by Stephanie Durden Edwards

Created on: November 15, 2009   Last Updated: November 16, 2009

The best educational approaches cover more than just books and busy work. Education inspires the leaders of the future, works to remove stereotypes, and brings the world together into a global neighborhood. Geography is defined as the study of the earth and its features and of the distribution of life on the earth, including human life and the effects of human activity.

Geography students are learning much more than just where the River Nile is located on the map. They are learning about people and history, land formations and governments. They find out how children in other parts of the world are different; and how they are very much just like them. The study of geography can also teach students the importance of the land and natural resources to a particular civilization; and how important protecting the earth is.

Where it is possible to implement, cultural immersion is a fantastic way to open up a student's understanding to people and places different than him. Visiting museum exhibits centering on a particular culture provides a front row seat to the culture's history and development. Taking in a cultural festival or a religious service is another way to give students a real life taste of another culture in a way that textbooks or worksheets can never do. One practical idea is to hold a cuisine day. For example, if the class is studying Greece, assigning children the task of choosing a traditional recipe, like baklava, to research and prepare gives them the up close and personal taste of Greek cuisine, as well as the opportunity to take ownership of the facts they are learning about the culture.

Corresponding with a pen pal from a different culture is another terrific way to allow a student to internalize and experience the life of someone different than they are. Writing and developing friendships with others is also very influential in conquering preconceived assumptions about a different culture or race. There is nothing like developing friendships with children their age to help a student form a realistic world-view of another culture. When a student hears news or other current event about the region their pen pal is from, they approach it a new perspective and understanding gained from having a relationship with a friend in that area of the world.

Taking a hands-on approach to physical geography is a great teacher as well. If a class is studying the African savanna, a trip to a local prairie conservation are can give scholars a closer idea of what the terrain looks like, better than a photograph or topographical map ever will. Hiking along a riverbed or walking through a local forest, while maybe not exactly the same as the region being studies, will provide some sense of first hand experience with the land formations and animal habitats. Children will also be forced to use their imaginations. Can you imagine living in an area like this with your family in a small hut, with no schools or hospitals nearby? Achieving this level of understanding is irreplaceable and well worth the effort to take a field trip.

Cultural immersion, pen pal correspondence, and field trips are three incomparable tools in a geography teacher's treasure chest. Learning about the world through the eyes of another child, or seeing someone the lives of someone who is different will not only foster understanding and tolerance; but it will instill a lifelong desire to reach out and learn the about the world beyond their own.

Sources cited

1- http://www.thefreedictionary.com/geography

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