Shows
GeogPodEpisode #94: Special edition - Three women in the presidencyIn this special episode of GeogPod, we turn the microphone over to the current presidential team:
Hina Robinson - GA President 2024-25,
Denise Freeman - Immediate Past President 2023-24, and
Catherine Owen - GA Vice President and upcoming president for 2025-26.
Join them as they talk about their special roles not only with the GA but as women leading geography in state schools and how their relationship with the geographical community has developed over time. Hear about their personal passions for working with other teachers and geographers, inspiring the next generations and how geography teachers are continuing to...
2025-06-2752 minGeogPodEpisode #93: Jenny Cooke – Inspiration, challenges and amazing fieldworkIn this episode of GeogPod John Lyon speaks with Jenny Cooke, the founder of Oddizzi, about what inspired her to pursue geography and create Oddizzi.
Jenny’s goal is to create adaptable, flexible and supportive resources for geography teachers that inspire young children and make them look forward to their lessons. To accomplish this Jenny and her team have visited some amazing locations, including the Amazon Rainforest, Antarctica, and more! Jenny gives us an insight into what it takes to create their resources and anecdotes from some of her trips.
Find out what the 2041 School ch...
2025-05-3059 minGeogPodEpisode #92: Laura Young - Bottle caps, new years' resolutions and climate resilienceLaura Young, Scottish Influencer of the Year 2022/2024 joins John in this week's episode to talk about all aspects of her 'portfolio career' focusing on climate through research, social media and making an impact in our day to day lives.
She talks about how her academic career began with everyday geographies, taking her on to experience worldwide perspectives of place, space and communities and how this has affected her approach to climate activism, reaching out to students, adults and governments alike through the power of social and digital media.
Find out more about her work here: ht...
2025-05-021h 11GeogPodEpisode #91: Parvati, Manu and Melis - Global Inequalities and the Climate Crisis ProjectIn this episode, John Lyon is joined by Parvati Raghuram, Manu Lekunze and Melis Cin who are part of the team that developed the Global Inequalities and the Climate Crisis Lessons.
They discuss how the project came to be, how we have now moved from a climate crisis to a climate emergency and how teachers can effectively educate their students without creating fear or anxiety.
They also talk about how Cameroon posed as a near perfect field to study the relationships between global inequality and the climate crisis.
The resource was produced in p...
2025-04-041h 06GeogPodEpisode #90: Robert Swan and Jenny Cooke – Save AntarcticaIn this episode of GeogPod John talks to Robert Swan, who walked to both the North and South Pole, and Jenny Cooke, Founder of Oddizzi.
John asks what inspired Robert to become a polar pioneer and climate change ambassador. They discuss his Antarctic journey’s difficulties, the beauty, the clear evidence of climate change and the dangers. In 2022 Robert invited Jenny on an expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula where they hosted a webinar for 40,000 children. Find out about this project, the 2041 treaty, and how important it is to inspire students and make them fall in love with An...
2025-03-2854 minGeogPodEpisode #89: Anthony Barlow - Shared experiences in primary geographyIn this episode, John talks to Anthony Barlow, Principal Lecturer and the subject leader for Geography Education at the University of Roehampton.
Primary education is a precious time for children to spend time with each other, time in their locality and time with their teacher guiding them and letting them explore. That's the crucial point - from 'sustained shared thinking', to focused, framed and facilitated enquiries (Garner, Pickford and Jackson, 2013) as they get older, spending time outside, there is value and power in the repeated visit.
Get your children outside, don't be scared by fieldwork...
2025-03-071h 11GeogPodEpisode #88: Karen Corfield - Connections and memories to placeIn this episode John Lyon talks to Karen Corfield, Education Development Consultant and Safeguarding Lead at Discover the World Education. A few topics discussed in this episode are: Iceland and Icelandic guides, GA Annual Conference, mentoring and inspirational teachers, fieldwork, connections and memories to place, and what your third place is.
Resources
Discover the World Education
Costa Rica trip information
Free CPD Workshops
Series 14 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Discover the World Education.
'As the only tour operator who is a strategic partner of the GA, we're big b...
2024-11-221h 01GeogPodEpisode #87: Alice Gadney – What's your favourite map? Tracing subject connectionsJohn Lyon chats with Alice Gadney in this episode of GeogPod. Alice is a cartographer and also known as Captain Alice, founder of Mini Map-Makers. They discuss many topics, including: her PGCE; William Smith; Steve Backshall; ‘The Hobbit’; Mini Map-Makers; inspiring children with maps from primary age; and of course, their favourite maps.
Resources
https://minimapmakers.com/
Series 14 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Discover the World Education.
'As the only tour operator who is a strategic partner of the GA, we're big believers in supporting teachers both in and outside the...
2024-11-151h 01GeogPodEpisode #86: Jess Hill – Championing primary geography and embracing changeIn this episode of GeogPod, John is joined by Jess Hill, Deputy Head at Alwoodley Primary School in Leeds.
They talk about how the geography curriculum at the school has grown and changed over time, to reflect the children and families at the school as well as empower the staff teaching the subject.
The episode also discusses the Primary Geography Quality Mark, the school's Gold Hub status and how to promote whole-school approaches to geography through effective CPD.
Finally they look into practical ideas for fieldwork, building a geography club and how to g...
2024-11-081h 06GeogPodEpisode #85: Catherine Walker – Climate action research and advocacyIn this episode John talks to Catherine Walker, Newcastle University Academic Track Fellow in Human Geography. They discuss her background and a wide range of topics including: how you can become a geographer in different ways; travel; cultures and landscapes; geography through stories; social science; climate change and climate justice.
Resources:
Opportunities, complexities, and challenges in collaboration between school and university geography, GA Blog.
