The Geographer Spring 2014 | Page 5

The Geographer 2-3 Spring 2014 NEWS People • Places • Planet Argyll schoolchildren join the drove Another Inspiring Talks Season A class of 16 Rockfield Primary School pupils experienced the life of the ancient drovers of Argyll, when they drove a small herd of Highland cattle, cooked bannocks over an open fire, sang traditional songs, and shared in storytelling tradition. The experience was delivered completely in Gaelic. Before embarking on their drove, the children learned about droving in Argyll and the old drove routes, made clay Highland cows, and held an auction where their cows were sold. As the 2013-14 talks season comes to a close, the RSGS would like to take this opportunity to thank all the members of Local Group Committees who have given their time to provide vital help. We would like to extend a particular thank-you to those long-serving committee members who are standing down: David Langworth, Chair of our Borders Committee, and Katy Haddock, Secretary of Stirling. The project, based on the outcomes of last summer’s Stories in the Land, was a partnership involving RSGS, Sally Harkness from Storyline Scotland, and Argyll & Bute Council’s education service. Task Group for Geography Erica M Caldwell, Chair, RSGS/SAGT Task Group for Geography Geography teachers throughout Scotland have been asking why the new Higher Geography, due to be rolled out in schools from August 2014, is so narrow, old-fashioned and dumbed-down. A Task Group for Geography has, therefore, been formed with the RSGS in partnership with the Scottish Association of Geography Teachers (SAGT). A detailed survey of SAGT members revealed the extent of problems in implementing the new National courses – for example, cumbersome and time-consuming assessments and reassessments which ate into teaching and learning time – and the issues relating to content and assessment of the new Higher. Letters have been sent to SQA, the teaching unions and other interested bodies to try to effect change. If you are experiencing positive or negative effects of the change, we want to hear from you; please contact RSGS HQ. Joint Event with RGS North West England RSGS Livingstone Medallist Rory Stewart will speak at the 5th first joint talk between the RSGS and the North West England September Branch of the Royal Geographical Society. Rory’s new talk, ‘Borderlands’: A walk through the vanished kingdom of the Middleland, will be about the Border country, its past history and its present identity. The talk will take place in Carlisle Cathedral Fratry on 5th September; ticket details will be available in the next edition of The Geographer. Members for 60+ years… The RSGS was sorry to note the deat