Defining Primary Geography from Teachers’ Expertise: What Chilean Teachers Mean by Geography

Abstract

This article examines teachers’ subject expertise in a context where geography could be considered a neglected school subject. Using an empirical approach to the problem, the article aims to provide a view on the dynamics of teaching primary geography in Chile, through considering teachers’ narratives on curriculum making and their associated conceptualisations of the discipline. 21 rural educators were interviewed about geography education to gain a general view of primary geography in the country. Findings reveal the need to understand how teachers conceive of and accommodate geographical knowledge. Even though there is a recognised chain of pressures regarding curriculum changes and deficient initial teacher training, geography as a school subject is still in place because of teachers’ practices. Recognising their dynamics will shed light on how to make geography sustainable as a school subject in the future.