Geographical Knowledge and Teaching Geography

• Published in: International research in geographical and environmental education Vol. 15; no. 4; pp. 353 - 369
• Main Author: Brooks, Clare
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 01.01.2006; Routledge
• Subjects: Curriculum Development; England; Foreign Countries; Geographic concepts; geographical education; Geography; Geography Instruction; Geography teaching; Knowledge base for teaching; Pedagogical Content Knowledge; Secondary education; Secondary school curriculum; Secondary school teachers; subject knowledge; Synoptic capacity; Teacher attitudes; Teacher beliefs; Teacher competencies; Teacher Effectiveness; Teacher Improvement; Teaching Methods; Teaching styles; Values; Wales; England; Wales; United Kingdom (Wales); United Kingdom (England)
• ISSN: 1038-2046; 1747-7611
• DOI: 10.2167/irg200.0

Recent events in England and Wales would suggest that geography teachers need to re-engage with their subject matter to enable them to improve how they teach the geography. However, this requires a detailed understanding of how teachers use their subject knowledge. This paper outlines how two geography teachers experience tension between how they understand geography at an academic level and the ways they prefer to teach it. How they resolve these conflicts shows that these teachers have an active relationship with their subject that enables them to develop curricula in line with their values about geography.