The curricullum
- 1. The Curricullum Geography occupies an important place in the school curricullum. Till about 20-30 years back geography was taught as a trun subject history and geography under the head general knolwedge. Now we have realised the importance of, teaching geography and now it occupies an honourable place in school curricullum in its own right. The construction of curricullum of geography is a difficult task. However it would be easier to construct a syllabi in geography if we keep certain points in mind, while constructing the curricullum in geography. Pocceed from known to unknown.This means that in case of geography teaching we should start the teaching from the local geography. It we start from local geography we are following the maxims of teaching. (i) “ proceed from known to unknown.” (ii) “ proceed from concrete to the abstract.” (iii) “ proceed from near to far.” Subject-matter based on actual experience of the students : While constructing the curricullum of geography it should be our effort that we give a syllab in which the child can learn by actual experience. Maximum effort be made to exploit the actual experience of the child. For this, it is assential that even at elementary stage the work is of practical nature. Use of geographical Terminology based on home geography. An all-out effrot be made to provide to the child geographical vocabulary from their surroundings. For learning islands, delta, etc. It is essential that they have ample knowledge of the geography of their area and for this the geographical vocabulary from their surrounds should be used. Thus in elementary school more emphasis be laid on have geography. Idea of human life throughout the world. The geography syllabii be such that gives the students an idea of human life throughout the world. If htis aim is kept in view from aerly stages then the students enter the world as practical citizens. Study in Synthetic way. Various geographical facts be given to the child in a synthetic way. Geography is a practical subject and it should not be considered as a collection of facts from geology and astronomy, etc. It should be presented as an integrated subject.
- 2. Emphasis on physical an Economic Geography. In any curricullum of geography, physical an economic geography must be given their proper place. More emphasis be placed on these branches of geography in later school years. International understanding. We cannot make a systematic study of all the countries of world in any curricullum of geography. It makes it all the more important that we make our selection very carefully. An effort be made to put more stress on international understanding and inter-dependence of nations. Selection of subjects. Only elementary things‟of remote countries be included in syllabi so that students know their situation. Only such topics which have international significance be taught abuot these countries. Primary Level The syllabus of geography at elementary stage should be such which awaken geographical interest in the child. The children may leran geographical terminology but this terminology should be based as „home geography‟. At nursery and kindergarten levels stories having geographical meaning in them may from the basis of study of geography. The syllabus be framed in such a way that the students know their country with reference to human life and general conditions. The textbooks should tell in very simple language srories of people who live under different conditions in different parts of the country and what it looks like. At elementary stage home geography should fom the basis of curiculum. The terms such as valley, islands, bay, mountains,etc. May be taught at a latter stage. While teaching terminology at the elementary steg all efforts be made to clear their meaning by citing examples from neighbourhood. Use of ficture at this stage in deirable. Use of globe as an ilustrative aid be exploited at the primary level. At primary level the syllabus should be such that through globe students may learn the names and situasion of continents and oceans. Maps may also be used in primary schools. At this stage the children may be asked to draw a map of the school, the village or the locality. Any geography syllabus ill remain incomplete if it does not include the description of life of people on the globe. The syllabus be based on things of every – day use and children be encoureged to learn about children of different nation writing about the syllabus of geography at elementary stage an eminent writer has rightly remarked, “starting from” geography,
- 3. surverying the whole world as a unit and looking upto the villages as their neighbours the children should learn all the broad geogaphical features of their country with special reference to their own state. Many teachers are puzzled to know how to frame a syllabu for a primaary school if the work is largely determined by childrens‟ interests and pays little attetion to subjects as entities. Yes for these very reasons a syllabus is all the more necessary. As far as geographical work is concerned, the solution lies in recognising that what really matter is not the memorising of bookish facts, but the gaining of the useful background ideas and acquiring of “ tol – knoeledge”. For this, suitable topics may be mentioned as example but the topics actually studied by children of a given age will vary from year to year. Curiculum at primary stage. At this stage the curiculum of geography may contain the following things. Curiculum class III, in this class the curiculum may include. (i) Our region. (ii) Our village. (iii) Preparation of teh map of the village by the students. (iv) Students may be asked to sho the distribution of various crops of the village. (v) Students may be given an idea the population of the village (vi) Students may be given the of idea of means of communication market, atc. (vii) Students may be encouraged to go out on excursion and to observe the things themselves (viii) Students be told stories on the life of the people of certain regions Curiculum for class IV. At this stage the students be encouraged to observe things and more stress be put on obervation. The following thinrs be kept in mind. (i) The outline map of the district (ii) General views, climate, crops, industries, etc. (iii) Places of historical importance, means of communication, place of religious and economic importance, etc.
