GEOGRAPHICAL ASSOCIATION CONFERENCE 2008

UNIVERSITY OF SURREY : 27th - 29th MARCH 2008

SUSTAINING GEOGRAPHY

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This is the presentation I used, but more on that later.

There were 3 workshops that the SPC were involved in:

09:00-09:50 - Breaking down Boundaries
Workshop 21 - KS3-4
Tom Biebrach, Head of Geography, Pencoed Comprehensive School, Bridgend
Practical advice on how geography teachers can develop stronger links with other subject areas whilst maintaining a clear geographical identity. How can subject leaders and teachers develop a more coherent curriculum and contribute to cross-curricular dimensions (e.g. global citizenship) whilst sustaining and reinforcing teaching and learning in geography?

11:30-12:20 - A Teacher's Toolkit for Key Stage 3
Workshop 29 - KS3
Alan Kinder, Advisory Teacher for Geography, Barking and Dagenham LEA
How can we use the concepts and skills in the revised Programme of Study to explore new places, themes and issues? This workshop will enable teachers to develop their thinking and planning, take maximum advantage of the new curriculum and understand how to create an engaging, exciting curriculum for students.

15:10-17:00 - Putting the Mystery into Geography
Double Workshop 34 - KS3
Sarah Watts, Co-Chair, GA Secondary Phase Committee and Fred Martin, PGCE Tutor, Bath Spa University
The session will provide a means of engaging pupils in fieldwork that gives purpose to data collection, applying problem solving to geographical fieldwork. It will use an investigative process to collect data to solve a simulated murder, advocating geography as a 'real world' subject with applications beyond the textbook.

A three hour drive down to Surrey. Stood on the M25 for quite a while. Lovely bit of sun on the North Downs. Out to Puttenham for the accommodation that Dan had organised.

Round to Puttenham barn and settled in and started to get cold fairly quickly. Barn-mates arrived later, having been at the Our World Film Festival, which Dan Raven Ellison had helped to organise (picture to follow) - below is a rare thing: a ticket from the festival...

"The Good Intent" was fairly busy with its curry night, and had an average pint then back to the barn with a box full of curry to have a few more drinks, and plenty of single malt to keep me warm beneath a duvet and sleeping bag. It was the coldest place I'd slept in for some years, probably since my nights at Peckforton Castle in the old Treasure Trap days.

Click to enlarge - hold your finger against the picture and feel the chill...

Introduced to the "WOULD YOU RATHER.... game". May have to introduce this...

Up in the pre-dawn in a freezing cold barn. Dressed as quickly as possible and had a quick breakfast, then loaded up the car in the drizzle. The others were just stirring. Out into the morning rush in Guildford, in the rain. Up to the University, and across to the Austin Pearce building to have a coffee.

First person I saw was Jon Wolton from the RGS. They gave me a very nice "Chartered Geographer" badge, and later bumped into various other fellow CGeogs: Tom B, Bob L, David R etc. We pushed to the front of the dinner queue... (only joking)

Met up with Ian Hardie from RAYBURN TOURS once again, and got some Blue Lagoon mud for my skin...

Up to the room for first session of the day, and met up with John Widdowson at the end of his session on "How to do more with less": saw the first copies of the MOVING STORIES book. This will be available shortly at £9.99 for GA members. It looks great though, and has a striking design. Look forward to seeing how mine turns out.

Into John Westaway's enjoyable Presidential Lecture, and noticed a big picture of me on p.11 of the conference handbook, from last year's GIS workshop. Fame at last...

Had meant to go and say hello to Jamie Buchanan Dunlop, who was doing some Google Earth training. Check out the RGS link for more details. He was a bit busy though. Am booked in for a session in May.

Fred Martin did a Teacher to Teacher session on the new E-Scape project, which is an attempt to produce a digital method of controlled assessment.

Over to the Teaching Block in the rain for the AGM of the Secondary Phase Committee and lunch.

Went over to say hello to the Ordnance Survey boys, and discussed an article for OS MAPPING NEWS

After lunch was Charles Rawding's session on New Approaches to Teaching Tourism, largely based on his Chris Kington published book.

Had a meeting over a cup of tea or three related to a book project that is secret at the moment: I would tell you about it, but I'd have to kill you - thanks to the creative people involved !

http://trip2008.wordpress.com/ - heard about a Pyschogeography conference in Manchester, and a  GGiP NAUGHTY GEOGRAPHY event which is running in conjunction.

Over for Duncan Fuller's lecture on MY WALKS. This is a scheme which has been running for over a year now, and encourages people to reengage with their local landscapes. It was a great lecture, and I need to do some walking soon in an urban area - another project that Dan is setting up. Walked back over to the main building to make plans for later. It was now 5.30 and had been a long day since waking up with a frostbitten nose at 6am.

Out to Travelodge. It was warm ! There was a carpet on the floor ! Had a long shower, and then down to Frankie and Benny's for the SPC meal. Good to see so many colleagues could make it. Had a flipping massive pizza ! Back to hotel for a nightcap, and then into a warm and comfortable bed, as some hardy souls settled in for a 2nd (and 3rd !) night in the barn.

Up at 8ish after a reasonable night, once I'd digested my pizza: apparently there was a big 'domestic' at 3am on one of the other corridors. Quick breakfast, then over to the University again, with a coffee to start.

Tom Biebrach and team were preparing for their workshop: Breaking down Boundaries. Over to lecture theatre for Liz Taylor's excellent lecture on planning using CONCEPTS: What, Why and How ? Will add some details and notes when I get a moment - this will feed straight into my KS3 planning next week (as will some details from Eleanor Rawling's session and BOOK) - order it HERE.

Bryan Ledgard was buzzing around taking photographs in seemingly every workshop, ready for the GA MAGAZINE special, which will be published shortly.

Then it was round to the end of Di Swift's excellent session. A few cups of tea and some discussions.

Up to the room where we were going to have our TEACHERS' TOOLKIT workshop, and set up the table into small groups, and then set up my own table with various handouts and other props. I had my copy of the classic THE MAP THAT CAME TO LIFE, landscapes bingo and landscapes in a box, and a powerpoint which is also available on my SLIDESHARE page.

For all the SPC DETAILS from the workshop, visit the BLOG set up by Simon Renshaw. This has all the materials that were used in the workshop by all the presenters. Also head over to the GA shop to pre order a copy of John Widdowson's book.

As I was delivering the workshop, I missed the lecture by Joe Smith on INTERDEPENDENCE DAY. This apparently mentioned the GUERRILLA GEOGRAPHY operations of a couple of weeks ago.

http://guerrillageography.blogspot.com/ - for the NAUGHTY GEOGRAPHY details: the next activity, in association with TRIP festival: http://trip2008.wordpress.com/

The session seemed to go well, and then it was over for lunch. Met a few more people and put names to faces.

Over to nab a glass of wine from the Secondary Geography Quality Mark reception. Well done to Tom Biebrach and Kathryn Stephenson (and of course the other colleagues) who took part in the workshop as well.

Loaded up the car, and off back up the M25: it was a lot quicker than the journey down. Paused in Cambridge, and had one of my old favourite CORNISH PASTIES: from http://www.westcornwallpasty.co.uk/ and bought some art for my wedding anniversary...

Then finally back up the A10....

Need a map to base your LANDSCAPES work on ? Why not head over to AQUA3 and check out their EVOLUTION maps, and buy one to help support GeographyPages (hosting fees to pay !) - click the cow to buy....

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