The challenge for any teacher that changes schools and therefore changes social-economic areas is adapting teaching methods to new students. One of the key thought processes for teachers is to reflect what they are doing right and wrong through each and every classroom and syllabus section. Being a teacher for a couple of years I thought I had nailed the way to engage students to learn Geography.

This week of teaching has proven that altering your style in the classroom can stimulate learning. Geography has so many connections with other subjects that students learn in school. I’d like to make some interactions and give ways to motivate  Geography students who take these other subjects:

Science - This is a no brainer with contemporary issues of Ecosystems at Risk and Climate Change. there are many similarities throughout physical geography and science. Many biology students enjoy these sections of the Geography stage 6 syllabus.

English - Although in HSC Geography there will now be less demand for extended response writing (2 from 3 choices essays instead of a compulsory 3) there still needs to be an emphasis on developing meta-language and structure of response to larger questions. Dealing with students from NESB’s enjoy developing their skills in meta-language. I have discovered this can be used as a motivational tool into engaging these students.

Maths - Over the last two weeks I have focused on developing skills using numeracy in Geography (Scale, Distance between two points, Bearing etc). I have seen a complete turnaround by many students that weren’t enjoying their Geography experience. I loved a comment by one student today “Ahhhh Maths makes sense now looking at a map”. As great as that sounds I think I need to thank the maths teachers for setting the foundations before I taught these students.

My advice for any Geography student. Use a 360 degree compass

Visual Arts/Photography - There is no doubt that a Geography teacher can take advantage of imagery and visuals. Students are more engaged with visuals of what content is discussed in class. The use of FREE accessible technology in the classroom can aid any novice enthusiastic Geography teacher wanting to show students changing environments, flashcards of definitions in a visual context, Google Maps (enough said, can be used instantly of the spatial dimension of the focus study) and the list goes on.

Using Google Maps shows instant results of Geospatial understanding to students

PD/H/PE - surprisingly enough there are many connections with this KLA then one might think. Many Geographical skills can take advantage of personal fitness and sport minded students minds. Working with a room full of boys I have been able to successfully teach the difference between close and far contours on a map. Showing boys that it would be faster to run down a hill with closer contour lines became very easy for a big front row forward that lives for Rugby League. I believe there a lot more interactions between sport and Geography.

Connecting boys with Geography through sport is really achievable

Having an appreciation for other students can really help you as a Geography teacher. Hearing students complain about other subjects motivates me that studying about the world, in its human and natural state, really can help you understand why you are learning. For me this is one factor that makes teaching Geography exciting.

I know it has been long since my last post but being as professional as possible, learning the ways of a new school should always be paramount.

Well it has been a big transformation over the last week moving from South Sydney High To Canterbury Boys High, one thing that hasn’t changed is the enthusiasm of young minds to learn about Geography.

One of the many useful ideas I have been looking at concepts involving in the Learning pyramid. Thanks to Rob Marchetto who invited me in the holidays to share ideas and resources on Geography. Since our meeting the learning pyramid has been in my head.

After discussing  the pyramid with my new senior class it is quite interesting how important it is to mix up your lesson ideas, especially in Geography.

The most popular was mainly discussion groups, audio-visual and demonstration. It is so easy when you really think about how you use a wide range of resources and lesson approaches by mixing up the things you do in the classroom. Geography lessons should always be encouraged to leave the classroom and explore learning through seeing the environment and issues discussed. I wait patiently with great excitement for the new smart-boards at my new school so I can revisit using multiple resources.

Another key idea I would like to bring into my blog is issues of boys education. While my time teaching co-ed classrooms was fantastic and well worthwhile, my growing interest into improving the development of young male minds is with me in every thought process. Here are some ideas I have had already working with just boys:

• The way to a male’s heart is through his stomach (boys are motivated by food)
• Boys need structure, without it you cannot achieve anything in the classroom.
• Boys really do have a strong sense of equity and respect

As I go back to the area where I grew up now to teach, the short future is very exciting. Lets hope I continue to say this throughout the learning process at my new school.

This now infamous quote that has developed through my Senior Geography class has been a major theme of my teaching through developing further skills in the subject of Geography. So much so it came to be a sign of inspiration left on my room as I now depart to another school. This message I am very proud of.

