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The jump from elementary school (5 th grade) to middle school (6 th grade) is absolutely huge. The middle school age range of 10-15 presents many interesting challenges for the teacher and recreation leader. Typically, middle school students will perceive schooling differently from their teachers and parents. The influences of their peers will often guide the development of their beliefs, viewpoints, and attitudes. They look forward to what their peers have to say when discussing a topic. They will begin to form their own perceptions and beliefs about the world around them while in grades 6-8.

Young adolescent youth have loads of energy. Their logic and reasoning abilities are being developed and practiced. Curiosity abounds at this age, they ask a lot of “whys”. Social skills are being developed, practiced, and refined. Fairness and equity are huge factors in their perceptions of life situations. From a moral perspective, values are initiated and developed and children begin to think of consequences prior to acting. Decisions are based on a desire for tangible rewards and social acceptance/approval (Jordan, 2001).

Youth ages 10-15 will be making judgments and decisions that will influence their perceptions, attitudes, and actions for the remainder of their lives. Their beliefs and attitudes about the out-of-doors and the environmental decisions made by governmental and private sectors of our society are important civic topics to them. It is appropriate, and often quite rewarding for physical educators to incorporate outdoor teaching and learning activities in their unit instructional plans. It's as though we educators have a civic duty to be with students in the out-of-doors, playing and discussing environmental topics important to both current and future generations of citizens.

Participating in outdoor recreation programs and activities is popular with many middle school youth today. I have worked with middle school youth that are genuinely interested in discussing environmental topics and participating in outdoor activities. Beyond this interest, they also believe that outdoor participation is a really “cool” thing to do with their peers and friends. Outdoor programs typically include the development of outdoor skills, the knowledge of how to successfully and safely participate in an outdoor activity, and how to work together with their peers in accomplishing group goals.

Outdoor Activities for a Cross Section of Middle School Youth

Curriculum, instruction, program planning, and the rental/purchase of outdoor equipment can involve the expenditure of time, and sometimes necessitate the justification of school funds and the organization of community fundraisers. It may cost to enter some outdoor recreation areas. If costs are reasonable, families will not frown upon a fee for an outdoor program. Caring teachers and recreation workers will find creative and low cost ways in which to bring about wonderful outdoor experiences for the youth under their supervision. Let's be mindful that it will take an effort to incorporate outdoor experiences during the classroom day, after-school, or weekends. Most likely it will take preparation time, resource gathering, and the planning of learning objectives and program experiences. This should not be a big deal. After all, this is what educators and recreation workers do anyway.

The cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains come into play when justifying youth participation in outdoor activities. Cognition can occur in the out-of-doors when activity skills are learned and resource management knowledge is acquired. Also, it is difficult to recreate in the out-of-doors without some sort of bodily movement occurring. This is a simple explanation of the psychomotor domain. The affective domain is the most intangible of the three domains, but often times the most important domain, particularly for young adolescent youth. There are many examples of outdoor activity where all three domains can be included in the writing of curriculum/instructional plans and in the development of recreation program plans.

For example, camping is an outdoor activity that illustrates the learning that can transpire within all three domains. Learning how to set up a camping space, how to build a fire, and how to cook meals illustrates the cognitive domain. The physically demanding activities of hiking and rock climbing when done in concert with “setting up camp” is a very good example of how the psychomotor domain can be addressed in the out-of-doors. Addressing the affective domain occurs when appreciations and understandings of environmental impacts lead to enhanced environmental decision making by young adolescents.

The teaching and leading of outdoor activities can lead to accomplishments within the 1999 Kentucky Department of Education Core Content for Practical Living/Vocational Studies Assessment. The Physical Education Subdomain for Grade 8 (PL-M-2.21) states that “physical, emotional/mental, and social benefits can be gained from regular participation in leisure/recreational and/or competitive physical activities” (Kentucky Department of Education, 1999). Teachers can utilize the out-of-doors as a classroom environment as they address the six educational goals established by KERA in 1990

(http://www.members.iglou.com/hettingr/KERA/Goals.html). Outdoor experiences can relate to these goals in the following ways:

• Permit the application of core concepts and principles from the sciences, social studies, and practical living studies to what they will encounter throughout their lives. (Goal 2)
• Increase the opportunity for becoming responsible members of a family, work group, or community, including demonstrating effectiveness in community service. (Goal 4)
• Think and solve problems in school situations and in a variety of situations they will encounter in life. (Goal 5)
• Connect and integrate experiences and new knowledge from all subject matter fields with what students have previously learned and build on past learning experiences to acquire new information through various media. (Goal 6)

The federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) could be another way that middle school teachers can justify outdoor activities. Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) may be enhanced should teachers involve middle school youth in outdoor activities. Youth typically learn more and retain knowledge longer if they are directly involved in their learning.

