Geography Taught as if It Matters

Abstract

Nel Noddings (2013, 2015) argues there is no school subject more crucial than geography for making “better adults” who will serve as caring and responsible stewards of planet Earth. This perspective assigns geography a far greater role in school (and college) programs than in many places today. In this essay, I elaborate what such a perspective could mean. Specifically, I explore how relationships—both among humans and in subject matter—enable a geographic education that reaches young people. As touchstones for discussion, I draw on two propositions Noddings repeatedly advances: (1) geography considered as a study of the earth as the “home” of humans and other living things provides a sound basis for the selection of topics for study, and (2) children’s interests “employed wisely will lead to knowledge and attitudes that are adequate for personal fulfillment and for citizenship” (Noddings, 2012, p. 194).