I am always looking for opportunities to engage in capacity building among geography teachers. It was obvious that a teacher could be appointed as a Subject Coordinator (Head of Geography Department) yet not have any specific training to enable them to really develop their role in a meaningful way. So, last year I had a trial meeting of geography Subject Coordinators. I invited some Subject Coordinators to meet to discuss how a network of coordinators could support each other. There was no specific agenda but we discussed several issues.

The role of a Subject Coordinator requires vision and leadership. It has to encompass more than organising which teachers take which classes and what topics are taught when.

The geography Subject Coordinators meetings are an opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues that contribute to the effective and efficient management of a geography department in the interests of the professionals who work within it, and most importantly, in the interests of the learners they serve.

Below are details of the first network meeting this year. Depending on the response and need, there may be more later in the year. It is hoped over time that the network could develop a degree of expertise that could be disseminated to other regions and perhaps to other subject associations.

Geography Subject Coordinators Network Meeting