It is important for teachers and recreation leaders to “talk the talk”. Consequently, there are key outdoor words and phrases today that are most noticeably used among youth groups, resource management agencies, and various media sources. Connecting with modern terminology is important to the overall effectiveness of the outdoor learning environment. Key words today are:

. Physical educators teach students and recreation workers lead program participants. Middle school physical educators often incorporate outdoor activities into their teachings and when leading after-school programs and community groups in the out-of-doors. The term pedagogy (the art of teaching others and the utilization of teaching methods, techniques, and strategies) is important to the physical educator. The term leadership (organize and lead others, plan programs, and evaluate programs) is important to the recreation worker.

Pedagogy is a term closely aligned with the teaching profession. A term of huge importance within the recreation discipline is leadership. While pedagogy and leadership are not synonymous in an absolute sense, their similarities far exceed their dissimilarities when applied to the occupations of teacher and recreation worker. Teachers focus on teaching methods and techniques to bring quality and effectiveness to the teaching of their students. Recreation workers utilize various leadership styles in order to provide a most positive recreation experience for their program participants. Whether it is teaching or leading that is used to reach people in positive ways, the focus is on people, those that are served by educators and recreation workers alike. Another linkage among the PER folks is that noticeable and measurable outcomes from teaching and leading is at the heart of what we are all about and often needed to justify our existence.

Teachers can be viewed as leaders, and the role of being a teacher is often a component of the recreation worker's job. Middle school teachers often lead curricular and after-school programs for their students. Field education and service learning are not uncommon at the middle school level of education. Contemplate the physical educator that leads a group of middle school students in a weekend orienteering event at a nature sanctuary. The teacher has become a group leader. The teacher's leadership style is very important to the accomplishment of educational objectives while orienteering.

On the other hand, it is doubtful that many people view recreation workers as teachers. But, don't be mistaken, teaching methods and strategies are very important to recreation workers. Envision the recreation worker that teaches a group of adult students how to safely ride a motorcycle, or a youth group how to read a map and compass. The recreation worker has become a teacher. Their teaching methods and techniques are as important to them as leadership style is to the teacher leading the orienteering event. Teaching and leading often go hand in hand. It can be relatively easy to differentiate between the times one is a teacher, and when one is a leader. The strategies and methods involved in teaching are best explained within the context of pedagogy, while leadership is best explained in terms of leadership style. PER workers use both pedagogy and leadership style when teaching and leading.

Typically, middle school youth are both a student and a participant. From 8:00am to 3:00pm they are students, starting at 3:00pm they are participants, participating in after-school and extra curricular activities sponsored by a middle school or community organizations such as parks and recreation departments, boy scouts and girl scouts, and boys and girls clubs. We should praise the work of middle school teachers and recreation program planners/supervisors that wish to expand the outdoor knowledge base of their students/participants. These students/participants need resources for study and environmental inquiry, and dedicated teachers and leaders to lead environmental discussions.

We have already established that physical educators and recreation workers have a lot in common. But, there is more. Another commonality among physical educators and recreation workers is manifested when reporting the educational and recreational outcomes to both students and participants. Accountability is important to schools and to nonprofit community organizations. The acquisition of knowledge and skills, and the development of positive and life-useful attitudes are worthwhile goals and objectives for teachers and recreation workers.

We educators and recreators have been very resourceful people for many decades. We aren't opposed to learning new things. We ask for help when the expertise is nearby or within arms reach. We do not have to be science teachers to conduct meaningful outdoor experiences. Yes, it will take some information gathering and organization. But, most of all, it will take our willingness to ask young adolescents what they think about “mother nature” today, and the social and technological impacts on our environment (Kraft & Kielsmeier, 1995).

For many years, physical educators and recreation leaders have believed in the wise and worthy use of the outdoors (Hammerman, Hammerman & Hammerman, 1985). Educators and recreation workers alike have espoused the importance of integrating the school curriculum and engaging school-aged youth in enjoyable outdoor learning experiences. The writings of outdoor educators such as L.B. Sharp, Julian Smith, and Rey Carlson have been used by school districts, summer camps, and municipal environmental education programs for 75 years (Hammerman & Hammerman, 1973). The salient aspects of their writings have focused on teaching methods and strategies, and how to have fun in the out-of-doors while learning valuable outdoor skills and appreciations for the natural environment. They believed in teaching and leading outdoor skills sessions and delving into active discussions with school-aged youth. These discussions often focused on environmental ethics and principles, the consequences of personal outdoor decisions, and practices related to the wise and worthy use of the out-of-doors.