Coffee and geography, episode 407 with Kit Rackley and Catherine Walker.
Geogramblings website
Young People at a Crossroads resources including the free book, teacher guide and more.
Young People at a Crossroads — illustrations by...
2024-11-011h 05GeogPodEpisode #84: Steve Brace - Meet the GA’s Chief ExecutiveThis episode, John is joined by GA Chief Executive Steve Brace to discuss: what inspired him to pursue geography; a brief overview of the GA; the different routes into geography; the independent review of Curriculum and Assessment; and his top 4 priority areas of interest for the future.
Here are a few resources mentioned in this episode:
Curriculum and Assessment Review – Department for Education
The GA’s review responses summary
Geographers in the House of Commons – careers poster
Geographers in media – careers poster
GA Subject Knowledge Scholar Programme
GA...
2024-10-211h 01GeogPodEpisode #83: Black History Month with Pat, James & FranciscaIn a special episode to celebrate Black History Month we join Professor Pat Noxolo from the University of Birmingham, Professor James Esson from Queen Mary University of London and Francisca Rockey, founding member of Black Geographers.
They discuss the intersections between race, gender and class that affect young people today. Topics include how to navigate complex ideas in a complex world, the importance of recognising different narratives, and the possibilities for change, revealed by the amazing work done by geography teachers.
Anti-racist work has been a means of support, comradeship and helping keep hold of...
2024-10-1159 minGeogPodEpisode #82: Sabeeha Bhatti - Art, empathy and inspirationJohn is joined in this episode by Sabeeha Bhatti, a teacher in her second year working in a school in West London.
Sabeeha talks about how she got into geography teaching and how her personal passions and identity contribute to her teaching style.
They discuss the impact of inspirational teachers, the benefits of using art in the classroom to exemplify change and how working in a diverse area with a changing population can foster empathy in students.
Resources
In the episode they look at a number of artworks, including:
...
2024-08-1654 minGeogPodEpisode #81: Dr Evelyn Wandia Corrado - Challenging perspectives and stereotypesIn episode 81 our host John Lyon talks to Dr. Evelyn Wandia Corrado, a Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at University of Roehampton. They discuss her childhood in Kenya, the community and education systems as well as challenging perspectives and stereotypes, inclusive practice and pedagogy and the importance of engaging parents and including more representation in classes.
Resources
View Evelyn's Roehampton profile
View the Primary Geography article 'Decolonising geography to unshackle the representation of Africa'
Series 13 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Rayburn Tours.
For over 60 years, Rayburn Tours have been creating t...
2024-08-091h 00GeogPodEpisode #80: Cath Rule, Rob Parker and Rhian Meara - The 50 year story of the Heimaey eruptionIn this special sponsored episode, Cath Rule from Rayburn Tours, Dr Rob Parker from Time for Geography and Dr Rhian Meara of Swansea University join John to talk about their recent expedition to the island of Heimaey to complete a joint project around the eruption in 1973 and its impacts.
They talk about the tectonics of the island, the events of January 1973 and their effect not only on the island's residents but on monitoring systems and impact management today.
They look into the process of putting together a project of this size and how Time for...
2024-06-221h 01GeogPodEpisode #79: Fiona Sheriff – Maps, fieldwork and work-life balanceIn this episode of GeogPod our host, John, talks to Fiona Sheriff about several different topics. From Fiona’s journey about how she first got into teaching, discussing her current projects and work-life balance to the direction of the geography curriculum, and something close to her heart - the importance of using maps and taking part in fieldwork.
Resources from the episode:
Find out more about Fiona’s upcoming book and pre-order it - ‘100 Ideas for Secondary Teachers: Geography Fieldwork’
Find out more about the charity Fiona is a local representative for - The Maternity Teacher, Paternit...
2024-06-1459 minGeogPodEpisode #78: More than Human GeographyJohn is joined by Professor Jamie Lorimer and Dr Timothy Hodgetts to talk about what it means when geography is more-than-human.
In a wide-ranging discussion, they look at the crossovers between geography, environmentalism, anthropology and the sciences. They talk about the importance of multiple and situated knowledge and how geographers can think differently about our entanglements with the world, from the good life for pigeons to follow-the-thing methodologies in the classroom.
Resources from the episode:
Find their new book here: https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9781315164304/human-jamie-lorimer-timothy-hodgetts
Find them on social me...
2024-06-0854 minGeogPodEpisode #77: Dr Philipp Horn – Urban informalityIn this episode John’s discussions with Dr Philipp Horn include ‘Urban Informality’ and they explore terms such as ‘slums’ and ‘favelas’ which are less used in geography education these days. It is worth listening to the whole episode to understand the use of the words and how many of them have been adopted and reclaimed by some people who live in informal settlements.
Resources
X (formerly Twitter): https://x.com/Philipp__Horn
Philipp’s staff profile (this includes the links to the publications/films discussed)
Upcoming textbook on Urban Informality
Roots Ahead film
Series 13 of Geo...
2024-05-311h 10GeogPodEpisode #76: Donald McClean – Widening participationThis episode of GeogPod was recorded live at the GA’s Annual Conference in April 2024. Our host John Lyon talked to our guest, Donald McClean, from the Sheffield Environmental Movement. In the session they discussed the importance of fieldwork, widening participation in the natural environment, supporting diverse Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic Refugee (BAMER) community groups/organisations around Sheffield.
Resources
The Black Barbers Project on the SACMHA website.
Sheffield Environmental Movement
Development Education Centre South Yorkshire (DECSY)
2024-04-151h 00GeogPodEpisode #74: James Esson - Viewing the world through a geographical lensIn this episode join John Lyon and Professor James Esson from Queen Mary University of London as they discuss viewing the world through a geographical lens. They cover a wide range of topics including conspicuous margins, pedagogy and voice, inequality, social economy, and improving the future.
