Mark Enser’s Book Making Geography Count Is a great resource for geography instructors. He outlines six principles of effectively teaching geography. We have all found it hard to get information into students’ long-term memory; this book guides you on how to do just this. Although I found it a little tedious to get through, any teaching practices you can pull from it and implement will help with instruction. Here is a short overview:
Chapter 1: Challenge
As geography instructors, we need to keep learning and staying on top of our subject. One way we can do this is by doing a subject knowledge audit with our team to see what we’re good at and what we need to work on.
To help our students learn more about geography, we need to make sure we’re teaching them new and challenging things. When planning our lessons, it’s a good idea to think about how the geography curriculum builds on itself from year to year, instead of just focusing on each grade separately.
Chapter 2: Explanation
When you’re teaching something to your students, it’s important to plan ahead. Here are some questions to think about when you’re getting ready to teach a lesson:
- What other information do your students need to know to really get what you’re talking about?
- How can you explain things in a way that helps your students understand and picture it in their minds?
- What parts of the lesson might be tricky for your students? How can you help them out if they get stuck?
- What’s the most important information your students should remember from the lesson?
Chapter 3: Modeling
It’s important to show students how to do things. However, be careful not to do it too much or too little. If you do it too much, they will rely on you excessively. They will not learn to do things on their own. But if you do it too little, they might get confused and not know what to do.
Showing students how to do something in a step-by-step manner is very effective. It helps them learn new skills, like reading grid references or making landforms. When you show them how to do it, they start to feel more confident. Then, when they have to do it on their own later, you can remind them of the basics. You can help them fix any mistakes they make.
I like to show my students how to do things in class using a visual. You can demonstrate using the skills. Alternatively, make videos of different skills and processes. Put them on my YouTube channel. That way, students can watch them at home to practice, catch up on things they missed, or review what they’ve learned.
Chapter 4: Practice
We as teachers must make sure we really understand the material we’re teaching. We must ensure our students learn what we intend them to learn. But it’s not just about learning it once and moving on. We also need to help them remember it for the long haul. That’s where regular practice comes in. This could mean having a quiz every week. It also involves doing homework that helps you remember what you’ve learned. You might even go back over old stuff to make sure it sticks. Additionally, implementing old skills into new lessons is beneficial.
The goal is to give students plenty of chances to remember, review, and use what they have learned in geography. At the end of the day, we do not want students to embed mistakes or misconceptions in their long-term memory. So, let’s keep practicing, making sure that knowledge stays locked in their brains!
Chapter 5: Feedback
Getting feedback is like getting a map to help students find their way. Teachers give feedback to show students what they’re doing well and what they can improve on. Teachers need to think about how feedback can help students progress.
There are lots of different ways teachers can give you feedback, like whole class, live marking, verbal, self/peer assessment, etc.
Chapter 6: Questioning
Good teachers ask a lot of questions, according to Rosenshine’s principles in action (2019). Questions help teachers see if students understand the material, remember what they learned, and learn more deeply. So, it’s important to think ahead and plan out your questions while planning your lesson.
Socratic questioning is a cool technique that can help you challenge what students know and clear up any misunderstandings. It’s a great way to get students thinking and learning in a deeper, meaningful way.
Have you read this book. If yes, did you find it helpful and how?
Sign Up for our Newsletter Here:
FOLLOW US
Follow us on our social media accounts and various teacher resource platforms. Simply click the icons below and follow or like us.
Online Stores:
Social Media:
MENTAL HEALTH TIPS FOR TEACHERS
As teachers, we are often overworked and pulled in too many directions. We often put others before ourselves, and learning to care for ourselves is hard. Addressing mental health is part of self-care for our minds, bodies, and souls. Remember, you can’t fill someone else’s cup if your cup is empty. Here are 27 FREE COUNSELING OPTIONS FOR TEACHERS offering free online chats, buddy systems, peer-to-peer support communities, Employee Assistance Program (EPA) free counseling sessions, meditative art classes, and more. https://www.weareteachers.com/free-counseling-for-teachers/
#geographyandmathmadeeasy#teachertherapy#therapy#geography#middleschool#highschool