Geography...where are we?

When I was in high school, I took a geography course that consisted of memorizing the countries and their capitals.  We did about 10-20 countries a week.  Then, after we had completed that with a quiz everyday, adding 3-4 countries a day, we watched movies such as Remember the Titans about 3 times, Vertical Limit, and Shang Hi Noon (sp?).  Great movies for geography...however, all we did was watch them.  No discussion, no assignment, no activity...nothing.  This class was a complete example of how I will not be as a teacher. 

Geography isn't the most exciting of topics in Social Studies..but it can be exciting!  It is all in how you, as the teacher, make it!  Like we are doing class, the box city.  That is perfect for younger students to realize some of the components in geography that they can relate to.  So much more can be incorporated into studying geography such as different area's cultures, what the area looks like, feels like, and even smells like.  There are so many places in this world, and yes, knowing where they are located is important, but knowing more about the place and the components that make up that place, how to classify the place, what to look for and what to feel for is more important.  

In my class in high school, we went by continents when we studied the countries and their capitals, never their location in relation to the rest of the world.  I really couldn't tell you after that class where the Middle East was located or where exactly the countries were in relationship to the United States.  I do NOT want and will NOT let my students leave my classroom with the misconceptions or the importance about geography.