Professor James Esson will also be our keynote speaker at the GA Conference 2024. Find out more about Conference 2024 here.
Resources
Coffee and Geography Podcast
Decolonising Geography Collective
Race, Culture and Equality Working group of the RGS-IBG
Salaamgeographia
Esson, J. (2015). Better off at home? Rethinking responses to trafficked West A...
2024-01-2656 minGeogPodEpisode #73: Paul Chatterton - How to save the cityIn this episode of GeogPod John is joined by Paul Chatterton, Professor of Urban Futures at the University of Leeds. A few topics they discuss include Paul’s book How to save the city, the climate crisis, social inequalities and the breakdown of our natural world.
Visit howtosavethecity.org to find out more about the book.
Follow Paul on X (Twitter): @PaulChatterton9
Connect with Paul Chatterton on LinkedIn
Series 12 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Educake
We believe great teaching happens when teachers get the time to think.
Educake hel...
2024-01-0551 minGeogPodEpisode #70: The Chalk Stream ChallengeIn this episode John Lyon discusses the Chalk Stream Challenge with Hazel Metcalfe and Sarah Smith.
Hazel and Sarah created The Chalk Stream Challenge as part of the Watercress and Winterbournes Landscape Partnership Scheme. They discuss how the challenge began, who the challenge is suitable for, some of the activities involved, features of a Chalk Stream and how the activities can be adapted.
Find out more about the Chalk Stream Challenge
Watercress and Winterbournes provide more background information and resources
The Wessex Rivers Trust have many other Chalk Streams in their...
2023-11-1053 minGeogPodEpisode #69: Richard Philips – The meaning of placeIn this episode John Lyon discussed the topic of place with Professor Richard Phillips from the University of Sheffield. Richard was joined in this podcast by Tariq Jazeel and Maddy Starzak in the first ever live recorded episode from our Annual Conference 2023.
Richard Phillips, Professor of Human Geography at the University Sheffield, discusses some of his work on place, writing and fieldwork. His publications in this area include Fieldwork for Human Geography (2012) and Fieldwork for Social Research (forthcoming in 2023), both written with Jennifer Johns and published by Sage, and Creative Writing for Social Research (2021, Policy Press).
...
2023-04-2053 minGeogPodEpisode #68: Helen Mazalon - Leaving nobody behindIn this episode John is joined by Helen Mazalon, a GIS Technician at Alcis.
They discuss many topics surrounding GIS for example: Who Alcis are and what they do, the difficulties students face getting into the entry level job market, the 30 day map challenge, the accuracy of data, and more.
Visit the Alcis website here
Here are Helen's top 5 suggestions for GIS resources:
Humanitarian Open Street Map - A really good resource – an overview of what HOTOSM/OSM for data, context, projects to get involved in
Open Street Map - To edit and...
2022-12-0142 minGeogPodEpisode #67: Alex Densmore - Learning from the landscapeIn this episode John is joined by Professor Alex Densmore, Deputy Head of Geography at Durham University.
Focusing on his research in Nepal, they talk about how investigating tectonically active landscapes can reveal chains of linked hazards, and why it is important to link international humanitarian efforts with local communities.
Find information on the post-Gorkha landslide here.
View the Government of Nepal's portal for hazard and risk information.
Visit the CEOS website.
Series 11 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Hodder Education.
Hodder Education work with expert authors to produ...
2022-11-031h 01GeogPodEpisode #66: Daanish Mustafa - Critical GeographyIn the 66th episode, John Speaks to Daanish Mustafa, Professor in Critical Geography at King's College London. The episode centres on what Critical Geography is and how Daanish's thinking was shaped. They also touch on the concepts of structuralism and post-structuralism before discussing the 2022 Pakistan floods and flood management.
Find Gender and Social Vulnerability to Climate Change: A Study of Disaster Prone Areas in Sindh here.
Find Gender and Violence in Urban Pakistan here.
Series 11 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Hodder Education.
Hodder Education work with expert authors to produce t...
2022-10-271h 06GeogPodEpisode #65: Chris Winter and Dan Whittall - Research for teachersIn this episode, John speaks to Chris Winter and Dan Whittall, both Research Engagement Leads at the GA. Their conversation centres on the projects in which they are currently involved and their hopes for the future of research within geography education. They also touch on areas such as Diversity & Inclusion and de-colonising the curriculum.
Find the GA's Developing Classroom Research and Writing retreat here.
Decolonising Education for Peace in Africa.
Margaret Wilkinson’s Planning for Real.
The website of Decolonising Geography.
Series 11 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Hodder Edu...
2022-10-2059 minGeogPodEpisode #64: Dave Petley - Landslides and EarthquakesIn this episode, John speaks to Professor Dave Petley, the new Vice-Chancellor at the University of Hull. Their conversation centres of Dave's work on landslides, their relationship to earthquakes, the evolution of slopes and how they can be better taught in the classroom. Dave has a wealth of knowledge, recounting his work in Taiwan as well as discussing events like the Sichuan Earthquake in 2008 and its after-effects.
Follow Prof. Petley on Twitter here.
Sign up for the Inaugural Lecture here.
Watch the lecture Things are going downhill fast: Understanding massive landslides here.
2022-09-2952 minGeogPodEpisode #63: Clarry Simpson - NQTs and ECTsIn the first episode of Series 11, John speaks with Clarry Simpson, a geography teacher and ECT Induction Lead in Brinsworth.
Their discussion centres on the NQT & ECT programs, the problems affecting new teachers, how the programs have changed and the importance of subject and curriculum knowledge.
