Title: Geography: A Course Divided
Since its inception, the International Baccalaureate program has offered a range of subjects that challenge students and also allow them to pursue their passions. However, Cleveland has not adopted one of these classes that could be exceedingly beneficial so students may gain knowledge about the world: IB Geography. Other Social Science classes have included some lessons about geography, but not to the extent possible with an IB course.
IB Geography includes an SL and HL level. It covers both the political and physical aspects of geography, which can give students new perspectives on key global issues like climate change while still covering the scientific explanations of geographical formations.
According to the official diploma website, “The geography course embodies global and international awareness in several distinct ways. It examines key global issues, such as poverty, sustainability and climate change. It considers examples and detailed case studies at a variety of scales, from local to regional, national and international.”
Ultimately, it is up to the students to determine if this class is necessary. Junior Zach Boonstra weighed in on the issue, saying, “I think a lot of Americans and especially Cleveland students, in general, don’t really know much about geography.”
“As a whole, America is relatively geographically illiterate… a lot of people I know could not find half the countries on a map,” agreed junior Noel Mackie.
Memorization of countries and cities is not as important, however, as understanding the places that are there. “To get a class that creates better people we need to have some real world implications,” said Mackie.
With a variety of cultures within our country, state, and even city, it is important to understand where people come from and an understanding of what is happening in those general areas.
Additionally, “Considering this is an IB school, people go to global colleges,” added Boonstra. The diploma is a pathway to international recognition, so it would make sense to provide students with a course to educate themselves about where they may plan on going.
Although many students at Cleveland may feel more knowledgeable of the world than the average American student, there remains work to be done.
The IB Geography course explores all levels of geography through multiple lenses. According to the diploma website, the course “Helps students develop an appreciation of, and a respect for, alternative approaches, viewpoints and ideas.”
For the time being, the addition of a geography course seems unlikely. “At this stage the reality is that Cleveland is not in a position to add any courses given our decrease in enrollment and the district-wide reductions in teachers impacting schools,” according to IB Coordinator Jennifer Wiandt.
Even without a geography class, students have other options to learn about the world and cultures. Classes such as Anthropology contain elements of geography, although they focus more on the social aspect rather than the physical or political. However, even the required history classes struggle with including sufficient geographical content. At a school deprived of IB electives, IB Geography would be a class that could fill the gaps in student knowledge.

Graphic:
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Name the US territory with the highest population

Name the capital of Ukraine

Name the largest country to border Russia

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What country borders China, Vietnam, Thailand, Myanmar, and Cambodia?

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Southern Hemisphere
Bolivia, Brazil
Puerto Rico
Kyiv
China
Cairo
Laos
Eswatini