Laura Young, Scottish Influencer of the Year 2022/2024 joins John in this week's episode to talk about all aspects of her 'portfolio career' focusing on climate through research, social media and making an impact in our day to day lives.

She talks about how her academic career began with everyday geographies, taking her on to experience worldwide perspectives of place, space and communities and how this has affected her approach to climate activism, reaching out to students, adults and governments alike through the power of social and digital media.

Find out more about her work here: https://lesswastelaura.com/

Instagram: @lesswastelaura

X: @LessWasteLaura

Series 15 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Oddizzi.

Oddizzi’s award winning resources include lesson plans, presentations, printable materials, and engaging quizzes.

But here’s the real game-changer: our virtual fieldwork films bring locations such as the Amazon rainforest, an active volcano and even Antarctica right into your classroom.

www.oddizzi.com

In this episode, John Lyon is joined by Parvati Raghuram, Manu Lekunze and Melis Cin who are part of the team that developed the Global Inequalities and the Climate Crisis Lessons.

They discuss how the project came to be, how we have now moved from a climate crisis to a climate emergency and how teachers can effectively educate their students without creating fear or anxiety.

They also talk about how Cameroon posed as a near perfect field to study the relationships between global inequality and the climate crisis.

The resource was produced in partnership with the Decolonising Education for Peace in Africa (DEPA) project, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council’s Global Challenges Research Fund as well as Impact Accelerator Account funding from the University of Lancaster.

You can find the free resource here: Global Inequalities and the Climate Crisis - Geographical Association

Series 15 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Oddizzi.

Oddizzi’s award winning resources include lesson plans, presentations, printable materials, and engaging quizzes.

But here’s the real game-changer: our virtual fieldwork films bring locations such as the Amazon rainforest, an active volcano and even Antarctica right into your classroom.

www.oddizzi.com

In this episode of GeogPod John talks to Robert Swan, who walked to both the North and South Pole, and Jenny Cooke, Founder of Oddizzi.

John asks what inspired Robert to become a polar pioneer and climate change ambassador. They discuss his Antarctic journey’s difficulties, the beauty, the clear evidence of climate change and the dangers. In 2022 Robert invited Jenny on an expedition to the Antarctic Peninsula where they hosted a webinar for 40,000 children. Find out about this project, the 2041 treaty, and how important it is to inspire students and make them fall in love with Antarctica so they are passionate about saving it in future.

Resources

Series 15 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Oddizzi.

Oddizzi’s award winning resources include lesson plans, presentations, printable materials, and engaging quizzes.

But here’s the real game-changer: our virtual fieldwork films bring locations such as the Amazon rainforest, an active volcano and even Antarctica right into your classroom.

www.oddizzi.com

In this episode, John talks to Anthony Barlow, Principal Lecturer and the subject leader for Geography Education at the University of Roehampton.

Primary education is a precious time for children to spend time with each other, time in their locality and time with their teacher guiding them and letting them explore. That's the crucial point - from 'sustained shared thinking', to focused, framed and facilitated enquiries (Garner, Pickford and Jackson, 2013) as they get older, spending time outside, there is value and power in the repeated visit.

Get your children outside, don't be scared by fieldwork - you might be surprised by how much looking through the window, circling the school buildings and walking your local perimeter can actually tell you about what they see, hear and think about your local geographies. Coaches are not always needed!

Series 15 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Oddizzi.

Oddizzi’s award winning resources include lesson plans, presentations, printable materials, and engaging quizzes.

But here’s the real game-changer: our virtual fieldwork films bring locations such as the Amazon rainforest, an active volcano and even Antarctica right into your classroom.

www.oddizzi.com

In this episode John Lyon talks to Karen Corfield, Education Development Consultant and Safeguarding Lead at Discover the World Education. A few topics discussed in this episode are: Iceland and Icelandic guides, GA Annual Conference, mentoring and inspirational teachers, fieldwork, connections and memories to place, and what your third place is.

Resources

Discover the World Education

Series 14 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Discover the World Education.

'As the only tour operator who is a strategic partner of the GA, we're big believers in supporting teachers both in and outside the classroom. From our unforgettable geography trips to our award-winning resources and accredited CPD sessions, for us there’s nothing more rewarding than creating shared experiences that bring learning to life.'

