Developing a shared sense of purpose for geography
Planning for geography in the school should
- create a common understanding of the nature and role of geography in the curriculum of the school. Planning will be a collaborative and consultative process involving the principal, teachers and, where appropriate, parents and the board of management
- seek to utilise the interests and aptitudes of individual teachers to the full.
Some of the work of developing or co-ordinating the implementation of geography might be delegated to a teacher or teachers with a particular interest or expertise in the area. They may be able to stimulate discussion on aspects of the curriculum, help to advise others on a range of new approaches in teaching and assessment, and assist in the co-ordination of teaching resources for the subject - provide real help and support to the teacher without creating undue paperwork. The re-examination of geography in the school will eventually lead to the emergence of a written statement of the school's policy for the subject. This document will be a useful record and reference point for the staff. However, the main aim in planning should not be the production of a written policy: the process in which people are engaged and the clear sense of direction and purpose it gives to the work of teachers and the school are more important than any formal record
- involve review and evaluation during development and after a fixed period. Regular discussions in the early stages of implementation can help to refine the draft programme by identifying those aspects that have been most successful and those that may need further development or support. Once in place the policy for geography should be revisited on a regular basis. The effectiveness of the programme can be evaluated and amendments can be made
- contribute to the overall school plan which will be reviewed by the board of management. Within the resources available to it, the board will provide support for the development and implementation of the school plan
- involve communication and consultation with parents and the board of management at appropriate stages. Discussions, circulars, information sheets and teacherparent meetings are among the methods which may be used to facilitate this process of communication.
Identifying support for implementation
Planning for the geography curriculum will also involve reviewing how existing resources could best be used to support the programme and identifying where further help is required. Some useful strategies and potential sources of support are discussed below.
Parents, relatives of the children and other local people
The emphasis which the geography curriculum places on local studies will mean that members of the children's own families may help to enrich and support the programme in a number of ways. Parents can play a very useful role in helping to identify and understand natural environments, work-places, buildings and other places in the locality which might form part of the programme. Parents, or their friends and acquaintances who have lived or worked in the area for some time, can be invaluable sources of information for teachers during the preparation and planning of local studies.
If parents are made aware of the importance of the child's own home and its immediate surroundings in the programme for infants and first and second classes they will be able to help the child to explore the geography of these areas.
An important aspect of the programme is concerned with the work and lives of people in the area. This work can become real and tangible for the child if parents or other local people are willing to talk to children about their lives, work, cultural and other interests and the features and traditions of the local area. Aspects of some occupations may be suitable for demonstration in the classroom and if this can be followed up by a visit to work-places, farms, buildings or other locations in the company of the speaker concerned, so much the better. The school might find it useful to compile a list of people among the parents and local community who would be willing to introduce children to particular aspects of the locality.
Finally, if the children are to explore and visit the local environment regularly the help of parents will be invaluable. The school plan should contain clear guidelines on the involvement of parents and others in such activities.
The local library
Many county libraries have useful collections of maps, books, articles and photographs concerning areas, especially urban areas, within the county. Getting to know the librarian and discussing the school's requirements is advisable.
Planning section of the local authority
Planning departments of county councils and other local authorities maintain comprehensive large-scale maps of their areas. These are particularly useful in rapidly growing suburban areas where the rate of building may mean that published maps are somewhat out of date. Some planning departments may be able to supply photocopies of their maps for a charge.
The Ordnance Survey
The Ordnance Survey produces a wide variety of maps and some aerial photographs. These are discussed more fully in the section on Maps and map work and in the Appendix below. Details of the maps and photographs available may be obtained from: Ordnance Survey (Map Sales) Office, Phoenix Park, Dublin 8.
The Land Registry
Large-scale maps of the school area are expensive. If a map is required for the land on which the school stands, it may be possible to obtain it more cheaply from the Land Registry, located at the Four Courts, Dublin 7. However, to locate such a map it is necessary to have details of the registered owners of the land on which the school stands. (The document in the Land Registry to which the map will be attached is called a folio and can provide useful and interesting information about the history of the site.)
Local businesses and the chambers of commerce
The study of human geography will entail learning about some of the businesses or factories in the area in which local people work. Approaches may be made directly to the firms involved or schools may find it more convenient to approach the secretary of the local chamber of commerce who may be able to put the school in contact with individual members of the chamber willing to host a visit to a factory or other work-place.
Local farms, farming organisations and co-operatives
A study of a farm will represent an important aspect of a local study in a rural area. Some farms now encourage school visits (though teachers should ensure that a realistic picture of modern farming is presented rather than an idealised and romantic one). Several farming organisations organise urban-rural days each year on which visits to farms are facilitated. Local milk or vegetable processing co-operatives may also be able to put schools in touch with some of the farmers who supply them with fresh produce. The discussion of farm safety issues should be an essential element in the preparation for such visits.
