Geography is not everyone's favorite subject. But if it is taught well, it could be a joy to learn about. The great thing about geography is that it is always changing, and is much more significant that many people realize.

Geography isn't merely knowing where cities and countries are located, the heights of mountains, or where natural resources are located. In other words, learning about geography- and teaching it- shouldn't be a mere memorization of facts.

Such a presumption misses out on the true nature of the subject of geography: that it deals with dynamic change and the interaction of the human race and Earth. Geography is the study of spatial patterns and processes, the science of place. Terrorism, to the recent earthquake in Kashmir, to global warming, censorship, etc. It is current, it is news, and it is vital.

At its most basic, geography can be split into two forms: physical and human geography. Though the study of one inherently involves the study of the other, there are certain concepts that are particular to each "sect." Here are concepts important for teaching about human geography:

The most important to teach about geography is that everything is interconnected, and then give examples, such as how the opium trade in Afghanistan is by far the country's most profitable, if illegal, export, and how it creates conflict for the central government in Kabul and the local warlords, and how this effects American and NATO efforts in the country, America's War on Terror, and the War on Drugs. This is only one example, but point is that interconnectedness should be demonstrated to get students interested.

Hand-in-hand with interconnectedness is the growing importance of globalization: the increasing transnational influence on the world through the convergence of economic, political and cultural change. As technology speeds ahead in the 21st century, distance is becoming less relevant as regions are linked through commerce, speedy travel, and instantaneous communications. Globalization is a necessary concept because it forms the background for much of the study of the world through a geographical lens. The teaching of the concept of globalization can be further broken down into global communications systems, global transport, transnational corporations and market economies as well as free trade agreements and 24 hour financial trading through the development of new and more flexible ways of capital accumulation. Also imperative

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