Secondary Phase Committee
Contacts
Chair: Tom Biebrach
Email: trbiebrach@aol.com
Visit the members' page to find out who's who on the SPC...
Our Aims
The purpose of the Secondary Phase Committee is to support GA members concerned with Geography in Key Stages 3 and 4 and to represent the views and interests of these members.
What we do
- Monitor the views, interests, concerns and issues facing secondary geography members of the GA. In addition, monitor the state of health of secondary geography as indicated by data on numbers and assessment evidence.
- Initiate ideas for engaging and challenging teaching and learning ideas in the secondary geography classroom.
- Disseminate these ideas through workshops at the annual GA Conference, the GA website, and occasional articles and contributions to GA publications such as Teaching Geography
- Represent the views, interests, concerns and issues facing secondary geography members of the GA at the GA Education Committee, and externally to bodies such as QCA.
- Promote geography to teachers, pupils, schools and the wider community as a relevant and exciting subject
We have led workshops at the GA Annual Conference on Leading the Geography Department and Teaching Exceptional Students; led teacher-to teacher sessions at the GA Annual Conference; published articles in Teaching Geography on topics such as team teaching, Valuing Places, the geography of crime, using ICT to enrich Geography, leading the geography department/self assessment and field work; represented the GA in the QCA review of the Key Stage 3 curriculum; and published numerous resources on the GA website.
Top Ten Ideas
Every half term, the GA's secondary phase committee produces a 'top ten' of ideas for helping you teach the secondary curriculum. You can view them in full on the Top Ten Ideas page, or download the basic PDFs here:
Top Ten Ideas: Primary-Secondary Transition
Top ideas for an exciting start to year 7 geography
Top ideas for getting your students out of the classroom during the summer term
Top Ten ideas for promoting GCSE geography
Top ten ideas for your new KS3
Annual Conference 2009
The SPC led three workshops at the 2009 GA Annual Conference held at the University of Manchester on 16 - 18 April 2009.
Doorstep Geography
Emma Johns and Rachel Lawrenson
A practical workshop equipping participants with a range of easy activities for fieldwork on their doorstep.
Transforming Tired Topics
Tom Biebrach, Fred Martin and Alan Parkinson
Offered a range of ideas and opportunities to make these topics more exciting and engaging, transforming that 'tired' topic whilst retaining quality geographical learning.
Creativity and Geographical Investigation
Simon Renshaw and members of the SPC
This session provided delegates with a range of creative thinking techniques and practical examples that highlighted how geographical investigation can serve to promote creative thinking.
Resources from all of these workshops and other conference sessions can be downloaded on the Manchester 2009 page.
Notes of Secondary Phase Committee Meeting - 7 February 2009
Today was Fred Martin's last day as a member of the Secondary Phase Committee. After attending many meetings and offering creative and critical insights to our discussions, Fred has now taken up a role as Vice Chair of the Geographical Association's Education Committee. Although we will all miss his presence at meetings, the SPC would like to sincerely wish Fred all the best in his new role within the GA.
In addition, Stacey McCabe has also tendered her resignation from the committee due to additional commitments. Again, all the committee members would like to thank Stacey for her contributions. Consequently, the SPC is now actively seeking to recruit new members so if you would like to join the Secondary Phase Committee or would like further information, please contact the chair, Tom Biebrach.
During the meeting the committee discussed some of the implications of the Assessing Pupil Progress project for geography educators. Many members of the GA have been actively involved in piloting the APP materials for geography. The GA will be providing its members with supporting guidance and resources when the APP project is released nationwide in September 2010 - watch this space!
Although we are still in 2009, SPC members have been working hard once again to offer support and guidance in the form of CPD for its members. As a result, the SPC is pleased to offer a suite of three workshops at next year's Annual Conference in Derby. The workshops offered in Derby will include a geographical swap shop, raising the profile of geography and extending the use of ICT for beginners. All the SPC members are looking forward to seeing you at conference next year!
Past meeting reports
Download: 7 February 2009 Meeting Notes
Download: 4 October 2008 Meeting Notes
Download: 7 June 2008 Meeting Notes
Join the Secondary Phase Committee
If you are interested in becoming involved with the Secondary Phase Committee, please contact the Chair Tom Biebrach.
(Updated 12.11.09)