A notion I would like to explore more

This became a major theme for Senior Geography. It helped break the ice between each student, the fact that they had to work together in order to achieve their best was amazing to watch. The sending of emails, ideas and notes to each other is what senior life should be all about.

To junior students this quote means one thing – “oh there really isn’t any I in the word Geography. I hope they learn one day and they will.

To the students of Senior Geography 09-10 it means something else.

Firstly, it means how lame my Geography jokes can really be but at the end of this year it means so much more. The idea of sharing and helping each other is firmly apart of their studies now. If someone finds the definition of  a word challenging  it’s ok now to ask someone else in the class. I was so impressed to see a student learn Gradient for the very first time and then five minutes later help another student learn this challenging geographical skill (this student went on the get it right in his first assessment task).

To watch student that may be a bit ahead in their geography skills to help other students is an amazing feeling to going on in your classroom. It is breaking down barriers and making life in the subject that much more enjoyable. One student even believes their is a feeling of GLEE (the tv show) developing through her Geography peers.

We as teachers keep revisiting the idea of sharing but for now I would like to explore this in Geography alone. How on Earth (get it) would we ever be able to understand about diverse cultures, untapped environments and new technologies if it wasn’t for the idea of sharing. we are able to improve the standards of our lives with this very concept in Geography. I wonder if it was intentional from someone to use a “Y” instead of an “I” in this amazing word.

I’m a big fan of having an open-mind to many topics in Geography. Discussions throughout the year on particular issues have been a sight to see, allowing all students to express their views but respecting them as a person is something this class does very well.

In my professional development online this notion is ever progressing to be a most powerful and enjoyable pastime. With the help from Geographers such as Rob Marchetto, Russell Darnley and Martin Pluss (to name a few) I have been so motivated over the last 6 months to improve my Geography teaching ways. With this amazing assistance I have already seen great results in the way I now teach. Once again I say thanks to this enthusiastic help.

May there always be an ocean of ideas shared in Geography!

This last week has to go down as one of the most interesting experiences of my short career.

A week that has had everything, I am now making the move to Canterbury Boys High School for 2010. A school that is situated in my home area, a very exciting prospect that I look forward to getting stuck into in the new year. However, this blog is dedicated to my three wonderful senior classes that I have had over the last year. Here we go….

Firstly, to Year 11 Business Studies. I felt the need to be clear about my move to a new school. I am very proud of their mature attitude and outlook of the situation. The discussions over the last few weeks of coming together, no matter what social group you belong too has been fantastic. As a teacher you love to see respect over the whole classroom and this group is clearly achieving it. With a strong work ethic these students can reach great heights over the next 12 months.

Secondly, to Year 11 Geography. A unique class indeed. After telling them the truth of the situation it was an absolute pleasure to see young minds be more motivated to learn and study hard for their first assessment task. A group that has developed such support for each other and this is critical leading into their HSC course. I have been quoted many a time this year saying “There is no I in Geography”. I can walk away from this class knowing that they will help each other as much as they can.

Lastly to Year 12 Legal Studies. A class of diverse backgrounds but once again a class that showed respect in every possible way to each other. The completion of the subject, my first every full senior class, was the best possible start to my senior teaching career. After my injury in July, this class showed true character of the human spirit, something I will never forget. It will be an interesting week next week with results to be exposed. No matter what happens these students are capable of chasing their dreams and fulfilling them.

Looking back over the last year I need to thank these special classes for one thing, making me realise that teaching is for me. They have allowed me to show my passion and love for my subjects. Learning needs to be fun, informative, inspiring and interesting to the least. From my post last week about motivation it is clear that it relates to this post.

As a teacher you don’t get rewarded in monetary bonuses, you receive satisfaction from student development and success. Teaching really is a wonderful profession and after diving through many questionable times over the last five years I highly recommend it to people who have a passion to help others. It may take some time to discover yourself but when you do, you may be sucked in for life.

Yeah the B2!

Over the past week the topic of motivation has been apart of both my senior classrooms. I purposefully generated this discussion because both classes are coming up to their first major assessment tasks.

• For Business Studies it came about learning the skills of the manager and behavioural management theory
• For Geography it developed through discussions on study techniques in regards to finding the best suited environment to retain knowledge.

