Secondary Geography
Kit Rackley

Key Contact

Kit Rackley
NASBTT Associate Consultant
Secondary Geography

Email: secondarygeography@nasbtt.org.uk
Twitter: @geogramblings

Latest News

Intensive Training and Practice in Geography

A ‘confluence’ of geography teacher educators will be getting together for their annual conference at the end of January 2024, and one of the key foci will be about Intensive…

Secondary Geography Spotlight: The Anthropocene: Does arrogance outlast decay?

Kit Marie Rackley Secondary Geography Subject Specialist Are humans having such an impact on the Earth that we are impacting the geological record? A timeline of rock and sediment that…

Ofsted: Subject Report Series: Geography

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Subject Resources

It is my personal opinion that in today, we need Geography teachers more than ever. The world is experiencing historic and unprecedented change, whether it be through the restructuring of the way we work and connect, accelerated by the Coronavirus pandemic; the strengthening and overdue movement to decolonise the curriculum; or the uncountable number of changes being brought about by the climate crisis. 

As Geography educators, it seems difficult to keep up. Fortunately, the Geography teaching community is a strong and supportive one, as this resource page will attest. Ensure you connect with associations and networks listed here, but also check out ‘Upcoming events’ in the ‘Additional Information’ section.

In that spirit, if you come across something useful and wish it to be shared here, please get in touch! This page will be updated regularly, do bookmark and come back often.

Young People at a Crossroads (YPAC): Sharing and extending resources

Session Overview/Focus

In the YPAC project, researchers trained migrant-background students (aged 14-18) to interview parents about their countries of origin, with a focus on environmental challenges. Simultaneously, we interviewed the same students about their experiences of learning about climate change. This online workshop will present some creative resources developed from this project and discuss their usefulness for diversifying and decolonising climate change teaching. 

Expected Learning outcomes

  • Recognise how the YPAC links with the Sustainable Development Goals 
  • Begin to develop ideas to implement outcomes from YPAC into your curriculum
  • Build confidence in leading a cross-curricular effort in utilising youth voice through the issue of climate change 

Recording:

Watch the recording here:

Supporting Resources:

TEMZ Event: Secondary Geography and History - Rethinking Wider Reading through the ReTeach Project

Session Overview:

The ReTeach project for Geography is a collaborative effort by teachers for teachers seeking fresh viewpoints, deeper subject knowledge and diverse thinking. This session will support you with how to incorporate wider reading into the curriculum to improve and enrich the content that is taught, along with ideas to maximise the precious PPA time for wider reading and learning.

Expected Learning outcomes:

  • Recognise and understand the value of wider reading beyond the curriculum spec
  • Develop workable strategies to help you incorporate wider reading into both the curriculum and professional development.

Recording:

Watch the recording here:

Supporting Resources:

TEMZ Event - The Climate Crisis is a Mental Health Crisis: What can we do as Educators?

Session Overview/Focus:

Scientific research on eco-anxiety and related mental-health impacts has been sufficiently robust and extensive to warrant focus in reports by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Since we as teachers we strive for our professional practice to be research-led, therefore should act on the combination of conclusions that climate change is real with more frequent extreme weather, that our young people are increasingly anxious and that we have a duty of care to them, and therefore we must treat climate change as a safeguarding issue. This will be a self-guided session supported by a step-by-step recording and resources.

Expected learning outcomes:

(1) Understand how climate science and the research into mental health impacts (e.g. eco-anxiety) is robust and mandates action, (2) Develop strategies to tackle anxiety in you as educators, and your students (3) Be confident in teaching the climate change issue in a manner that manages anxiety (4) Feel empowered to champion climate change as a safeguarding issue in your school/setting.

Facilitator info:

Kit Marie Rackley (they/she) is an award-winning ex high-school Geography teacher in the UK. They have worked as an education consultant and project manager climate and energy scientists, including researchers based at NOAA Boulder, Colorado and as an educator and trainer at the Exploratorium Museum in San Francisco, California, and is now freelance consultant with the UK’s Geographical Association and the National Association of School-Based Teacher Trainers (NASBTT). They are a published educational author, including works with National Geographic Kids and Diverse Educators. Kit Marie is a strong and passionate advocate of youth voice and empowerment, decolonising the curriculum, and inclusive and intersectional education. Much of their work revolves around the climate crisis, focusing around framing it as a school safeguarding issue. Kit Marie runs an educational resource blog, and is host and producer of the Coffee & Geography podcast.

Recording:

Watch the recording here:

Supporting Resources:

Subject report series: geography – 19th September 2023

Ofsted: 7 key findings from its geography subject report

Research review series: geography (2021)
A review of research into factors that influence the quality of geography education in schools in England. A pdf copy is available here.

A response to Ofsted’s curriculum research review for geography

Geography: learning to make a world of difference (2011)
Ofsted survey report evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of geography in schools and assessing the challenges it faces.

Upcoming events 

Geographical Association Conference (annual)
When: 3 days every April (over the Easter holidays)
Where: Blended – On location and online.

Price: Varies (Free for Student Members)

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