Follow Clarry on Twitter.
Series 11 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Hodder Education.
Hodder Education work with expert authors to produce the very best Key Stage 3, GCSE and A-level Geography resources for you and your students, and on their webs...
2022-09-151h 02GeogPodEpisode #62: Richard Bustin, Alice Matthews & Charlotte Milner - Writing your first article in Teaching GeographyThis week, John speaks to Richard Bustin, Alice Matthews & Charlotte Milner to discuss getting involved with Teaching Geography and how to write your first article for Teaching Geography.
Find out more about writing for the GA at https://www.geography.org.uk/Write-for-GA
Series 10 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by AQA.
Everyone has the potential to achieve, so we make sure that our qualifications give all students the opportunity to show what they can do and progress to the next stage of their lives.
Our UK qualifications are...
2022-09-021h 05GeogPodEpisode #61: Ilan Kelman - Disasters and diplomacyThis week John speaks with Ilan Kelman, to discuss why disasters aren't natural, and why it is up to us to make the positive changes so that diplomacy can work for everyone.
Links from the pod:
Follow Ilan on Twitter or Instagram
Read Disaster by Choice
Read his papers: Axioms and actions for preventing disasters and Does Nature Play Disaster Games?
See Ilan's talks on: What makes it tick? and The Curious Geographer on YouTube.
They look at a range of events and their impa...
2022-08-2554 minGeogPodEpisode #60 John Lyon - Drunk parrots, arterial routes, and finding your way through geographyIn this special, 60th episode of GeogPod, we hand over the guest seat to our stalwart presenter, John Lyon.
As a longstanding member of the GA community, he answers questions sent in by staff and members about his experiences, and about what makes him passionate about geography.
Follow John at https://twitter.com/GAGeogger
Series 10 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by AQA.
Everyone has the potential to achieve, so we make sure that our qualifications give all students the opportunity to show what they can do and progress to t...
2022-08-1857 minGeogPodEpisode #59 Gemma Sou - The human geography of the climate crisisThe guest for this week's podcast is Gemma Sou, Vice Chancellor's Postdoctoral Research Fellow at RMIT University in Australia. Gemma and John talk about the human geography of the climate crisis, and how she uses graphic novels to represent her research into human-environment relationships and the gendered impacts of climate change. They look into the value of using different media for representing the personal, and giving students a portal into a different worldview.
Website: https://gemmasou.com/
After Maria with teaching resource https://gemmasou.com/creative-research/
Everyday stories of climate change with teaching re...
2022-08-0448 minGeogPodEpisode #58: Narinder Mann - Geography teacher training and what makes a good geography teacherIn this episode, John chats with Narinder Mann: lecturer of Geography and Humanities Education at the University of Manchester. Their conversation centres on what makes a good geography teacher and what a good geography curriculum looks like.
Series 10 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by AQA.
Everyone has the potential to achieve, so we make sure that our qualifications give all students the opportunity to show what they can do and progress to the next stage of their lives.
Our UK qualifications are highly valued by employers and universities around the world.
...
2022-07-281h 00GeogPodEpisode #57: David Lambert - Thinking geographically and making powerful knowledge relevantIn the first episode of Series 10, John catches up with David Lambert, Honorary Professor of Geography Education at the UCL Institute of Education and former GA Chief Executive.
They look back together at the recent history of the GA, and key concepts which helped to build its manifesto for geography: A Different View.
Their discussion looks closely at what it means to "think geographically" and why it is important for teachers to understand and get to know who they are teaching and how they see the world.
Find David Lambert's article Rediscovering the...
2022-07-2150 minGeogPodEpisode #56: Ryan Ing - High altitude weather balloons and marine terminating glaciersListen in to the final episode of Series 9 to hear Ryan Ing, current GA postgraduate intern, talk to us about what geography means to him and how he progressed from A levels in physics and geography to a research career in glaciology.
John and Ryan discuss the transition from A level to University and beyond, the future of glaciers in Greenland and why it's important to connect with the environments you study.
Series 9 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Cambridge Assessment International Education.
Currently, Cambridge have opportunities for teachers to join us as A...
2022-06-2843 minGeogPodEpisode #55: Dr Joe Usher - Getting children involved in local placesJoe Usher is Assistant Professor in Primary Geography Education and Social, Environmental and Scientific Education at Dublin City University. He joins John this week to talk about how to get teachers and pupils to recognise the threads of geography running through everyday spaces and places, and how to implement tools like Minecraft to get them to consider issues such as sustainability and accessibility.
They discuss his own projects in Ireland getting children involved in town planning and why looking at the local area is vital to geographical teaching.
Series 9 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by C...
2022-06-181h 02GeogPodEpisode #54: Dawn Gessey-Jones - Know where you are, know who you areIn this episode, John chats with Dawn Gessey-Jones: teacher and geography co-ordinator at Two Rivers School, a special school providing for pupils and students with a wide range of educational needs and recipient of the Gold Primary Geography Quality Mark from 2009-2021.
They talk about the school's approaches to making the subject relevant and inclusive, and how to give it meaning for individual students by being creative with existing geographical tools and techniques. They also look at the idea that "geography is about the world around you" and how it can be used to foster independence.
2022-06-1149 minGeogPodEpisode #53: Alan Parkinson and Paula Richardson - Fieldwork: a shared experience for everybodyIn this week's podcast, John speaks with Alan Parkinson, President of the Geographical Association 2021-22, and Paula Richardson, of the GA Fieldwork and Outdoor Learning Special Interest Group, as we head into National Fieldwork Week.
They look at all aspects of fieldwork: why it is necessary, what teachers can do to get pupils and students involved, and the benefits of engaging with fieldwork, whether personal, social or environmental. Listen in to hear their recommendations for making the most of National Fieldwork Week (and beyond) to create memorable experiences.