Instructional strategies, teaching methods and techniques, and the evaluation of learning are a part of a recreation worker's job. This statement is one that you don't hear very often in professional preparation degree programs today. The recreation practice world is by and large not tuned into instructional strategies for their recreation workers. Let's keep in mind that programming activities and events for recreation participants is a key component of their jobs. Program planning does include the setting of outcome objectives for all participants. These outcome objectives typically fall within the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains of learning (Jordan, 2001).

Outdoor recreation programmers have the most opportunity, among all recreation workers, to infuse affective domain learning into outdoor programs. However, it seems to me that the affective domain of learning, where recreation workers could utilize teaching strategies and techniques is often not addressed when they write outcome objectives for those participating in their outdoor recreation programs. The affective domain includes the discovery of thoughts, the sharing of personal feelings/beliefs, and the development of appreciations and understandings about the environment. Most any outdoor recreation program could focus on the resource base and serve as a basis for the affective learning domain.

The natural resource base presents many challenges for Americans today. It is not the 1960s and 1970s any longer. The situations and conditions surrounding our air, land, and water resources today are not chosen causes for an abundance of personal action as it was 30 and 40 years ago. Largely, the environment is often taken for granted today. Simply put, youth today typically see more important things going on in their lives. Consequently, there is a need today to involve young people, the adult leaders of tomorrow in the challenges facing the outdoor user and public land management agencies as they wrestle with today's interfaces between man and nature. Some of the challenges today are: deterioration of the resource base, maintenance and upkeep of public lands, carrying capacity of the resource base, and the setting of outdoor use policies.

We all know that there are many recreation leaders and supervisors that don't view themselves as teachers. On the other hand, there are teachers and leaders that make affective domain learning a primary objective of their programs. We should not forget there is more to recreation activity than assuring that participants have a fun and enjoyable experience. Documenting the learning of participants and reporting the results is an awesome way to justify the expenditure of public funds and for providing a much needed program rationale.

Sometimes recreation workers forget they are involved in pedagogy (teaching). Admittedly, leisure satisfaction and overall enjoyment are most essential to a successful recreation experience, but leaders should not forget the learning that often transpires via leisure participation. More often than not, learning is often secondary or tertiary in importance when recreation workers justify the importance of organized after-school activities for youth between the ages of 10-15.

The work of recreation leaders/supervisors can include the cognitive domain of learning. For example, outdoor participants can learn traditional hiking knowledge for the purpose of making their outdoor experience most safe and enjoyable. The knowledge they have acquired will benefit them throughout their adolescent and adult lives. Another example is the involvement of youth in the planning of an outdoor adventure trip for their church youth group.

One thing is certain youth today enjoy outdoor activities just as much, if not more, than they have in the past. Recreation leaders are essential for facilitation, support and encouragement, and resource development. Their instruction and leadership are needed to make the outdoor learning experience a most valuable one.

Middle school youth will select leisure and lifetime activities because they are going to learn something new. Many times participants learn even though they were searching for nothing but enjoyment. If knowledge is being acquired then cognition is occurring. Charles K. Brightbill, a noted leisure philosopher, set the foundation for cognition as an outcome of leisure and lifetime activities by saying that a life of leisure is a life of learning (Brightbill, 1966).

There is a common PER thread that connects the occupations of physical educator and recreation worker. This common thread can be identified when utilizing the word, leadership. Leadership is a dynamic process of interactions among a group, the acceptance of leader-follower roles in a particular situation, and participation in goal-oriented activities on the part of the leader and the followers (Jordan, 2001). This alludes to both curricular and extracurricular students and participants in leisure and lifetime activities. Yes, PER workers engage in leadership on a regular and on-going basis.

The jobs of both the teacher and the recreation leader involve the planning of strategies to use in successfully working with other people. Most often these other people are school-age children and youth participating in after-school recreation activities during the school year and/or summer. The teacher and recreation worker want to be successful leaders, so they must be motivated to care about their students and recreation participants. A huge aspect of caring is to conduct classes and recreation activities with the participants' benefits and their enjoyment always in mind.

The leadership style and pedagogical (teaching methods and techniques) approaches utilized by leaders are paramount in importance. In concert with leader motivation and pedagogy, is the incorporation of resources that can be used by the leader in being an effective leader. Planning must occur if the quantity and quality of resources will be within an arm's reach of the leader.

Leaders strive to accomplish the goal of enhancing people's physical and leisure lifetime activity knowledge, skills, and attitudes. As we know, this can be accomplished within the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective domains of learning. Leaders should focus on the accomplishment of objectives, enhancing successful performances, and reaching the highest level of enjoyment for school-age youth and participants in recreation activities. Outdoor learning incorporates the best of all worlds, all three domains within a fun and enjoyable environment.

