Amid growing societal divides, the equity approach strives to make schools genuinely inclusive, focusing on removing obstacles to learning and acknowledging the biases and barriers we create in schools. It encourages us to look at children through the strengths they bring not the deficits they face. This includes replacing unhelpful labels such as ‘disadvantaged pupils’, and nurturing mutually respectful relationships with parents. Equity best bets offer teachers practical strategies to level the playing field in education.
Professor of Social Mobility, University of Exeter
Lee Elliot Major OBE FAcSS is Britain’s first Professor of Social Mobility, based at the University of Exeter. He advises on education, government and corporate leaders across the world on enabling people from all socio-economic backgrounds to flourish in life, whatever path they choose. He was formerly Chief Executive of the Sutton Trust, the UK’s leading... Read More →
Following the release of the curriculum and assessment review in England, teachers of geography are presented with new opportunities to explore the transformative power of creative and critical thinking in lessons. The challenge for geography teacher educators and mentors is to support novice teachers to empower pupils to think geographically as they navigate an increasingly interconnected and changing world. In this lecture, Vicki will explore how teachers of geography, across all phases, can re-engage with the principles of curriculum making, grounded in geographical enquiry, as they re-imagine the role and significance of critical and creative thinking.
A tsunami inundates Tonga as a pandemic's death toll mounts around the world. We hear that nature runs rampant, seeking to destroy us through these 'natural disasters', with climate change at the forefront. Geography recounts a different story, altering the disaster narrative so that we can act to stop disasters happening. Disasters are not usually the consequence of environmental phenomena, such as volcanic eruptions and tornadoes. Instead, they occur due to human choices, notably decisions about where and how we live, particularly how people with political power and resources treat those who have less. We put ourselves and others in harm's way while failing to take measures which we know would prevent disasters, no matter what nature does. Disasters are not natural because the causes are human values, attitudes, behaviour, and decisions, which geography demonstrates that we can and should improve.
In the Primary Keynote Lecture, Helen will actively explore why Early Years and primary education is vital to our understanding of children's knowledge and understanding of geography. By considering child development, the importance and spirituality of place, the advocacy of our youngest learners in relationship with their curriculum, Helen will suggest ways that we can deepen children's ownership of and with their world.