In recent years, the implementation of a number of EU farm policies and schemes has involved farmers in the collation of enormous amounts of data about land use on their farms. Farmers participating in these schemes have had to plot areas used for crops, forage, forestry, buildings etc. on Ordnance Survey maps of their holdings and these have been verified through the use of aerial photography. Copies of these maps will be held by farmers and in some cases they may also have copies of the aerial photographs. These maps and photographs, if available, could enhance a farm study considerably.
County committees of agriculture
Each county has its own committee of agriculture responsible for the development of agricultural activities in its area. The agricultural advisers and the publications of the local committee can supply much information about farms and farming in the county.
Transport providers
Local transport providers, including bus, train, shipping and airline companies, should be able to supply maps and timetables for their routes. Analysing these, especially in the planning of practical journeys and for the transport of goods, will develop important practical skills in geography and mathematics and will enhance children's spatial awareness.
The Geological Survey of Ireland
This body has a geological museum at Beggar's Bush, Haddington Road, Dublin 4 and produces geological maps of Ireland.
Other local and national agencies
The work of a number of national agencies and their local or regional offices will relate to aspects of the geography programme. Many of these agencies produce material specifically for schools, and in some cases they may be willing to supply a speaker to schools or may help to facilitate visits by pupils. Details of the local and national offices of most of these bodies will be found in the telephone directory. Among these organisations are:
An Bord Gáis
An Bord Glas
Bord Iascaigh Mhara
Bord na Móna
Coillte Teo: the Irish Forestry Board
Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry
Department of the Marine
Dúchas: the Heritage Section of the Department of Arts, Heritage, Gaeltacht and the Islands (has responsibility for national parks and inland waterways)
Electricity Supply Board
ENFO: the Environmental Information Service
Environmental Protection Agency
IDA Ireland
Irish Peatland Conservation Council
Regional tourism boards
Teagasc: the Agriculture and Food Development Authority
The Meteorological Service
The Tree Council of Ireland.
Office of the European Parliament and Office of the Commission of the European Union
These offices produce a range of booklets and maps that can be of use in the study of life in European countries.
Development agencies
Many voluntary and state-supported development agencies, such as Afri, Christian Aid, Concern, Gorta, Trócaire etc. can supply information and educational material about life in developing countries and the problems facing people in these areas. The National Committee for Development Education, 16 South Cumberland Street, Dublin 2, co-ordinates the educational initiatives of a wide range of these agencies and maintains a library of development education materials.
Embassies and tourist authorities
Embassies or diplomatic representations in Ireland and tourist offices of foreign countries generally provide brochures, maps and other material about their areas. Some of these publications may present an incomplete picture of the countries involved and they will need to be supplemented with other materials.
Publications, library books, textbooks, computer software
During planning, teachers should review the computer software, CD-ROMs, reference books and story books available in the school and class library. Discussing and recording how these may support the units of the geography plan will be a useful aid to teachers as the programme is implemented. This may also highlight gaps or weaknesses in the school's resources for the subject and can help in planning systematic purchasing for the library and school.
Charts (whether purchased or made by teachers) and photographs will be valuable in geography lessons. It may be possible for a teacher or parent to photograph items of interest in the locality and other areas.
At times teachers may not be aware of the books and other resources which are available throughout the school. Some form of indexing or filing of teaching materials, including photographs, books, maps, filmstrips, videos, etc., can help teachers greatly in the implementation of the curriculum. Some aspects of this work might be the responsibility of a geography or SESE co-ordinator in the school.
Carefully chosen, well-produced textbooks and atlases may be an important source of teaching material for geography. The policy for geography should reflect the general policy of the school regarding the selection, purchase and use of textbooks. However, it should be noted that textbooks, of their very nature, cannot adequately cover local studies and should therefore be regarded as one source among many for the teaching of geography. The exclusive use of one textbook per class could have a constricting influence on the selection of strand units and, if resources permit, the availability of classroom sets of two or more different textbooks would facilitate greater flexibility.
Care should also be taken that the textbooks chosen conform to the requirements of the curriculum, particularly the advice contained in the Planning pages of the curriculum statement.
Access to good-quality atlases, suited to the needs and abilities of pupils, will also be essential and many now include excellent satellite and/or aerial photographs of land areas and the globe. A number of such atlases are now available and should form part of the resource material in infant and junior classrooms. The use of an atlas on CDROM should also be considered.
Radio, television and video
A number of radio and television programmes broadcast for educational and entertainment purposes may support some of the units of work in the curriculum, particularly those involving international themes. Some programmes made about aspects of the geography and environments of Ireland will also be useful. Generally, these programmes are best used in recorded format; teachers can then view the material in advance and select or edit the sections most suitable for their own classrooms.
Education centres and other inservice education providers
Local education centres provide opportunities and support for teachers who wish to enrich their knowledge of local areas and develop further their range of teaching and assessment strategies.