Experiments with learning geography

Teaching geography has become a non-starter, with parents around the world indicating a marked preference for the sciences and applied sciences. They work over-time to coach their children in math and science and leave ‚Ëœlesser‚ subjects like geography, history and languages to the last week before exams. But contrary to popular belief, geography is not an inconsequential, peripheral subject. Learning geography is vitally important not only for children to understand the ecology of endangered Planet Earth which they have inherited, but also to ease social and commercial interaction between themselves and people in other climes, countries and cultures in an increasingly globalised world. Therefore in our school in rural Tamil Nadu we adopted a new pedagogy to teach geography with a slant towards armchair adventure and travelogue. Both approaches to teaching this subject have proved a great success. Years later, all our children ‚ with no exception ‚ love geography because learning outcomes were reframed. Our first objective was to generate love and respect for Planet Earth which will host them for their biblical span of three score and ten years, perhaps more. The second was to lead them to discover its splendid array of flora and fauna. The third was to teach them to infer and produce intelligent answers.For the ‚Ëœfall in love with this planet‚ programme, we schedule one hour sessions weekly. In the first 15 minutes children are briefed about what they will witness. This is followed by projection of a 30-minute film. We download films on 30 countries. They are made for tourists which suits us well as they showcase the location and physical features of each country, focus on their most interesting cities, monuments, people, occupations and of course how they live, their culture, dance, music and history. For example, if we screen a film featuring Brazil, we start with a large wall-map which establishes its location; picture books are used to introduce the rain forest, the Amazon and fauna of the country. We pose simple questions which afford additional opportunity to re-show some visuals to ensure that the children have followed the lesson. The viewing of country documentaries is seldom interrupted, except to call attention to something particularly interesting or unique. Like assessing Pedro Alvares Cabral, Christopher Columbus and Captain James Cook inter se, comparing the Iguaƒ§u falls to the Victoria falls. Or running a breathtaking scene ‚ the Lake District in England ‚ over again so that a picture is planted in the mind‚s eye. In passing, a significant feature, say of glacial erosion is explained to students ‚ not more than a couple of minutes ‚ so as to not interfere with the show. A 30-minute country documentary is followed by a 15-minute debriefing session. It usually begins with the children identifying what had pleased or excited them. Questions are fielded in rapid succession. Concepts that were introduced ‚ such as glacial erosion ‚ are dealt with in greater length. The next day (during a class of 30 minutes), senior students (of…