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Exploring Teachers ’ Geographical Identities: Why it matters?

This study explores the significance of primary teachers’ subject-specific identity within the field of geography education. It delves into the various professional identities teachers hold and their impact on pedagogy given the responsibility of teaching multiple subjects. The importance of integrating geography and education is highlighted, emphasizing the need for research that goes beyond surface-level educational insights. Through student reflections and examining existing literature, the research aims to shed light on the complexities teachers face in conforming to standards while maintaining individuality and excellence in their practice.

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Exploring Teachers ’ Geographical Identities: Why it matters?

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  1. Exploring Teachers’ Geographical Identities: Why it matters? GTE Manchester- January 2016 Emma Till Senior Lecturer in Primary Education

  2. Today • Outline current doctoral research • Give consideration to why this research is significant and relevant to us as teacher educators

  3. Being a geographer: Towards an understanding of primary teachers’ constructs of subject specific identity.

  4. ‘So what ?’ (Martin, 2012)

  5. Geography Education Research … ‘needs to be more than educational research with a geographical hue,’ (Lambert, 2010:85) Lambert contends that research in the field of geography education ‘needs to be more than educational research with a geographical hue,’ (Lambert, 2010:85) and that it should be concerned with both geography and education and how they are related, because both geography and education are important.Lambert contends that research in the field of geography education ‘needs to be more than educational research with a geographical hue,’ (Lambert, 2010:85) and that it should be concerned with both geography and education and how they are related, because both geography and education are important.

  6. Teachers have multiple identities. Teachers’ professional identities are the result of the many different ways in which teachers see themselves including as subject and pedagogical experts. Primary school teachers in England are usually responsible for teaching all pupils in their class all curriculum subjects. Therefore, it is likely that the relationship that an individual teacher has with subjects will be significant in relation to their practice.

  7. Primary Geography … • Polarised Picture (Ofsted, 2011) • ‘Dismal’ (Martin, 2013)

  8. (Brooks, 2016)

  9. Student Reflections … • Is it ever possible to rebel but still conform? • Should standing up for what you believe in and maintaining core beliefs be so difficult? • If performance and data is shackling our profession how can we be unique and excel in our profession performing at the desired ‘outstanding’ rate?

  10. ‘I think this links to whether we are doing certain things because we believe in them or simply because they are going to be measured and scrutinised. This causes me to further question whether we are teaching children what they want to know or what they need to do? Are the things we are teaching them relevant to them? Or are they just being taught simply to tick a box? I feel over the course of this module I need to seek answers to these questions in order to develop my view of the teacher and leader I want to be.’

  11. After what felt like many hours reading these articles, I have found myself in some sort of existential crisis. I am on this journey for the same reason I’m sure all of us are. We want to become teachers to inspire the children in our schools to become the best that they can be. We wouldn’t all be here in our fourth year of this degree if we didn't love the profession that we are going in to or were not passionate about teaching. But reading these articles and doing this module has really made me stop and think. I do not want to become a teacher that hates their job. I know that like most jobs there will be times that teaching becomes particularly difficult. There may be moments where I question my career choice. But I am determined to have these moments to strengthen my teacher identity, not break it’

  12. References • Brooks, C. (2016) Teacher Subject Identity and Professional Practice; teaching with a professional compass. London: Routledge. • Lambert, D. (2010) Geography Education research and why it matters. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 19(2), 83-86. • Martin, F. (2013) What is geography’s place in the primary school curriculum? In: Lambert, D. and Jones, M. (ed) Debates in Geography Education. London: Routledge, 17-28. • Ofsted, (2011) Geography-learning to make a world of difference. London: Ofsted.

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