O ensino da Geografia nos EUA

Making the Case for Geography in our Schools

Christina Salas
10 December 2008

In the wake of the recent presidential election, an increased level of interest has surfaced in this country over foreign issues. While domestic economic issues arguably dominated the political scene, both candidates were repeatedly asked questions about Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, North Korea and all of the other so-called rogue nations. If this increased volume of interest in international news inspired even one person to look at a map or dust off their globe or open up to Google Earth for some geographic exploring then I say "bravo" to the news media and all of those people on the campaign trail.

The education system in this country has never done a satisfactory job in pushing geographic knowledge. Just as U.S. students are losing ground in the international education rankings, so too is geography falling completely off the map in secondary education. In an era where most children have seen the top of their own home on Google Earth and wouldn't dream of going someplace new without a printed out set of turn-by-turn directions from MapQuest, the knowledge of how these technologies developed and what they could be used for is noticeably absent in the education system.

The true power of geographic education lies beyond the pure collection of facts like what is the capital of this and where is the longest that. While geography does encompass all of these things, it goes beyond the memorization of facts by using them to understand why the world works the way it does, from why this mountain is here to why this economic industry is suffering there.

The true genius in the study of geography is that it allows the student to gain a more well-rounded view of the world beyond such one-dimensional subjects like economics or sociology. Geography views not just the importance in all subjects, but the importance in combining them together to look at a place or a person or a government or an economy through a wider set lens. Through this multi-disciplinary lens, a true student of geography is able to piece facts together from across all subjects to create a greater, more enhanced view of the world.

Many contemporary authors have popularized the study of globalization and the notion that the world is becoming a smaller, more interconnected place through the internet, the mass spread of information and the onset of international travel among others. But what good can come of a more interconnected world if those people who are becoming more connected have no knowledge, political, economic, social or otherwise of the places and the people with which they are connecting to? And while I'm sure high-school age students could discuss the basic facts concerned with the Iraq war, how many could point Iraq out on a map, could explain how religious tensions have played a central part in the breakdown Iraqi domestic politics or why many believe Iran to be a more imminent threat than Iraq to begin with?

Most American high school students do not see too far past their own front door and public education has systematically created generation after generation of children that find complete complacency with our lack of geographic knowledge.

Well-planned geography classes with interesting and challenging curriculum coupled with prepared teachers could help solve this monumental problem. While many do not view this as a monumental problem, I feel that the effects of geographic ignorance will completely come to light when this generation leaves the safe and secure walls of academia and set forth into the work force.

Christina Salas is a recent graduate from the University of Miami with a Master's degree in geography. Her graduate studies focused on petroleum geopolitics and regionalism in South America.

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