Series 9 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Ca...
2022-06-041h 00GeogPodEpisode #52: Gill Miller - Live your geography!In this episode, John speaks with Gill Miller, Senior Lecturer Emerita at University of Chester.
They talk about Gill's history in the field of geography education, from examining to assessment and specification development, and look into geography's potential to widen perspectives and inspire pupils to become informed, concerned and ethical citizens.
Subjects covered include fieldwork, the importance of individual viewpoints and the development of the New Curriculum for Wales.
Series 9 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Cambridge University Press & Assessment International Education.
Currently, Cambridge have opportunities for teachers to join us as...
2022-05-2854 minGeogPodEpisode #51: Dr Sarah Greene - Past climates, fieldwork and belongingIn this episode, John talks to Dr Sarah Greene, Associate Professor of Palaeoclimates at the University of Birmingham. Their discussion covers the importance of field teaching across schools and universities, and working to make fieldwork practices inclusive and accessible.
They also look at Sarah's research into the carbon cycle, and how looking to the geological past can provide insights on environmental changes we are seeing today, such as ocean acidification.
Series 9 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Cambridge University Press & Assessment International Education.
Currently, Cambridge have opportunities for teachers to join us as A...
2022-05-2153 minGeogPodEpisode #50: Natasha Dowey - The importance of geoscience in a more sustainable societyIn this episode, John is joined by Dr Natasha Dowey - Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography at Sheffield Hallam University specialising in Volcanology and the editor of Geoscience for the Future. Their discussion centres on geoscience, its decline at A level and equity in geoscience.
Twitter: @DrNatashaDowey
Geoscience for the Future
Geology for global development
Equator
Series 8 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Hodder Education.
Hodder Education work with expert authors to produce the very best Key Stage 3, GCSE and A-level Geography resources for you and...
2022-03-1844 minGeogPodEpisode #49: David Gardner – Planning a Coherent CurriculumThis week, John is joined by educational consultant and author, David Gardner. Their conversation includes topics such as the intricacies of geography curriculum planning and the importance of sequencing; how teaching has changed through the years as the result of technology; climate change and COP26. Some of the resources mentioned are linked below:
Planning your coherent 11-16 geography curriculum : a design toolkit by David Gardner
Progress in Geography Key Stage 3
The Ofsted research review for geography (17th June 2021)
Designing a coherent geography curriculum for 11-16 year olds Planning for pupil progress...
2021-12-1850 minGeogPodEpisode #48: Sylvia Knight - Royal Meteorological SocietyThis week, John is joined by Dr Sylvia Knight, Head of Education at the Royal Meteorological Society. Their conversation centres on the COP26, climate change, the IPCC and some of the resources teachers can use in the classroom. For some of the resources mentioned, they are linked below:
https://www.metlink.org/weather-and-climate-teachers-guide/
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLxfRaIHcilDcogQRTD1rzEmp5i_aed-K_
https://www.metlink.org/experiment/alternative-clouds-in-a-bottle/
https://www.metlink.org/fieldwork-resource/balloon-launch/
https://www.metlink.org/interactive-climate-change-explainers/
Series 8 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by H...
2021-12-1344 minGeogPodEpisode #47: Dr Tim Daley & Kate Stockings - Climate Change and the Climate CrisisThis week, John is joined by Dr Tim Daley, Association Professor of Physical Geography at School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences at Plymouth University and Kate Stockings, Head of Geography at Hampstead School.
Their discussion centres on climate change and the climate crisis, touching on their work on a soon to be released Top Spec edition, the history of climate change in education and resources educators can use within the classroom.
Series 8 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Hodder Education.
Hodder Education work with expert authors to produce the very best Key St...
2021-12-0450 minGeogPodEpisode#46 Shenona Mitra - Youth Climate ActionIn the second episode of Series 8 of GeogPod, John speaks to Shenona Mitra, who is a climate activist and vice-chair of the Youth Climate Ambassadors (YCA) Wales, to discuss climate change and what it feels like to be a youth activist and how young people can change the world of climate activism.
Series 8 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Hodder Education.
Hodder Education work with expert authors to produce the very best Key Stage 3, GCSE and A-level Geography resources for you and your students, and on their website, you’ll discover exam board approved textbooks, revi...
2021-11-1846 minGeogPodEpisode #45: Michila Critchley - InterClimate NetworkIn the first episode of Series 8 of GeogPod, John speaks to Michila Critchley, Associate and Programme Coordinator for InterClimate Network, which is a registered charity with a mission to inspire young people in the UK to become leaders and advocates for action on climate change.
Series 8 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Hodder Education.
Hodder Education work with expert authors to produce the very best Key Stage 3, GCSE and A-level Geography resources for you and your students, and on their website, you’ll discover exam board approved textbooks, revision guides, teaching support and more.
2021-11-1152 minGeogPodEpisode #44: Kirstin Coughtrie - Technology in education, Gaia Learning & BritannicaFor the final episode of series 7 of GeogPod, John spoke to Kirstin Coughtrie, founder of Gaia Learning about the use of technology and AI in teaching, the advantages and challenges of home-schooling, and how Britannica's resources can help pin a home school programme to the specification.
Series 7 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Britannica.
Take Britannica's LaunchPacks GCSE for a spin with history and geography lessons, built with Shireland Academy educators and mapped to UK curriculum needs. Within each KS3-4 topical pack, find a learning route, learning journey instructions, printable activities, and corresponding Britannica Launch...
2021-10-0756 minGeogPodEpisode #43: David Alcock - ‘Hopeful geography‘David Alcock, is a geography teacher, teaching and learning champion at Bradford Grammar school as well as a writer and presenter.
