When I went round a local secondary school I was disappointed that the geography classrooms seem uninspired. I asked them about GIS but they said they didn't have much funds, it all going to science [my husband is a science teacher and retorted "they always say that!"]. There is so much you can do to enthuse children in geography. I talk maps and geography lots at home - now there's a thing - and the girls sometimes even seem keen.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking geography teachers at all. If I thought I could do better I'd be one. But as surveyors we should be aware of education and offer to go in and take the odd lesson if needs be. I did at my daughter's primary school; the kids loved it but it was hard work!
TSA and geomatics.org offer to lend surveying equipment which is a useful resource (NB, geomatics.org website is currently down).
3 comments:
Me too - geography was what turned me on to geology.
As geologists at uni we were always disparaging about the geographers, after all we had the big hammers and better beards. But there's something about the multidisciplinary nature of geography that touches many areas of science and even social science.
It is a great foundation for anything involving the earth - from mineral exploration to setting migration policy!
It's just a shame the popular notion of geography is the mythical "geography teacher" look.
I knew there was a reason I could never be a geologist - lack of beard!
How can anyone not be interested in geography? Raindrops (on roses) progressing to mighty rivers, the origins of rice in your local Indian, where do penguins live - there's so much going on in the subject that there has to be something for everyone. I agree with Ruth that we all need to be out there spreading the word about it.
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