Geography teacher educators' perspectives on the place of children's geographies in the classroom

Abstract

This is a pre-publication version of the paper. The published version (May 2020) can be accessed here. More information about the journal can be accessed here.

The Geography and Education Research Group and school geography: Problematics and possibilities

“…There are a number of commentaries identifying research gaps and an equal number of prescriptions for future GER research priorities (see, for example, Butt, 2020;Gerber & Williams, 2000;IGU-CGE, 2015;Lambert, 2018;Morgan, 2015;Roberts, 2010Roberts, , 2015. We note also recent research into the application of a capabilities approach to geographical education in schools (Bustin, 2019) and the role of young people's geographies within the classroom (Hammond & McKendrick, 2020).…”

Who are the children we teach? Considering identities, place and time-space in education

“…This is significant in a context in which educational policies and practices have led to the (re)production of injustices in both education and society. This has, at times, resulted in the geographies of some -including children themselves (Catling & Martin, 2011;Hammond & McKendrick, 2020) -being under-considered in schools and classrooms. Thus, engaging with both children's geographies and geographies of education can enhance our understanding of educational institutions, systems and practices, and crucially how they are experienced and perceived by those we teach.…”

Recognising and exploring children’s geographies in school geography

“…In England, children's geographies are not included in programmes of study at any Key Stage of schooling (DfE 2013(DfE , 2014, meaning that it is not an explicit area of study directed by the state for schools that follow the national curriculum. In light of this, Hammond and McKendrick (2020) report that geography teacher educatorswho in the context of their research are those working in teacher education in higher education institutionsoften share a perspective that the lack of recognition of children's geographies in governmental policy is a primary reason why children's geographies have been marginalised in the school subject.…”

“…Considering the reciprocal relationships between the child's everyday life and geographical education through drawing on children's geographies has the potential to be a transformative idea in geography education. However, as has been highlighted by Hammond and McKendrick (2020) in their research with geography teacher educators (exploring their experiences of, and perspectives on, children's geographies), much work is to be done here. This work involves crossing 'borders' between children's geographies and geography education, through opening up channels of communication between them.…”

“…The gate can also be an emotional threshold; a space that's ingrained in fond or otherwise memories of our own childhood, or of dropping a child off at school for the first or last time. The gate differentiates the school from the street and the wider world; it marks the start of a space with distinct rules and expectations (Aitken 2001;Freeman and Tranter 2011;Oswell 2013;Hammond and McKendrick 2020) and where the child leaves the care of their parent or guardian and enters the charge of teachers and school managers. Traversing this boundary can be exciting and daunting, lead to feelings of anxiety and loss, and/or freedom and opportunity.…”