Subject Leader or Manager?
We think it is important to focus on what it means to be a subject leader rather than simply the manager of a subject. When we talk about 'Subject Leadership' we have in mind an individual who plays a central part in the promotion of high standards. Such a person moves beyond the managerial role to ensure that the provision the school makes for geography has a clear impact on pupils' learning and enjoyment.
Activity: Leadership or management?
Take a moment to think through the differences between 'leading' and 'managing' geography.
Jot down your ideas, noting in particular:
- Five things you would do if you were simply aiming to manage the subject.
- Five things you would need to do as a leader of the subject.
The Primary Geography Quality Mark Framework was developed as a tool that Geography Subject Leaders could use to evaluate the geography curriculum.
- Can you identify key indicators that are purely about subject management?
- What about key indicators that are focused on Subject Leadership?
- Which three would you prioritise as something to work on as a subject leader?
Becoming a subject leader
In Getting Started we started looking at how we could develop a geography curriculum for the 21st century. We feel that primary geography needs to change in response to our ever changing world and the way we live in it and also as a consequence of research into 'children's geographies' (see Catling, 2003). Subject leaders are core to this.
Subject Leadership involves a complex set of skills, many of which grow out of talking to colleagues and learning from experience. Given the size and scope of this course we have chosen to focus on three main areas from the PGQM framework that we would recommend to you if you are leading geography in your school. These are:
- your 'vision' for geography — this should underpin 'the characteristics of geography in your school' and help you to formulate your own priorities. Your vision for the subject and the set of aims that underpin this vision are your key to effective subject leadership. These should form the yardsticks by which you evaluate the strengths and limitations of geography in your school
- helping colleagues to focus their teaching on distinctly geographical activity so that children develop geographical thinking
- how to build an assessment strategy that can support children to make progress when learning geography.
The aim of each of the subsequent units will be to provide you with activities that support you as you develop these aspects of geography and also guide you to further reading either in print based form or online.
Reference
Catling, S. (2003) 'Curriculum Contested: Primary Geography and Social Justice', Geography, 88, 3, 164-210.
Course units
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