‘These highly interactive webinars [offered by the Geographical Association (GA)] provide primary teachers with the substantive knowledge to enable them to deliver relevant, engaging and stimulating geography lessons.
Focusing on different subjects each session, this course provides practical, transferable ideas to trial before rolling them out in the classroom. Take this knowledge even further by exploring the multiple connections, stereotypes and misconceptions that can make each element challenging to teach and learn.
Choose from human or physical topics in primary geography to build your confidence in the subject or take your primary geography to the next level.
Each booking also gives you complimentary access to a number of In the Know titles to take your knowledge even further.’
(See https://portal.geography.org.uk/event/view/E000158 and https://portal.geography.org.uk/event/view/E000157 for further details).
The first of two human geography sessions took place this morning. Once again, we had a number of teachers attending throughout the UK and several accessing the recording and resources at a more convenient time. Over the course of three and a half hours, we explored the following themes, intermixed with plenty of activities, whole group discussion opportunities and contributions in the accompanying chat feed:
- Grid references and map symbols;
- Settlements.
Since many had attended our previous sessions, I simply spent a couple of minutes introducing myself, (largely for any newcomers) and reminding individuals about the Geographical Association’s website (https://geography.org.uk/), its Professional Award (https://geography.org.uk/events-cpd/cpd-toolkit/ga-professional-award/) and Primary Geography Quality Mark (PGQM) (https://geography.org.uk/quality-marks/).
Next, we explored ‘grid references and map symbols‘. ‘Maps are works of art. There are many types of maps, but they all communicate information, spatially and pictorially, about a particular area, from a theme park to a country to the world. Understanding maps is an important geographical and life skill, which can be improved with good knowledge of directions and compass points, distance and scale, features, symbols and grid references. The essential subject information provided here should give you the confidence to use maps in any appropriate context across the curriculum, in a way that is meaningful and that will encourage your pupils to develop a love of, and enthusiasm for, using and making maps of all sorts.’
Following a 15-minutes break, we reconvened to focus on ‘settlements‘. ‘Settlements are places where groups of people live and work. While settlements can vary tremendously in size. they often share a range of characteristics that are influenced by similarities in the landscape, the background or history shaping a settlement over time, and the sources that influence its growth. There are reasons why settlements developed as, and where, they did: without looking at the history of a place, it is impossible to see how it has developed and changed over time.‘ There is much overlap with history here, so I did suggest inviting the History Subject Leader along to the second half of this session or sharing the content with them soon afterwards.
I allocated a few minutes for independent exploration and to take any questions from delegates after each section. The plenary offered time for deeper reflection. At this point, individuals were asked to complete a Google Form, which gave them a chance to identify the key takeaways and their next steps, as well as providing those at the GA and myself with invaluable feedback.
Some of their ‘concluding comments’ can be viewed below:
Sum up today’s webinar in five words or a sentence or two.
It was very informative. Lots of activity ideas.
Wonderfully informative and engaging.
Useful and interesting ideas.
Interactive and informative, with lots of practical skills and high quality website resources.
Very informative and plenty of teaching ideas to take away.
What did you enjoy the most today and why? (WWW)
Activity ideas and apps to use.
The interaction and learning how maps can be taught.
Working out the grid references!
Map reading.
Range of activities to use.
What did you enjoy the least and why? (EBI)
None.
The historical aspects, as I struggle with history.
The history bit – I didn’t know any of it.
My internet connection being so unstable- apologies for this! I did miss a few bits, but I have the slides printed.
Nothing!
List your key takeaways from today’s webinar.
Activities; apps; subject knowledge.
Some excellent resources, methods and activities to be used regarding maps and settlements.
Fieldwork is not the same as field trips. Progression of map skills from KS1 to KS2. Enquiry approach – children-led more than adult-led.
Map reading; high quality online resources; fieldwork ideas.
Great range of activities.
Consider your next steps. List three things that you intend to do.
Lead a CPD meeting with school; implement activities in planning; explore apps.
Ensure every classroom in school has a globe, and to check our atlases are up-to-date and appropriate.
Check every class has a globe; give each class a copy of Dobble; feedback key findings in meeting.
Implement more high quality fieldwork in our school and distribute online resources to teachers.
Share with staff/governors during geography staff meeting in a few weeks; order the book collection; explore AI of landmarks, etc.
How has attending this webinar series supported you in your role as a Geography Subject Leader/classroom teacher?
Subject knowledge.
Continuing to improve and be able to support my staff at school.
Given me lots of ideas to cascade down.
I feel more confident in map reading – which is a good start! I also feel that I would now be able to advise other staff members on how to improve their human geography lessons.
More confidence.
Additional comments inserted in the accompanying chat feed or from follow-up e-mails:
Thank you, Emma. Another great session. These are really helpful.
Thanks so much!
If you have happened to miss this webinar series, then PDF downloads are also available to purchase via the GA’s shop, either as ten individual titles or as a full set (https://portal.geography.org.uk/shop/index?profile=In%20the%20Know). These provide straightforward, accurate and trustworthy background knowledge, explanation, diagrams and glossary on topics in the geography National Curriculum so that teachers can develop their teaching with confidence.
I look forward to the second human geography-focused session on Thursday 13th March 2025 (https://portal.geography.org.uk/event/view/E000157).