Teaching Geography in School: Challenge and few solutions

Ajabul Biswas

Sirohi District Institute, Rajasthan

Geography, people always wanted to know about it. Geography is the oldest discipline in the world, first coined by a Genius, versatile scholar Eratosthenes in 2nd century B.C. In this field contributions of many great scholars are huge. If we talk about Plato, Aristotle, Homer, Galileo, Eratosthenes, Ptolemy, Strabo, and Al Masudi, Al-Biruni, Ibn Batuta, Ibn Khaldun etc. in Medieval period and Modern age Carl Ritter, Emanuel Kant, F. Ratzel, Churchill, Vidal la Blache and many more. Geography is always demanded investigating Nature and Human environment relationship.

We have some misconceptions about Geography, presently a large number of people know that Geography means information and information related to Earth or different areas on earth's surface. But, in reality, Geography is not the only provider of information. Geography is an investigation or research of nature and the human environment and its relationship. It shows us ground reality with everyday reality. But nowadays we are facing great challenges in front of Teaching Geography. We are graduated in Geography and also completed Post Graduate but still many of us do not realize its applicability and even failed to explain its definition and its area.

In the 21st century, why we are facing so many challenges in Teaching Geography? Just I am trying to find some reasons for, few challenges. And these challenges are more or less everybody knows who part of Teaching Geography is somehow. I visited many Govt. In schools where Geography Teacher and learners are both facing problems, few problems are created and some genuine.

Most of the teachers are interested in Geography because at the Upper Primary level it gives us lots of information. In our daily life, we are using many geographical concepts but did not realize, same things that happened with our teachers. I met with many teachers who completed his/her Graduate and Post Graduate degree in Geography but do not know properly the meaning of Geography. Why did this situation happen? If we try to find the answer to this question then we should go to past when we were students in School. That time also teacher taught us Geography like Information provider, we never felt its applicability (few are exception).

One of the major part or the soul is in Cartography but we never learn about this things in Primary or Upper Primary level. Geography is practical thinking. We have no cartographic knowledge even Students and Teachers failed to answer about Direction and how can we find various direction without help of Magnetic compass and related instruments.

Geography is not a classroom-based subject, if we learn geography within the classroom then we can’t study practical geography then it will be converted into an information provider. Geography is fully based on natural and human environment relationships where classroom is a fact but we should move ahead. Though, teaching geography in classroom is a great problem. If teaching geography is going on in the classroom then pupils can’t realize its importance that’s why we need more exposure. One single visit to any micro Geographical area give us much knowledge if it is properly planned then Students will be more active though the Teaching learning process will be more meaningful. They can define Geography in a proper way.

Teaching Geography in classroom, understanding Geography and its transformation through various way is difficult task for that work Teachers need more participation, preparation and proper plan for everyday work. There are many topic in Geography which is really tough to better transfer among the students. For Example: The astronomical part of Geography (Time, Latitude and Longitude etc.)

In every school more or less we have Physics/ Chemistry/ Biology laboratory but for Geography study we have no laboratory/ various types of map etc. A laboratory or a structured environment plays a great role to increase students' interest in any subject. It gives us lots of opportunities to explore the whole world. A geographer can visualize the whole world and its atmospheric conditions and how it related to human nature if he really understands the terminology of Geography. Objective-based learning is not performing in the classroom, for that reason pupils are confused about its scope or application. If we are trying to set a proper objective for teaching geography then it will be more fruitful to engage all the pupils in the classroom. These few common challenges which we should always try to do minimize in Teaching Geography.

Stars behind Clouds

         "My dress is so dirty. Like me, it comes from a small village; a village that is my identity. My mother and father love me a lot. They try their best to provide me food, shelter, and all their love. I miss them when I go outside, or when they go to work. They’re so loving that they make me feel at peace. Yes. I am… I am a boy belonging to a so-called backward, lower-caste family. People look at me as if I am a wild beast. As if untouchability is in my very blood. As if I am incapable of education. They think I have nothing. That I can never contribute to society. I may not have a livelihood and face many other problems. But, I want to go to school."

Many times I have cried for others, that day was one of them. I have visited a fair number of schools till now in Sirohi district. I have experienced and learnt a lot. On this particular day, however, I was so overcome with emotion that I broke down. I had to visit a school situated in a fairly well-connected village. I reached there in a jeep over-stuffed with passengers. Once there, I saw the grand spectacle of “Independent” India through the ground reality of our schools. Yes, we gained our freedom 67 years ago, but we are still strangled in the clutches of the evil caste system.

I met a boy wearing shabby clothes. Even his body seemed grimy. He was seated in the corner of the classroom on a dirty carpet. He captured my gaze the moment I entered the room. When I enquired about him from the class teacher, I was told that the boy belonged to a lower caste which is why he was seated in the corner. I replied, “Caste may remain at home, but you can vanish it in the classroom”. The teacher helplessly replied that the villagers would never be willing.

At this moment I could not help but be reminded of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar and the struggles of his childhood because of caste. India is a great country with the supposedly unique characteristic of “unity in diversity”. It is a grand umbrella of a country, but divisions and gaps still prevail among us even after all these decades of independence.

I sat down next to the boy. He smiled, but I was crying. In that very moment I felt true inner peace as a Human Being. His eyes had such depth, and such fear. Children have learnt to hate him because of his lower caste. He is served no mid- day meal least he pollute anything or anyone. Not only was the class separate from him, it seemed like society too had isolated him. He looked happy with my sudden presence, and that I was talking to him. The teacher requested me to sit on a chair, but I refused.

The sky is the same for all of us; so are the moon, stars, and planets. Everything seems permanent. These may be clouded by darkness, but this darkness is not everlasting. The clouds pass and give way to bright sunshine that washes earth with dreams of hope. I asked the little boy a few questions, and those moments are unforgettable to me. He was the bright star of the class shrouded in darkness.

Our country has many bright stars hidden behind dark clouds. Hopefully, they will awaken soon. We need a change in weather; change in society. Sometimes we forget about them. We need to search for them. We need to break down the caste system, these shameful, dark barriers. This little boy will hopefully witness Humanity one day.

We in a “civilized” society need to become aware. These stars will awaken very shortly and shake us awake too. Those days are coming. They are surviving, fighting, and contributing to society. Like the little boy, they can teach us too. He never shouted or drew attention to himself. He remained in the dirty, dark corner of the classroom, he never demanded his rights, which is why we forgot about him. And like him, countless others.

Strong gusts of wind need to break these dark clouds covering such bright stars.

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