- 4. Students be asked to draw map and charts. Ap of those districts may be drawn whose geography they are studyng. Some perctical work may be introduced at this stage which may include the following. (i) Drawing of the map and plotting of important things in it. (ii) To draw charts and maps of buildings, rooms, etc. (iii) To look at the map of the caountry (iv) To look at theglobe, etc. Curricullum for class V. The students be taught the geography of the district in which he lives and of his state at this stage. He should be encouraged to draw maps, charts, etc. Depicting the natural division, climatic condition, agricultural products of the state, etc. To statisfy the curiosity of students they may be told the stories of discoveres e. G. That of columbus, etc. However now-a-days elementary school course material is prepared under the following classified heads. (i) Human geography (ii) Home – land or local geography (iii) Weather obsaervation and physical geography (iv) Map work Human geography. It aims at preparing the pupil fr healthy citozenship. Here the aim of geography teaching is more cultural than academic. Everything is learnt and taught from human point of view. At this stage our effort is to developthe spirit of co-existence in the child. The geographical know ledge should help he child to grasp economic, racial and political problems of the wold. Thus in syllabus for primary school geography such topics be included which meet the above demands of the child. Home land and local geography. If we hwve to learn only one area in detail it must be the local area which is nearest of all. Students can learn it best by direct method i.e. by exploration and observation, the students be asked to represent, what they haveobserved in the from of maps and diagrams to increase heir power of imagination and reproduction, the following two aims be kept in view while teaching local geography. (i) To put emphasis on the inflnence of site andlocation on the lives of inhabitant.
- 5. (ii) To emphasis the influence of contacts made white near and distant neighbours and to advance the development of the native inhabitants. Weather obsevation an phisical geography. Students be asked to kno about compass and may be asked to read the weather clock and record the direction of the wind. The may be encouraged to construct a wind – vane. Plasticine model may be used to teach them rotation and revolution of eart. An effort be antarctic cicrle, latitude and longitude. The idea of amount of heat at various place can be conveniently given by dividing the globe into five temperature zones. State globe is a good and useful teaching aid for teaching physical geography because it will facilitate the understanding of movement of earth and even such abstract terms as axis, North pole, South pole, equator, etc. Will be understood aesily. After sometime when the students‟ power of observation has developed the teacher should illustrate the directions and kinds of wind that are prevalent in the region at different times of the year. Teacher may ask the students to maintain a weather record. In physical geography students may be taught the causes of wind and rain, breezes, erosion of soil etc. Map- work. Map –work forms an important pstr of any syllabus in geography. The drawing of maps and charts be encouraged by the teacher. Junior High School Level The geography syllabus for this stage may be of the following pattern : Class VI (i) The students be encoureged and provided opportunitiens for strengthening the knowledge of geography gain by them in previous yaers. (ii) The following areas of study be encouraged (a) Importance of markets in making available the necessities of life to villages and cities. (b) Excursion be arranged to study the geography of the country in which they live. This should include the study of land, natural vegetation, physical divisions, agricurture, means of transportation, trade, population, etc. (iii) The information about water regions of the world on globe.
