Since the early 1900s, philosophers and educators such as John Dewey (e.g. 1938) have championed the concept of adjusting our pedagogies to address increasingly diverse classrooms.
Although this is crucial in all subjects, geography finds itself occupying a special place in schools with diverse student bodies. Geography may be the only subject where a student experiences a deep enquiry into their family’s home nations, reference to areas of the world they have linguistic links with or academic representation of identities or realities they are connected with.
As geography classrooms continue to diversify culturally, linguistically, and cognitively (Shepherd, 2010), it is crucial that we adapt our pedagogical techniques accordingly.
This article explores the need for diverse pedagogical approaches which empower, rather than assimilate; the goal being to support continued geographical study and success for minority students. This article will refer to three central ideas:
- Valuing the knowledge and lived experience of all members of the classroom as part of the construction of knowledge.
- Being precise in the presentation of information to avoid reproducing generalisations.
- Empowering students to use their own knowledge to support the understanding of others.
A study by the group Black Geographers (2020) found that the uptake of geography by specifically Black students was below average, while Garcia’s MA study (2018) found that all minorities were under-represented in the subject past key stage 3.
Both bodies of research point to a disconnect which forms between the student and the topics presented.
It is clear, therefore, that a change in how we approach the construction of knowledge in geography will influence the inclusion of students, the diversity welcome in the classroom, and the outcomes for all students.
