Visualising Physical Geography
Overall Verdict: ★ ★ ★ ★
Why this book?
This book has, rightly, received lots of attention since its release. It’s been a long time since a book that focuses on the intricate details of teaching physical geography has been published and so it’s a welcome addition to the resource bank and CPD library.
Tayler ends the introduction by stating his aim: that the book will provide teachers with a bank of ready-to-copy diagrams that can help both the planning and delivery of lessons. He has certainly achieved that aim. You name a geographical diagram and it is likely modelled and explained in this book. There are many that I’m yet to draw in my 8 years teaching!
Unsurprisingly, the book advocates the importance of hand-drawing diagrams in geography- something that will please many given the widely observed decline in the quality of students’ geographical diagrams in recent years (this is both anecdotally observed and mentioned in some examiners reports of recent years).
The wealth of classroom experience of the author comes through clearly. It’s obvious that Luke Tayler has reflected on hundreds of lessons taught and his delivery of them- thinking critically about how diagrams helped him achieve clarity in his exposition.
Chapter 1 to 3 discuss the importance of diagrams in geography for both teaching and learning. Whilst it is a huge shame that the conventions of referencing are not followed in this section and throughout the book, I will be using lots of this text in CPD sessions to discuss, critique and plan for the use of diagrams in lessons. For example, Tayler points out that if a teacher is drawing whilst explaining then they have the ability to control the pace of the explanation and the focus of the students. This is just one snippet that I think is well-worth discussion and consideration with early career teachers.
Three key takeaways:
1. We need to remember that representing the world diagrammatically is a key part of our discipline and yet it is often missing for our conversations about teaching our subject. This book has reminded me of the importance of drawing geographical diagrams well- as a curriculum and pedagogical tool.
2. For many of the key diagrams in geography that is no ‘right’ way to draw them. Not everyone will agree with how Tayler approaches every diagram but his work can be used to ignite important conversations at every level. How do you model and explain this process diagrammatical? Why do you make those choices? What tweaks could be made and why?
3. Diagrams are an essential tool for teachers to make the abstract more concrete. Reading this book forced me to reflect on the spectrum of abstract to concrete concepts and processes in geography. Again, do we talk about and consider this enough for our teaching?