The topic of motivation takes me back to my fondest memories of a Uni subject I complete called “motivation and learning”. Learning how our brain is triggered by certain stimulus is really interesting and now as a teacher my ideas of educating continue to reshape as I see more students every year.

I want to split this blog entry into two main questions:

1. What motivates students to learn?
2. What motivates educators to teach?

Are students simply motivated to finishing? or is it only what they tell their friends?

Of course motivation comes from both intrinsic and extrinsic forces. For the students achieving high results, being first in the class, receiving a reward or simply just passing a test can be very motivating. During our discussion in Business Studies it was decided that mainly boys wanted external rewards(money, food) and females were driven by personal success(top marks, out compete another student). I wont tell you what the boys external motivations were pass this      ( this is where the boy giggles came out and the S word was used).

Money is a famous motivator. But is it for educators?

One student summed it up quite well “Sir, I’m motivated to make my family proud”. This is something I cane relate to straight away and it was pleasing to see the body language of this student when talking about his family. In addition it was also very satisfying to see that the students around him respected this mature attitude of a boy who is used to laughs from his peers.

My personal belief of motivation is that it is largely driven by the environment in which the student is surrounded by. It is in the classroom, the relationships of friends and family, their study plan and space, the daily routine of diet and exercise. These factors are the stimulus for increasing levels of motivation and as teachers we have a challenging issue of providing these workspaces for all students we educate, especially through the engaging era of technology in the classroom.

Pursuing Happiness has to be one of the best motivators of all time

Combining motivation and learning excites me. You cannot have one without the other. As a teacher we are all motivated by certain forces. Here is a small list I have developed over the last week:

• watching student’s reach their potential
• encouraging students to learn more than expected
• developing life skills in all students
• being responsible for the growth of young minds
• to learn everything possible with using technology in my classroom
• Sharing resources with other same-minded teaching professionals

I have always said that if you are not motivated in your job you need to find something else. It is that split second in the morning when walking through the gates of the school and you think to yourself “yeah, I enjoy being here”. This feeling for myself has only been sustained through being a teacher. I’m quite thankful for it.

For a teacher motivation I believe has to come from passion, experience and developing a strong work ethic.

I put this question to you. “what motivates you as an educator?”

Over the past few months I have been thinking of the added benefits of sharing and wondered if I was doing my fair share. I asked myself this simple question at the end of a very long day having dealt with 15o students through my various classes and came to the conclusion that sharing cannot be ignored in the teaching profession.

In today’s modern world, sharing is becoming more accessible, through the use of the internet and the added technology of communicating at faster levels than ever before. I’m not saying that sharing is new by any stretch but how was it achieved for teachers before email, SMS, twitter and more.

An idea has to start somewhere and my first thank has to go to Rob Marchetto, who sent a simple email to a  Geography teachers online group saying “join Twitter”. At first I was hesitant, thinking that spending an hour or so a day updating writing comments would be a waste of time. I look back now and think how much I learnt from to the continued interaction with other teaching professionals.

I believe sharing is one of the most important qualities of a teacher. Not one day goes past where you don’t share something. An interesting fact, a new piece of technology or an attempt to make funny Geography jokes are just some of the ways sharing is apart of my teaching day.

One year 9 student said to me recently, “Sir, sometimes sharing is bad because not everyone involved will contribute”, this was after a major project where she felt she had done majority of the work.  I felt her pain, thinking later about this I came to the conclusion that if everyone kept to themselves and did not share their experiences, their knowledge and occasional wisdom, how will we ever move forward.

As a young teacher the benefits of sharing, particularly from experience teachers, is paramount. With the growing trends of teachers signing to Twitter, this give young passionate teachers a borderless community to seek advice and direction. Depending on the present school a new teacher is placed, there may not be any sharing at all. I believe this may be another reason teachers of my generation are finding other career paths.

Favourite Sharing moment - Turks and ANZACS sharing at Gallipoli in the trenches.

I look forward to the ongoing share space of Twitter, Ning sites and Wikispaces in the near future(Facebook is for my non-teaching lifestyle). With the development of connected classrooms over the state I hope sharing becomes a major focus for communities and groups to share their experiences with others. I mean city schools have the chance now to venture into rural communities with greater access, and vice versa.

I’m glad to have shared these first thoughts with you.

Well this is my first attempt at blogging. Hopefully I can provide an insight to my approaches of teaching and learning.