Newswise — Charles "Fritz" Gritzner has been recognized nationally for his tremendous impact on geography education in South Dakota.
The Association of American Geographers (AAG) conferred to Gritzner, distinguished professor of geography at South Dakota State University, the 2004 Distinguished Teaching Honors award for outstanding contributions to geographical education. The AAG plaque states that Gritzner "is a model teacher who has worked tirelessly to ensure that geography is both required and taught well within schools throughout South Dakota."
Only one of these awards is given each year.
"The AAG is the academic hard core scholarship organization," Gritzner said, "and to be recognized by them for my work in teaching is really extremely meaningful."
As is Gritzner's work.
A self-described "missionary for geography education," Gritzner in 1984 successfully lobbied for what became the nation's first high school geography requirement. Effective in 1988, all South Dakota students were required to successfully complete one geography course in order to graduate.
This became the South Dakota Model, which was sent to nearly every state in the nation; about half now either require geography for graduation or have enhanced its position in the curriculum.
In 1984, the first year of the geography requirement, very few teachers had a geography background. So Gritzner and several colleagues began teaching short courses for teachers, which he's still doing 20 years later.
In 1992, when Gritzner became coordinator of the South Dakota Geographic Alliance, SDSU began offering up to six classes for teachers each summer, ranging from three-day, one-credit courses to 12-day, four-credit courses.
"It's probably safe to say I've taught 75 percent of the geography taken by 75 percent of the South Dakota teachers who've had a geography course," he said. That adds up to some 800 teachers, give or take, thus far.
An estimated 28 South Dakota teachers have either received master's degrees in geography or completed most of the coursework for the degree. This places South Dakota head and shoulders above every other state in the nation.
"We've been told that figure represents more K-12 educators that have master's degrees in geography than in all other states combined," Gritzner said.
Often, those who earn master's degrees in geography leave teaching. But South Dakota has lost only a couple, including one to a junior college in California.
"I think they're very committed teachers at the outset, dedicated to the Alliance and wanting to continue their education through graduate study," Gritzner said. "The quality of these teachers as students is excellent. They're just outstanding people. I can't say enough about the professionalism of the people with whom I've had the privilege to work. They do a phenomenal job."
As does Gritzner.
After earning graduate degrees in geography and cultural anthropology at Louisiana State University, Gritzner began college teaching at East Carolina University in 1960 and has taught at Louisiana State, the University of Montana, the Oregon College of Education and the University of Houston prior to joining the SDSU faculty in 1980.
Besides research endeavors and involvement in numerous geographic organizations and activities, Gritzner carries a full teaching load and has served as thesis advisor for 50 master's degree recipients.
And his enthusiasm has flagged not one iota.
"I must love what I'm doing because I'm still doing it after 44 years," he said. "I love teaching. I love to work with students."
Which is why Gritzner's award wasn't handed to him personally during the AAG Centennial meeting in Philadelphia in March. It had to be sent to him in the mail.
"I was unable to go," he said, "because I had to teach."
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