David joined John to discuss, among other things, his concept of 'Hopeful geography', which he has developed over a number years of work of and reflection.
Series 7 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Britannica.
Take Britannica's LaunchPacks GCSE for a spin with history and geography lessons, built with Shireland Academy educators and mapped to UK curriculum needs. Within each KS3-4 topical pack, find a learning route, learning journey instructions, printable activities, and...
2021-09-3049 minGeogPodEpisode #42: Caiti Walter - The building blocks of curriculum designThis week John sat down with Caiti Walter to discuss her route into geography teaching and to explore her views and strategies when it comes to designing a geography curriculum (plus much more).
Series 7 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Britannica.
Take Britannica's LaunchPacks GCSE for a spin with history and geography lessons, built with Shireland Academy educators and mapped to UK curriculum needs. Within each KS3-4 topical pack, find a learning route, learning journey instructions, printable activities, and corresponding Britannica LaunchPacks articles and multimedia resources. 10% off for GeogPod listeners!
Links from the po...
2021-09-2355 minGeogPodEpisode #41: Dr Simon Carr - ”Our eyes are the most sophisticated piece of geographical equipment we have”This week, John spoke to Dr Simon Carr. Simon is Associate Professor of Geography and the University of Cumbria, specialising in geomorphology and climate change.
Much ground was covered in the pod, including Simon's work in geomorphology, the Anthropocene, what constitutes a truly natural environment and the importance of getting out and seeing a landscape for yourself.
Series 7 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Britannica.
Take Britannica's LaunchPacks GCSE for a spin with history and geography lessons, built with Shireland Academy educators and mapped to UK curriculum needs. Within each KS3-4 topical pack...
2021-09-161h 00GeogPodEpisode #40: Dr Amber Murrey - Geographies of race and racialisation and designing an anti-racist curriculumThis week John was joined by Dr Amber Murrey. Amber is an Associate Professor in Human Geography, Fellow and Tutor at Mansfield College, Oxford University.
John and Amber touched on many issues in their chat, including confronting the silence on racism in school geography, what an anti-racist curriculum could look like, the Chad-Cameroon oil pipeline and witchcraft!
Series 7 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Britannica.
Take Britannica's LaunchPacks GCSE for a spin with history and geography lessons, built with Shireland Academy educators and mapped to UK curriculum needs. Within each KS3-4 topical pack...
2021-09-091h 09GeogPodEpisode #39: Professor Ben Hennig - Iceland, Worldmapper, Trump tweets & moreBen Hennig is Professor of Geography at the University of Iceland, an honorary research associate at the University of Oxford and also the founder of Worldmapper.
Ben sat down with John to talk about his career to date, his work at the University of Iceland, the origins of the Worldmapper project, Trump tweets and much more.
Series 7 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Britannica.
Take Britannica's LaunchPacks GCSE for a spin with history and geography lessons, built with Shireland Academy educators and mapped to UK curriculum needs. Within each KS3-4 topical pack, find...
2021-09-021h 05GeogPodEpisode #38: Jamie Woodward - Understanding climate change during the Quaternary and microplastic transport and storage in river catchmentsThis week John spoke to Professor Jamie Woodward from the University of Manchester about two key global issues; our developing understanding of climate change during the Quaternary and microplastic transport and storage in river catchments.
Both are major examples of how physical geography research has impacted on national and global policy. Jamie’s research on microplastics in rivers is now feeding directly into the Parliamentary Inquiry into Water Quality in Rivers.
Jamie Woodward is Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Manchester.
Thanks to Collins for sponsoring series 6 of GeogPod.
Link...
2021-06-1048 minGeogPodEpisode #37: Stephen Scoffham - Quality geography, atlases, capital cities and making geography fun!This week John spoke to Dr Stephen Scoffham, former GA President, Visiting Reader in Sustainability and Education at Canterbury Christ Church University and author of atlases, text books and much more besides.
John and Stephen covered a lot of ground, including why geography matters, what makes good quality geography teaching, tackling controversial issues, capital cities, whether geography should be taught as a single subject or integrated, and the Collins Atlas series.
Thanks to Collins for sponsoring series 6 of GeogPod.
Purchase the Collins Atlas series on the GA Shop.
Some of the re...
2021-06-0354 minGeogPodEpisode # 35: Professor Tamsin Mather - Volcanoes, a ’fundamental fascination’This week John was joined by Professor Tamsin Mather from Oxford University. Tamsin is professor of Earth Sciences and her research centres around volcanoes and volcanic behaviour.
Thanks to Collins for sponsoring series 6 of GeogPod.
Links from the pod
Public Lecture: Volcanoes and past climate: adventures with deep carbon
Blog about Masaya and volcanic gases
Volcano watching: weapons of ash eruption
University of Oxford Earth Sciences undergraduate course
The Geological Society university pathway page
Teaching resources Tamsin helped create:
Your science ou...
2021-05-2057 minGeogPodEpisode #34: Professor Johanna Waters & Dr Maggi Leung - Geographies of educationThis week John was joined by Professor Johanna Waters from University College London and Dr Maggi Leung from Utrecht University to discuss examples of students travelling across borders for education.
The conversation focuses mainly on the China/Hong Kong border but also cited other examples of this phenomenon and various push and pull factors related to it.
Thanks to Collins for sponsoring series 6 of GeogPod.
Johanna and Maggi's Geography article with the photos mentioned in the pod
2021-05-131h 10GeogPodEpisode #33: Alistair Hamill - Using GIS to bring divided communities together, plate tectonics and photographyIn this week's episode John spoke to Alistair Hamill, Geography teacher by day, astrophotographer by night.
