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Original poster

Soooo Geography is the 'worst taught subject' and 'boring' surely not?!

62 replies

Lucycat · 17/01/2008 13:24

well at least according to those who know nothing aka Ofsted

I have a vested interest here as I do teach the fabulous subject - but what do your children think?

OP posts:
Iota · 17/01/2008 13:46

ooh look at those rocks

luvverly

psychomum5 · 17/01/2008 13:45

well, for me, I hated it!!!

but then, the teacher was appallingly bad and he managed to make me hate history too, and before him I had previously adored history.

he made anything and everything sound so dull and lifeless tho, even when he stood in for an ill teacher in other subjects.

in fact, he was one of those who damn near put me off school full stop, so was the teacher in my experience rather than the subject.

I love looking at google earth now tho, so I do wonder if that had been availiable ack then, whether my interest could have been better fostered IYGWIM.

DD1 and DD2 however equally don't like it now, so maybe it is still boring for them too!

they say tho, that they have an old fuddy duddy man teacher who spouts words at them rather than gets them interested in a practical way.

my conclusion - depends on the teacher and the methods, same as with any other subject (oh, and also the interest of the child course)

Original poster
Lucycat · 17/01/2008 13:44

Oh no needmorecoffee that's awful!

If your ds needs any help then please contact me!

OP posts:
Original poster
Lucycat · 17/01/2008 13:43

Iklboo! the woman was surely unhinged?

The problem that I can see us having with the subject is clearly reflected in the new A level syllabi. We have always done the EdExcel exams, but the new exam starting next September is much more 'trendy geography' as far as I can see - leaning towards the 'Extreme Weather' generation (that is the title of one of the Units!) which then will make it even more difficult for students at University level who will miss out on much of the basics needed to take the subject further.

OP posts:
Iota · 17/01/2008 13:41

I liked physical geography - Lulworth cove anyone?

(I have Geography A level - grade A since you ask) [preen]

needmorecoffee · 17/01/2008 13:39

ds1 hates it. Didn't help that the teacher lost the coursework he'd done for the GCSE. ds is now refusing to redo it and says he doesn't care if he fails Geography.

FarcicalAlienQueen · 17/01/2008 13:37

I loved Geography at Secondary school - even applied for a degree in Business Studies and Geography at University.

southeastastra · 17/01/2008 13:37

groan all i remember was crop rotations. i'll ask ds(14) when he's home how he likes the subject.

TodayToday · 17/01/2008 13:36

That's the part of geography I hated. i cannot someone up enthusiasm for knowing how a glacier formed or what all the different layers of rock are called. I am very interested in human geography but sadly that wasn't part of the geography curriculum when I was at secondary school.

Iklboo · 17/01/2008 13:34

I remember one parents evening my geography teacher telling my parents she wanted to hang herself in the classroom so the bunch of 'bad' kids would find her and be traumatised and it was only good kids (like me and the class I was in - swotty kids) that stopped her from doing it!

happystory · 17/01/2008 13:34

My 2 have always loved geog, and dd, just started at secondary school is loving it at a more in-depth level.

I got as far as O'level and it's the one school subject I wish I'd taken further. Especially liked all that weather and rock formation bit (she said, knowledgably!)

Iota · 17/01/2008 13:30

my ds1 is only 8 so no secondary experience. He did ask for a globe of the world for Xmas though