Re: geography: How teachers mattered
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cwW_S29faQ During a day of work in my home office, I usually treat myself to a TED video. I have categorized several in the past as ‘must see TV’ and do realize it is not a must-see for everyone. This video I appreciated today: connecting physics and marketing. I really liked the introduction and will get back to the content later. The speaker has a passion for physics, “A passion brought to me by a wonderful school teacher” , way before Dan got touched by GHS (Grey Hair Syndrome).
I have to admit that at least two teachers pushed me in the direction of geography. So these are my vivid memories: in ‘junior high’ I got caught too many times just staring out of the window, wondering what was happening in the real world. The teacher put a huge world map in front of the window, and said ‘stare at that, if you will’. So I did. My mind was set to explore the world.
In high school, the first classes of geography were not about geography, but about how to study geography. This otherwise pretty awkward teacher –wasn’t he the one with a poster of Charley’s angels in the classroom? – taught me a system I still use today. Also, I recall having to study geographic definitions (e.g. morene, karst), but the real meaning of these words only became apparent when I was able to see the phenomena myself. How much can you learn or imagine from a book? Anyway, as son of a surveying engineer, the passion for geo was partly inherited and resisting geography became pointless.
Recently I have been able to teach a bit myself and must admit, I really enjoy that. Never realised how much you can learn from -trying to- teach, and from going back to school!