Westminster Institute of Education

CHILDREN, PLACE AND ENVIRONMENT

Professor Simon Catling

Six Sections
Children bring their experience of the world into school from the day they arrive Childrens experience of places appears to be changing Children have perspectives on their experience in their school grounds Children live in the wider world and it impacts on their lives The context of primary geography Moving forward: Five questions

Westminster Institute of Education

The youngest children coming into school

Their awareness of the features and layout of aspects of the local environment Their awareness of the wider environment Their awareness of environmental matters Their representations of places Their imagining of being in places and events

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Childrens changing direct experience of places

Learning about places Childrens local knowledge Sites of personal and social attachment Place use and avoidance

Childrens safety in the environment Declining accessible spaces Changing modes of travel Teachers knowledge about the local area
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Children in school playgrounds

Childrens views on their school playgrounds Playgrounds children desire Childrens perspectives on teachers values Creating better school playgrounds Childrens active involvement Childrens interest in their own playground needs

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Children in the wider world

Children live in particular places, and places differ Children are a market The reality of childrens lives across the world is not always comfortable Increasingly, children travel abroad The world beyond home affects childrens lives

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The context for primary geography

Primary geography in trouble Views of geography are at odds with perspectives on childrens learning Primary geographys needs Good primary geography exists and should be emulated

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Moving forward: Five questions

Does the whole childs experience and education and thus geographical education - matter? What is the confidence issue about geography for primary teachers? Has serious thought been given to the school as a place and environment for children? Can we really avoid helping children to understand the nature and impact of the world about us? Should we rethink the basis for our primary geography curriculum?

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10 suggested threads for a primary geography curriculum

Me in the world Neighbourhood and community Connecting with the wider world Other people, places and me Seeing and representing the world Encountering big issues Seeing change and its effects Caring for the world Heading for the future The world today - near and far
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In conclusion
Children bring place and environmental experience into school Think more of school as a place and environment We need to engage with children about the benefits and issues in the world, locally and globally Our responsibilities in primary schools is to teach geography well and have high expectations It is done; we can all do it

Westminster Institute of Education