Alistair talked about how to use GIS in the classroom and how Alistair used it to bring divided communities in Northern Ireland together. John and Alistair also talked about plate tectonics and Alistair's photography.
Thanks to Collins for sponsoring series 6 of GeogPod.
Links from the pod
Alistair's YouTube channel
ESRI User Conference - video about breaking down barrier in Lurgan, Northern Ireland
Typhoon Haiyan
Downstream changes along the Glendun River
Tohoku earthquake, Ja...
2021-05-061h 11
2021-04-2802 min2021-04-0102 minGeogPodEpisode #32: Alan Kinder - Talking to the GA's Chief ExecutiveThis week our GeogPod guest was the GA's very own Chief Executive, Alan Kinder. Alan spoke to John about his path to becoming the GA's Chief Executive as well his reflections on the Association's work and upcoming priorities.
Many thanks to Edquas for sponsoring season 5 of GeogPod.
Book for GA Conference 2021
Get Involved in the GA
2021-04-0151 min2021-03-2701 minGeogPodEpisode #31: Iain Freeland - Understanding Ofsted and what makes 'good geography'This week John spoke to Iain Freeland, Her Majesty's Inspector and National Lead for Geography. Iain talked us through his career path so far and some of things Ofsted are looking for in terms of ' good geography' with some key takeaways for teachers.
Many thanks to Edquas for sponsoring season 5 of GeogPod.
Links from the pod
Iain's article for Primary Geography entitled 'Empowering geography - a view from Ofsted'.
2019 Ofsted Inspection Framework
2021-03-2552 min2021-03-2101 min2021-03-1901 minGeogPodEpisode #30: Janine Maddison - Virtual fieldworkThis week John spoke to Janine Maddison about virtual fieldwork, how it compares to 'traditional in field' fieldwork, how the two can be blended, and some quick wins for teachers to take away.
Janine is a researcher at Newcastle University and previously worked as a tutor for the Field Studies Council.
Many thanks to Edquas for sponsoring season 5 of GeogPod.
Links from the pod:
#fieldworklive- FSC and Encounter Edu
Fieldcasts from the Open University
ThingLink- creating virtual tours
Sharing practice- collated tweets under #fieldworkfix
2021-03-1853 min2021-03-1702 minGeogPodEpisode #29: Dr Margaret Byron - Caribbean communities in the UKThis week John spoke to Dr Margaret Byron, Associate Professor in Human Geography at the University of Leicester, about the different waves of migration from the Caribbean to the UK and the experiences of those communities.
Many thanks to Edquas for sponsoring season 5 of GeogPod.
2021-03-111h 01GeogPodEpisode #28: Paul Turner & John Huckle - Teaching critical school geographyThis week John spoke to Paul Turner& John Huckle in a far-ranging episode which covered teaching critical school geography and what is it to be a radical school geographer.
Many thanks to Edquas for sponsoring season 5 of GeogPod.
Links from the pod
John's website, where his book Critical School Geography can be downloaded.
Paul's website where you can find some of his great teaching resources + more.
2021-03-0451 minGeogPodEpisode #27: Elizabeth Rushton, Charlotte Arulseelan & Darcy Beardmore-Crowther- Training to be a teacher during a pandemicDr Elizabeth Rushton of King's College London and two of her PGCE students, Charlotte Arulseelan & Darcy Beardmore-Crowther spoke to John about the challenges and opportunities of training to be a geography teacher during a pandemic.
Many thanks to Edquas for sponsoring season 5 of GeogPod.
2021-02-2547 minGeogPodEpisode #26 - Dominic Dyer: Wildlife protection and animal welfare activismIn this episode, Wildlife Protection & Animal Welfare activist and Pearson World Changer ambassador Dominic Dyer talked us through some of his varied and influential work and activism. Dominic also touched on the Dasgupta Review, how young activists can become the decision makers of tomorrow, the badger culling debate, bees, and lots more besides!
Many thanks to Pearson for sponsoring season 4 of GeogPod.
Links from the pod
Pearson World Changer Awards
Badgered to Death: The People and Politics of the Badger Cull
The Dasgupta Review
2021-02-111h 032021-02-0602 min2021-02-0602 min2021-02-0601 minGeogPodEpisode #24 - Alastair Owens: Religion in inner cities and how Covid-19 has changed our relationship with homeThis week John spoke to Alastair Owens, Professor of Historical Geography at Queen Mary University, London about his research on the role of the Church and religion more generally in the inner cities. Alastair also spoke about how the Covid pandemic has changed our relationship with our homes as well as some of his other projects.
Many thanks to Pearson for sponsoring season 4 of GeogPod.
Some links from the pod
Urban Vicarages project
Museum of the Home
Stay Home: Rethinking the Domestic during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Alastair's...
2021-01-2852 minGeogPodEpisode #23 - Harriet Ridley: Learning about the climate's future from its pastREUPLOADED: Apologies if you downloaded an unedited version.
This week John spoke to Dr Harriet Ridley, palaeoclimatologist and Production Coordinator at Time for Geography about how we can learn about the future of the climate from its past, her love of rock climbing and much more!
Many thanks to Pearson for sponsoring season 4 of GeogPod.
Some links from the podcast:
Harriet's article in The Conversation
Time For Geography videos:
Evidence of climate change - Time For Geography
Natural causes of Quaternary climate change - Time For Geography
Human causes of climate change - Time For Geography
2021-01-2143 min2021-01-1601 min2021-01-1603 min2021-01-1301 minGeogPodEpisode #21 - Joseph Kerski: How to incorporate GIS into your teachingIn this episode John spoke to GIS advocate and enthusiast Joseph Kerski. They discussed what GIS is, explored terms such as 'geospatial thinking' and 'the geographic perspective', as well as detailing a host of free GIS tools teachers can use in their lessons today.