- 6. (iv) The students be told stories of discovery of different lands such as that of Columbus, Vasco-de-gama, etc. Some practical work which started in previous classed be further enlarged in thie class. The students of class VI be asked to take up the following practical work. (i) A study of physical map of the country on the basis of colour, scale,direction, distance,location of different physical regions, rivers, sea-shores, etc. (ii) Various water divisions of the world be taught with the help of models and students be made to learn about contours. (iii) Students be given due encouragement to observe weather and its changes and be asked to maintain a weather record chart, changes in seasons etc. Class VII (i) This is the approprite time to take up teaching of geography of the continent (Asia). In this study we should include land, climate, natural vegetation, physical divisions, crops, means of communication, trade, commerce and population. (ii) Means and routes of trade between different countries of the continent. (iii) Location of various places be taught making use of latitudes and longitudes. (iv) The study of different agricultural products be taught with refence to Asia. (v) Students be given enaough information about the natural wealth of the continent. (vi) Means of livelihood and trade of people of different countries of the continent should also be taught in this class. Practical work suggested for this class be of the following type. (i) The diviion of the country into different parts and the study of these parts on the map. The country in which they live be taken up for this purpose. (ii) Weather and its study incluiding maintaining weather chart, season chart and their effect on agriculture. (iii) Means of communication and industry in the region be studied by organising excursions. Students be encouraged to observe the effect of nature on the land and life of man.
- 7. Class VIII. The syllabus for Class VIII should include the following : Physical Geography : The annual movement of earth, the weather, season, rays of sun, eclipse, etc. Formation of land, mountains, rocks, falls, plains, sea shores, currents, ebb and tide etc. Geography of the world : The geography of the world be taught but the basis of teaching should be the division of world on physical basis and the agricultural products of various division. Study of modern life : Under this head we include the study of modern scientific inventions and the influence of natural conditions on these inventions. Practical Work. In practical work for this class the following may be included : (i) To keep a record of weather and seasons and to maintain charts for this purpose. (ii) Study of physical and political divisions of the map of the world. (iii) Various means of communication like sea routes, land routes, air roots, etc. (iv) HAL 230-231 BELUM ADA MASIH DALAM PROSES FOTOCOPY
- 8. (v) Study of pressure of area and wind. (vi) Study of rain fall in the area. (vii) A deteiled study of mineral wealth of area. (viii) A complete study of animal wealth of area. (ix) Study of indusry, art, craft and trade. (x) Comparative study of location of various trades and industries. (xi) Study of indusrtial tours and cities. (xii) Study of population. While taking up the teaching of world geography, different teachers follow dofferent order of treatment of continents. However in has now been concluded on the basis of various studies that the three southern continents should always be taught before Europe and North America. While taking up the regional study of continents generally we teach abuot India in some cases Eurasia is taken up in Ixth class snd Southern continents and Europe are taught in higher classes. Map-work. Map-work be given due importance and junior classed we should try to clarify the meaning of map and scale. Maps be used to teach relief. Before taking up the contour line method of showing relief, heights may be shown by shading. Various difficult topics can be taught whit the help or contours. From te above discussion it can easily be concluded that there are certain principles which should be observed while framing the syllabus of gography for different classes. The curiculum should be according to the needs of the country the general criticism of our geography syllabus is that it is lengthy and boring and has not been planned in accordance whit the psychological requirements of the child. Students are compelled to read big and bulky teksbooks prepared for various classes. Thus, it is desirable if we organise the subject matter in a scientific way so that the students take keen interes in it and develop a taste fr the study of geography.
- 9. From the above discussion we come to conclusion that there are certain principles which should be abserved for constructing the curiculum of geography at different stages of study. The curiculum should be according to the needs of the country, one of the greatest defects of the syllabus and the curiculumof geography in our country is that it is detailed and budersome. It has not been plannd in accordanc whit the psychological requirements of the students. Big and bulky teks-books are prapared and the students have to read them. In fact the subject matter should be scientifically organised so that students may take keen interest in it. 1. The following principles should be kipt in mind while constructing the curiculum of geography at different stages of study: (i) Proceed from known to unknown (ii) Subject-matter based on the actual experience of the people. (iii) Use of geographycal terminology based on homw geography. (iv) Idea of human life throughtout the world. (v) Study in synthetic way. (vi) Emphasis on psysical and economic geography. (vii) International understanding (viii) Selection of subjects (ix) Syllabus for the elementary stage. 2. Syllabus of elementary stage should start from home geography. Necessary pictures should fnd place according to the needs. Provision of regional studies should also be there. 3. There can be no water tight compartment between the syllabus of elementary stage and secondary stage but the syllabus of geography in secondary stage should be more developed that study should be systematic. 4. The curiculum at primary, junior high school and scondary stage should be based on practical work should start from primary stage which should go on increasing.