John Lyon chats with Alice Gadney in this episode of GeogPod. Alice is a cartographer and also known as Captain Alice, founder of Mini Map-Makers. They discuss many topics, including: her PGCE; William Smith; Steve Backshall; ‘The Hobbit’; Mini Map-Makers; inspiring children with maps from primary age; and of course, their favourite maps.

Resources

https://minimapmakers.com/

Series 14 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Discover the World Education.

'As the only tour operator who is a strategic partner of the GA, we're big believers in supporting teachers both in and outside the classroom. From our unforgettable geography trips to our award-winning resources and accredited CPD sessions, for us there’s nothing more rewarding than creating shared experiences that bring learning to life.'

In this episode of GeogPod, John is joined by Jess Hill, Deputy Head at Alwoodley Primary School in Leeds.

They talk about how the geography curriculum at the school has grown and changed over time, to reflect the children and families at the school as well as empower the staff teaching the subject.

The episode also discusses the Primary Geography Quality Mark, the school's Gold Hub status and how to promote whole-school approaches to geography through effective CPD.

Finally they look into practical ideas for fieldwork, building a geography club and how to get children learning 'through the soles of their feet.'

Resources

• The Primary Geography Quality Mark

Find Alwoodley Primary School on X: Alwoodley Primary School

Series 14 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Discover the World Education.

'As the only tour operator who is a strategic partner of the GA, we're big believers in supporting teachers both in and outside the classroom. From our unforgettable geography trips to our award-winning resources and accredited CPD sessions, for us there’s nothing more rewarding than creating shared experiences that bring learning to life.'

In this episode John talks to Catherine Walker, Newcastle University Academic Track Fellow in Human Geography. They discuss her background and a wide range of topics including: how you can become a geographer in different ways; travel; cultures and landscapes; geography through stories; social science; climate change and climate justice.

Resources:

• Opportunities, complexities, and challenges in collaboration between school and university geography, GA Blog.

Series 14 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Discover the World Education.

'As the only tour operator who is a strategic partner of the GA, we're big believers in supporting teachers both in and outside the classroom. From our unforgettable geography trips to our award-winning resources and accredited CPD sessions, for us there’s nothing more rewarding than creating shared experiences that bring learning to life.'

This episode, John is joined by GA Chief Executive Steve Brace to discuss: what inspired him to pursue geography; a brief overview of the GA; the different routes into geography; the independent review of Curriculum and Assessment; and his top 4 priority areas of interest for the future.

Here are a few resources mentioned in this episode:

Curriculum and Assessment Review – Department for Education

The GA’s review responses summary

Geographers in the House of Commons – careers poster

Geographers in media – careers poster

GA Subject Knowledge Scholar Programme

GA Online Teaching Resources

GA Journals

GA Events & CPD

GA Annual Conference 2025

Sustainability and climate change strategy – Department for Education

Defra Risk of Flooding from Surface Water Data

OS Open Rivers

ARCGIS - UK Rivers Atlas - ESRI

Series 14 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Discover the World Education

'As the only tour operator who is a strategic partner of the GA, we're big believers in supporting teachers both in and outside the classroom. From our unforgettable geography trips to our award-winning resources and accredited CPD sessions, for us there’s nothing more rewarding than creating shared experiences that bring learning to life.'

In a special episode to celebrate Black History Month we join Professor Pat Noxolo from the University of Birmingham, Professor James Esson from Queen Mary University of London and Francisca Rockey, founding member of Black Geographers.

They discuss the intersections between race, gender and class that affect young people today. Topics include how to navigate complex ideas in a complex world, the importance of recognising different narratives, and the possibilities for change, revealed by the amazing work done by geography teachers.

Anti-racist work has been a means of support, comradeship and helping keep hold of talented people. Here are a few of the groups and resources mentioned in this episode:

• Black Geographers

Series 14 of GeogPod is kindly sponsored by Discover the World Education

'As the only tour operator who is a strategic partner of the GA, we're big believers in supporting teachers both in and outside the classroom. From our unforgettable geography trips to our award-winning resources and accredited CPD sessions, for us there’s nothing more rewarding than creating shared experiences that bring learning to life.'