Geography is not important anymore

One of my friends has just bought a Sat Nav system for his car. Thats one of those gadgets that sits in the front of your car and tells him where to go. Now, as a fellow gadget freak he expected me to already have one and was surprised that I hadn't already got one. I hate them. I really, really despise those GPS things. Its because I love maps (too much!) I love the look of maps, I love finding places and I especially love to plot routes. I love having to plot my route from one place to another. For me, that is part of my holiday. Normally about 3 weeks before I go away in the summer I get out my atlases and maps and plot my route - where will I go, where will I stop etc. Sat Nav systems take the fun out of planning. They take the randomness out of it. the thrill of finding something unexpected. Of course, there is also the argument that these things also cause more accidents as people watch them and fiddle with them as well. My friend's comment also was - guess that meand you dont need to teach maps anymore - I wish. But I'll bet that most of the people with SatNav systems have NO idea what all those symbols actually mean on the screen . . . . .
Over the summer I was reading that fewer people now take A levels and GCSE exams in Geography than ever before. Shock! The education system has gone from about 15 A Level subjects and options to about 500 different subjects and options. Of course Geography (and every other subject ) was going to lose out. The big question that Geography teachers need to be considering is if they are making their geography relevant. This summer has proven (yet again) the need for geography in schools. Bad weather? Rivers that flood? Earthquakes? Cities that are expanding? Farming catastrophes and Foot and Mouth disease? Ice caps that are melting? These are the things of Geography. The news is filled with Geography from start to finish. We need to make sure that our students understand the implications of these issues - the things that are behibd the news. Geography is more imporant today than at ANY other time!

Tues 14th August 2007