GeoCircle: Supporting PreService Teachers in teaching Geography
2025-11-18 19:00 - 20:00 (America/New_York) | Webinar
Overview
Join NCGE for an engaging GeoCircle designed to bridge the gap between future educators and the experienced instructors who guide them. This open conversation brings together PreService teachers and the Methods instructors and supervisors who prepare them for success in the geography classroom.
PreService teachers are encouraged to bring questions about best practices, classroom strategies, and what to expect as they enter the profession. Methods instructors and supervisors are invited to share their best advice, mentorship insights, and proven approaches for preparing strong, confident geography educators.
Whether you’re just beginning your teaching journey or working to support the next generation, this collaborative discussion welcomes educators at all levels. Come connect, learn, and build a stronger community of geography teaching and learning.
About the Facilitators
Kelly Leon, Ashley Penir
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GeoCircle: Teaching Political Geography and Strategies for 9th graders
2026-01-20 19:00 - 20:00
Overview
Join us for an engaging conversation about Teaching Political Geography. This can be a challenge for students. Bring your questions, ideas and strategies for helping students be successful.
About the Facilitators
Maria Zuniga, and Jamie Tadryznski are teachers at Canyon Springs High School in Las Vegas. They teach 9th graders and both have a passion for teaching Political Geography.
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GeoCircle: A conversation for social studies methods instructors
2026-02-17 19:00 - 20:00
Overview
Pre-service learning experiences and preparation are key to the way geography is taught now and in the future. We want to hear more about what is happening in the field and identify ways that NCGE can better support geography education in partnership with methods instructors.
The goal of the conversation is to share best practices and accessible resources and to identify trends, opportunities, and needs. What texts, resources, and learning experiences have methods instructors found to be most useful? What prior knowledge, questions, and interests do pre-service teachers have that creates opportunities or challenges in preparing them to teach geography? What kinds of resources would be helpful to have available in a methods course? How does geography fit into your overall approach to preparing teachers to teach all of the social studies disciplines?
The Facilitator
Samantha Serrano
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GeoCircle: Ripped from the Headlines - Bringing Current Events into the Geography Classroom
2026-04-21 19:00 - 20:00
Overview
Join us for an organic discussion and resource sharing about teaching Current Events in our classrooms. We all know that daily events can end up in our discussion as soon as they happen. What tools do you use? Do you wait to prepare for the conversation? How do you structure the discussions? Bring all this and join the conversation!
The Facilitator
Jane Highley is a middle and high school social studies teacher at Devon Preparatory School in Devon, Pennsylvania where she teaches AP U.S. Government, AP Human Geography, AP Comparative Government, and 8th Grade Civics & Citizenship. She is the 2024 winner of the Jack Miller Center K-12 Teaching Excellence Award, which is awarded to an educator who demonstrates an exceptional ability to engage students in the story of America through their teaching. She is also a Distinguished Ambassador for CFR’s High School Teacher Ambassador Program, in which Jane has actively participated for the past two years. Most recently, Jane has been approved as a teacher-consultant for the AP Summer Institute in Human Geography. She earned degrees from the University of California, the University of Pennsylvania, and La Salle University. She is a 2017 recipient of the James Madison Memorial Fellowship and a 2025 recipient of the Discover Korea Research Fellowship.
Kyle Tredinnick is a classroom Geography teacher and Adjunct Professor in Omaha Nebraska. He is an NCGE Board Member and a CFR Teacher Ambassador.

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GeoCircle: Spatial Thinking IRL - Taking Your Geography Students Outside
2026-05-19 19:00 - 20:00
Overview
As spring continues and summer approaches, let’s get the students outside. Join us for a casual discussion about how to teach spatial thinking out in the field (outside) with your students. There are so many opportunities for hands-on, active learning. Whether you are a primary, middle or high school teachers there are activities for everyone! Come with ideas and questions.
The Facilitator
Joseph Kerski is a geographer with a focus on the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in education. He has served as the President of the National Council for Geographic Education and has given 2 TED Talks on “The Whys of Where”. He holds 3 degrees in geography (BA, MA, PhD) and has served as geographer in 4 major sectors of society, including government (NOAA, US Census Bureau, USGS), academia (University of Minnesota, Harrisburg Area Community College, Penn State University, Sinte Gleska University, University of Denver, others), private industry (as Education Manager for Esri), and nonprofit organizations (with roles in geography and education associations). Joseph has authored over 100 chapters and articles, and 200 podcasts on GIS, education, space, place, and related topics. He has visited over 350 schools and 400 universities around the world. He regularly conducts professional development for educators. He has created over 6,200 videos, 1,000 lessons, 1,000 blog essays, and authored 12 books, including Interpreting Our World, Spatial Thinking in Environmental Contexts, Essentials of the Environment, Spatial Mathematics, Tribal GIS, International Perspectives on Teaching and Learning, the GIS Guide to Public Domain Data, and others. But as a lifelong learner, he feels as though he’s just getting started and thus actively seeks mentors, partners, and collaborators.
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GeoCircle: The Slow Advantage - What Interactive Notebooks Can Do that Digital Can't
2026-08-18 19:00 - 20:00
Overview
Before there were chatbots to do the thinking, there were notebooks, and they’re still one of the best tools for making thinking visible. As students turn more and more to AI to generate answers, the interactive notebook asks them to slow down and make their own. This GeoCircle session explores how notebook-building keeps geographic thinking visible, personal, and screen-free when you need. Come ready to share or hear some ready-to-use ideas for your own classroom.
About the Facilitators
Courtney Phillips has taught for 14 years, most of her time spent at Freedom High School in Oakley, CA. She teaches AP Human Geography and AP World History. She loves traveling and all things Disney.
Jessica Forestiere is a high school social studies educator in Virginia with 20 years of teaching experience. She currently teaches AP Human Geography, Pre-AP World History, and Economics and Personal Finance and holds an Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Virginia, an M.Ed. in Educational Leadership and Supervision from Old Dominion University, and a B.S. in History and Social Science from Radford University. Jessica is an AP Human Geography Reader and is passionate about geographic education, curriculum development, and creating engaging learning experiences that help students connect course content to the world around them.
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