinions

Standards: constructivism 1 Have high expectations of children and young people … and to establishing fair, respectful, trusting, supportive and constructive relationships with them. 25(b) build on prior knowledge, develop concepts and processes, enable learners to apply new knowledge, understanding and skills and meet learning objectives Image of teacher with students removed for copyright reasons

Making sense: through right answer culture? Most plants contain a green colouring called chlorophyll. This chlorophyll enables them to make their own food by photosynthesis. Yeast gives off alcohol when it respires Image of a pint of beer removed for copyright reasons

Without even passing through the brain on the way We cant just pass down information, tell them to absorb it raw, ready for regurgitation in a later test, and expect them to learn anything. To learn something, students need to take that piece of information and build it into their own picture of the world. The information needs to pass into and around their consciousness. Only when it becomes part of the pattern in their heads does it become theirs.

Making sense: sharing information and ideas Images of students working together removed for copyright reasons

Making sense: connecting ideas

Making sense: through discussion Image of students working together removed for copyright reasons

Making sense: through writing Image of students working together removed for copyright reasons

Making sense through reconstruction

Standards: making sense 10 …provide opportunities for all learners to achieve their potential. 25(b) build on prior knowledge, develop concepts and processes, enable learners to apply new knowledge, understanding and skills and meet learning objectives 25(d) demonstrate the ability to manage the learning of individuals, groups and whole classes, modifying their teaching to suit the stage of the lesson.

There are only ever choices The what, the how and the why of teaching is always up for grabs. There is no one correct set of things that students should know, there is no one proper way of learning; there are no self-evident goals of education. Instead there are only ever choices about what to teach, how to teach and to what ends. Castree, N. (2005) Nature, London: Routledge