Teacher Training: Geography PGCE

Why Geography at the Nottingham School of Education?

• Are you an enthusiastic and well-qualified geographer?
• Do you like working with young people?
• Are you a good listener and communicator?
• Are you interested in how we can relate geography to young people?
• Do you believe that geography has an important role in developing young
  people’s knowledge, understanding and views about the world in which
  they live?
• Do you like being intellectually challenged and learning through
  experience, investigation, critical thinking and reflection?

If you have answered yes to these questions then read on to find out how our PGCE course can prepare you for a stimulating career in teaching geography.

The course is part of the highly regarded and successful Secondary PGCE course offered by the University of Nottingham, planned and coordinated by enthusiastic and experienced University tutors in partnership with a network of talented and committed school geography teachers/mentors throughout the East Midlands.

 

Outstanding Ofsted results

"The overall effectiveness of the University of Nottingham in securing high quality outcomes for trainees is outstanding."

Ofsted 2010

The purpose of the Geography PGCE course is to help you to become an effective, professional and reflective geography teacher of pupils aged 11-19. It is carefully designed to meet the latest curriculum requirements in Geography drawing on current research, thinking and good practice in teaching Geography. Assessed work encourages reflection and investigation of classroom practice, reflecting the unity of theoretical and practical ideas.

What is the course about?

There are a number of themes explored during the course, both in university and in schools.

• The geography: how can we understand the nature of geography, what it represents and how it is communicated? What is the relationship between the geographies you have learnt at university and the geographies you will teach in school? How can you turn geography into meaningful learning for young people?
• The pupil: how do young people think, learn, develop and grow? What can you learn by being with pupils? How do they understand geography? What do you need to know about young people in order to help them learn geography?
• The effective subject specialist teacher: what do teachers do in the classroom and outdoors do to foster geographical thinking in young people? What approaches, styles and teaching strategies do they use to support geographical learning?
• The lesson: what do you need to know about how lessons are structured? What do you need to think about when planning and preparing lessons? What are lessons for? How can you make sure that lessons are structured for the pupils’ needs?
• The beginning teacher: what values, beliefs and attitudes do you bring to the course and to the classroom? What is your current thinking on teaching geography? What in your view is education for? What previous educational experiences have you had and how have these shaped the person you are and the teacher you want to be?

Our philosophy is that geography can, and should, be challenging, enjoyable and relevant for all pupils. The challenge for the teacher then is to turn this into action. We trust that, after a year at Nottingham, beginning teachers will find this less of a challenge and more like proficient practice.

How does the course help you to develop as a teacher?

• Through university sessions that constantly aim to challenger your thinking about geography and it is, and could be, taught.
• Through school placements which give you an opportunity to put into practice your developing skills and understanding.

How are you supported on the course?

A real strength of the PGCE course is the quality of support you get from a variety of sources, including:

• A personal tutor from the geography team.
• A school mentor on each school placement.
• A other school colleagues and your peers.

So .. if you are looking for a challenging and exhilarating experience which prepares you for teaching geography creatively, in line with up to date theory on how children think and learn, then we look forward to receiving your application. Experience has shown that our graduating geography teachers have gone on to become ambitious and successful professionals.