On August 27, at the Russian Geographical Society Moscow headquarters, pedagogical council of geography teachers dedicated to the start of the new academic year was held.
Geography teachers from different districts of Moscow, researchers and representatives of publishing houses specializing in production of textbooks, discussed the peculiarities and prospects of teaching the subject.
How the Russian Geographical Society promotes the study of geography
Professor of the Department of methodology of teaching Geography of Moscow Institute of Open Education Alexander Lobjanidze opened the event. He spoke about the three resources of the Russian Geographical Society, which were important to improve the level of education of the younger generation in the field of geography and related sciences: lectures, youth movement and the Society’s website. Alexander also stressed the significance of the projects carried out in cooperation with the Society, such as “School geographical expedition.”
Sergei Nikolaev spoke about the most important activities of the Russian Geographical Society – the work of the youth center, which is headed by Sergei. He pointed out that the center staff would be happy to hear the ideas and proposals for joint work aimed at popularization of geography and increasing interest in the subject. Nikolaev also told about the program of the youth movement of the Russian Geographical Society, which would work in the famous youth camps: “Orlyonok” (Eaglet), “Okean” (Ocean), “Smena” (Session).
img_5868.jpg
Problems of teaching geography and their solutions
According to geography teachers and university professors, the main problem in the teaching of geography today is low interest of children to study the subject. Therefore, educators belive that the main purpose of their work is motivation of young people to self-directed learning and development, revival of interest in the process of creative learning and retreat from the imposed and inculcated for decades general education program.
Geography teachers from different regions of the country spoke about how they carried out these tasks in practice. Some begin to stimulate a love to the subject through the study of national cuisines of the world – in the classroom, students should present a national dish of the state they have chosen and talk about it. Others make with the guys a relief map of the world and engage in the process students of different classes. Others arrange exciting expeditions around their regions. Such methods have proven effective – in schools, where the subject is taught this way geography rating is very high.
Council members shared their professional tools with colleagues. Thus, V.I. Sirotin from methodological laboratory of geography of Moscow Institute of Open Education stressed the importance of sharing competence when “a student is an independent entity acquiring knowledge, and not an object gaining knowledge for the teacher.”
E.Y. Shcheglova, geography methodist, Publishing House”Drofa”, considered in her report features of textbooks of different authors, pointing out their pluses and minuses.
S.V. Bannikov, geography teacher of SBI School №1245, shared experiences in the use of modern technology – 3D, animation and computer graphics. “To educate the youth of today we need to use the resources of the XXI century”, – he said.
Photo: Ilya Melnikov