Tropical Environments

If we do not know the climates of the places we live in, then we do not know the land, airs and waters that we live with. I consider this as the first and foremost chapter of the new 9751 GCE 'A' Level Geography subject.

There are three main themes for 'Tropical Processes': Climate, Water and Rocks. To master this theme, we fit into the greater vision envisioned in the syllabus, we really have to visualise the tropics as an interconnected system of climate, water and rocks.

With the different features of the rocks, we should be better able to explain what goes on in the tropics. We need to understand the different features of the tropical landscape, the natural disasters that are associated with the tropics (floods, especially, what they are, their effects and how they affect us). Unseen in previous syllabi, I also like it that the new syllabus touches on the human-linked issues linked to tropical forests, in particular deforestation.

We are not just a tropical paradise (Photo by Julius Silver)

The new syllabus enables us to integrate the different aspects of the tropical world well. It may be a rather shallow and narrow-based aspect of geography as compared to previous syllabi, however, it is a good start for students to better know their world that they live in.

I think that the student in, say, Jurong Junior College is as equal as the student in Raffles Institution, in terms of being part of the tropical biome that we all live in. Our syllabus should best reflect that no matter what we are, we are living in a shared world. We are affected in unique ways by our surroundings, with a common set of challenges. Any student who does his best in scouring the relevant, annotated and cross-reference sources, along with critical and reasoned insights on his land, while reasonably answering all the questions within limited time, should be given due credit. As the mark scheme is not affected by the resources of the school and its teaching, and I have the belief that every student has the capacity for self-directed learning, I feel that the student from Jurong Junior College can also get the same distinction as the student from Raffles Institution.

Making Sense of the New H2 Geography Syllabus

Geography is a timeless concept. It is about time, space and people.

With technological advancements and a better understanding of the world we live in, geography is evolving to be more of the same as it always had been: the study of space in relationship to our natural and human environment, sense of place, physical and human processes, scales in data, spatial physical and human phenomena over time, and the systems of different elements of the world. These are roughly the same concepts geographers deal with for the longest time.

Technology wise, there is never a better time to engage with Geography. The popular game Pokemon Go, with its extensive use of the social aspect of Geographic Positioning System (GPS), is just one part of Geography; as does Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and its use in land use planning, natural disaster mapping and climate forecasting.

While there are many changes to the examination format which deals with the integration of both human and physical aspects of geography, it brings the subject, at least to 'A' Levels, even closer to the original being of geography: the study of the human and physical relationships of space, over time and scale. Though it is even harder to 'spot' topics and every student has to study every part of the syllabus more than ever before, though we move on from regions to themes and now, geographical systems; it is even more relevant and focused to the student's surroundings, and even more impactful on the lives of students. 

My only concern is that it will not be lead relevance to the breadth of the subject any student would reasonably be exposed to universities in the best Geography university courses in the world, particularly as it is short on the Cultural and Identity aspects of Geography, while skipping on Demography and perhaps Economic Development altogether. However, when we manage expectations in our students and we tell our students that there is more to what is in the syllabus, I believe students will make the transition to the next stage - University, work and beyond.

How to do Geography well

To do Geography well, you have to have a conviction that it will help in your future career.

Some students choose to do Geography. I do not wish to interfere with their choice. After all, in Singapore, there are honestly so many more interesting subjects to specialise and spend time with.

For instance, English Literature and History are great for prospective lawyers to have the skills to define legal terms better, Mathematics and Physics are necessities for future engineers, while Chemistry is a prerequisite for healthcare professionals in general. Most students may also choose to do Economics to have a wider perspective of business activities in general. Even China or India Studies in English are useful for students to understand contemporary rising societies in the two biggest nations that will shape our futures. Then there are always the languages such as Spanish, German, French, Japanese, Chinese, Malay, Arabic and so on, that give us a base so the State can send students to different various countries for diplomatic and economic needs.

Then there is Geography. Obviously, I highly recommend Geography to students as the contrasting H1 or H2 Arts and Humanities subject. For some students, this is indeed a much more superior subject to take as compared to other subjects.

Indeed, most students would choose to do the standard subject combination of Mathematics, Chemistry, Physics and Economics, because this would open door to almost all careers (except perhaps Life Sciences, substituting Physics for Biology). Future scholars would wish to take them all at H2 level, while typical A Level students may take Economics at H1 level. Economics is indeed useful for most students who may aspire to do management at some point in time.

However, not all students have to follow the norm. The world calls out for special people with special talents and skills for our future. If you know you are heading towards Engineering, just do Physics, and if you know you are leaning towards biodiversity, feel free to skip Economics because it might get in the way of saving the Earth (because nature is priceless).

Actually the best complementary subjects for many Geography students to take are Mathematics and Physics, traditionally science subjects, especially budding geotechnical and civil engineers. You need a sense of place and being to create a vision out of a given space. And with the advent of Pokemon Go, I feel even IT and computer scientists may have some need for Geography, because there is clearly a demand for geographical location services with better spatial awareness and interactivity with other people using Geography. And with the emphasis on biodiversity, for the purposes of admission into NUS Environmental Studies course, some students may choose to take Biology over Physics to have a better understanding of biodiversity.

As Stephen Covey would put it best, 'begin with the right end in mind'. As a Geography tutor, even for O Level students, I will always look at the end destination in mind: the best grade attainable for Geography. I am not a fantastic student, but I definitely have an idea what Geographers should ideally be if they are at the top of their fields: an eye for the spatial and environmental relationships with other people, ecosystems and ideas.