Joseph Kerski is a geographer with a focus on the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in education. Joseph gave a TED Talk on ‘The Whys of Where’. He holds 3 degrees in geography and has served as geographer in 4 sectors of society, including government (21 years at NOAA, US Census Bureau, USGS), academia (Penn Stat...
2021-01-071h 022021-01-0502 minGeogPodEpisode #20: Kate Stockings - How to speak like a geographerKate Stockings is head of geography at a London school as well as being an active blogger and sharer of ideas on Twitter. Kate joined John on the pod to discuss geographical literacy - teaching students how to speak and write like a geographer.
Series 3 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Oxford University Press.
Links mentioned in the pod:
1. Card sort activity at 6th form
2. Speaking Like A Geographer blogs:
Speaking like a geographer
An update on speaking like a geographer
3. A blog in defence of textbooks!
2020-12-101h 052020-12-0801 min2020-12-0801 min2020-12-0301 minGeogPodEpisode #19 - Mark Maslin: How to deal with climate change deniers and reasons to be hopeful.Mark Maslin is a professor of climatology at University College London
Mark and John discussed dealing with climate change deniers, how climate change relates to human evolution and migration, and reasons for optimism in the fight against the climate crisis.
Mark's new book, How To Save Our Planet: The Facts is available to preorder now. Read Mark's article for The Conversation, 'The five corrupt pillars of climate change denial' as well as his interview with his own daughter about why she was striking for the climate.
Series 3 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Oxfo...
2020-12-0355 minGeogPodEpisode #18 - Dr Patricia Noxolo: "Everybody who is here, belongs here. That is a geographical statement."This week, John had a far-reaching discussion with Dr Patricia Noxolo, Senior Lecturer in Human Geography at Birmingham University.
John and Patricia covered a lot of ground in the pod, talking about Patricia's work on dance and laughter in post-colonial Caribbean spaces as well as her role on the RGS-IBG's Race, Culture and Equality Working Group. They finished up by tackling the question, 'what is Black British geography?'
Series 3 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Oxford University Press.
2020-11-2650 min2020-11-2001 minGeogPodEpisode #17 - Tom Highnett: "Being a geography teacher is a superpower."In this week's episode, John spoke to Tom Highnett, a geography teacher now Assistant Principal and Director of Post-16 at a South Yorkshire school.
Tom spoke about the challenges of senior leadership, curriculum planning, progression as well as some thornier issues such as future of GCSEs, how to teach divisive topical issues and, of course, Covid-19.
Series 3 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Oxford University Press.
Some links mentioned in the episode:
A link to Tom's (work in progress) 7 year curriculum here.
A link to the Team Geography blog.
2020-11-1958 minGeogPodEpisode #16 - Agatha Herman: Wine, food security, ethical commodity networks, and did we mention wine?In this episode John was joined by Dr Agatha Herman, Senior Lecturer in Human Geography at Cardiff University, specialising in the geography of ethics and justice. Agatha talked about her work in South Africa, empowerment, wine, food security and Fairtrade.
Agatha is the author of Practising Empowerment in Post-Apartheid South Africa: Wine, Ethics and Development.
Series 3 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Oxford University Press.
2020-11-1247 min2020-11-0601 min2020-11-0601 minGeogPodEpisode #15 - Tony Champion: urbanisation, migration, elevators and escalatorsThis week, John spoke to Tony Champion, Emeritus Professor of Population Geography at Newcastle University about urbanisation, counter urbanisation, migration trends and demographic change (as well as touching on, inevitably, Brexit and Covid-19).
Series 3 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Oxford University Press.
2020-11-0549 min
2020-09-2401 min
The Earths LayersThe Earths Layers- geogpod #1This geogpod is about the Earths layers in further detail.
2020-09-1701 minGeogPodEpisode #9 - Stephen Legg: Global governance, internationalism and colonial India.Welcome to Series 2 of GeogPod! This week, John spoke to Stephen Legg, Professor of Historical Geography at Nottingham University. Stephen discussed his work on globalisation, internationalism and colonial India.
Many thanks to our sponsor, Flooglebinder.
Some links to websites mentioned in the podcast.
Stephen's article for Geography.
Conferencing the international.
The website focused on the Round Table Conference.
Stephen's personal website.
2020-09-0346 minGeogPodEpisode #5 - Geography from home eConference panel discussionThis special episode of GeogPod takes the audio from a panel discussion held over Zoom during the GA's recent eConference. GA President Gill Miller was the chair as the four panelists discussed how to continue geography education during the current challenging circumstances.
For support in teaching geography in the home, why not check out the GA's new 'Geography from home' web section?
2020-05-071h 01GeogPodEpisode #4 - Daniel Hammett: Development and geopolitics in sub-Saharan AfricaIn episode 4 of GeogPod, John spoke to Dr Daniel Hammett, a Senior Lecturer at Sheffield University, about development and geopolitics in sub-Saharan Africa and questions of the representation and perception of developing countries.
2020-03-1942 minGeogPodEpisode #3 - Peter Jackson: Food security and sustainabilityIn this week's GeogPod, John spoke to Professor Peter Jackson about food security, the origins of the food we eat, and whether the UK could ever be self-sufficient in terms of its food production.
In the pod, Peter mentioned the Desert Garden project. You can find out more about the project and donate to the appeal here.
2020-03-1246 min
GeogPod#0 - Rebecca Kitchen: Critical thinking for achievementThe very first episode of GeogPod! Our host John Lyon is joined by the GA's Curriculum and Marketing Manager, Rebecca Kitchen, to discuss the Critical thinking for achievement project.
2020-01-2239 min