Teachers and recreation workers noticeably differ in one aspect of their jobs. They differ in the basic environment they utilize in their jobs. Teachers work within a classroom environment while outdoor recreation leaders often work within an outdoor environment. Consequently, the places where teaching and leadership occur are a bit of an uncommon thread between the occupations.

In simple terms, the difference lies within the concepts of “during-school/after-school” and “indoor/outdoor”. Physical educators most often work within the “during-school” and “indoor” concepts while recreation leaders typically work within the “after-school” and “outdoor” concepts. Actually, the physical educator and the recreation worker can engage participants in learning and having fun by utilizing either environment when conducting educational and recreational activities. Pedagogy and leadership can occur in either environment. Salute the physical educator that teaches map and compass knowledge and navigation skills to their class. The school grounds or a community park are excellent places to conduct the class/activity. Applaud the recreation worker that enhances participants' knowledge about outdoor programs by using the computer facilities within a school building or community library. Using alternative places for instruction and leadership is the mark of a successful leader.

Environmental education centers, community playgrounds, city and state parks, and community facilities sponsored by nonprofit organizations provide educational and recreational resources for learning and participation in extracurricular activities. The classroom, library, and gymnasium are typical examples of learn and play spaces within the school. These areas can certainly serve as outdoor teaching stations with the infusion of creative strategies for accomplishing instructional objectives.

Places for outdoor learning can reach broadly into state/regional locations, as well as reputable places out-of-state. Travel interests youth between the ages of 10 and 15. With the appropriate resources, a trip to a national park, national forest, resident camp, or nature center can put them in touch with the type of outdoor learning you wish to accomplish.

A basic autocratic, democratic, or laissez faire style of leadership simply won't get the job done in most outdoor leadership situations. Outdoor activities become very complex when considering the place where the activity is being conducted, the skills to be learned, safety features to be addressed, environmental appreciations to see and feel, and values to be learned. Directing youth (autocratic leadership) is important when monitoring guidelines and adhering to rules and regulations. Inviting youth (democratic leadership) to freely participate in the activity and to express their beliefs is a very democratic approach for an outdoor teacher or leader. “Hands off” leadership (laissez faire) can even be used in situations where the student or participant is given free reins to explore and experiment.

Situational leadership theories present the flexibility and adaptability that can best meet the teacher or recreation leader's goals and objectives. This theory takes into account the leader, the followers, and the situation. Leadership emerges based on the situation (Jordan, 2001). Theoretically, a combination of autocratic, democratic, and laissez faire styles of leadership could all be used during one outdoor experience.

Teaching strategies and techniques can be varied and quite situational in themselves. A basic pedagogical approach that has received wide recognition in the past is referred to as inquiry. In simple terms, an inquiry is a collection of the views of other people. The National Middle School Association (http://www.nmsa.org/moya/moya_2004/overview.html) currently posts a monogram written by Chris Stevenson (1986) that focuses on the inquiry method as an effective pedagogical technique to use with young adolescents today. Nearly 20 years later the inquiry method of instruction is being made available to middle school educators nationwide. The inquiry method has been effectively used for many years and should be used every day by the classroom teacher. A combination of situational leadership and the use of the inquiry method of instruction are certain to bring success to the outdoor experience.

Stevenson (1986) has identified 6 steps in organizing for inquiry. The steps are:

1. What is the topic that interests you?
2. What do you want to find out about it?
3. What are the potential sources of information?
4. Who might provide you with assistance if needed?
5. What are some ways you might collect information?
6. What difficulties or problems do you expect to encounter?

Teaching students is an art. So is leading recreation participants. Teaching and leading permit the use of situational leadership styles and a variety of teaching methods and techniques. A major benefit to being a teacher and a recreation worker is that we always have the opportunity to be creative and innovative in our work. Inquiry is a teaching method that has been in use for many years by teachers and recreation workers. This method may be more valuable today than ever before. One thing is certain it meshes well with the characteristics of youth between the ages of 10 and 15. Throughout the years, the use of inquiry has been utilized by teachers and in most cases, when they actually haven't given the first thought to it being a pedagogical method.

Inquiry involves conversing with students. Teachers and leaders that are conversational and socially interactive with middle school youth practice the inquiry method without realizing it. At the middle level, inquiry should be done every day. We've been doing it for ages, but now more than ever it is time to use it with 10-15 year old youth. Inquiry allows points of view to manifest and does not have to be limited to just the classroom (Stevenson, 1986).

In concert with engaging students in real-life outdoor settings is the use of electronic resources such as the World Wide Web (WWW). Outdoor learning is most effective if teachers and recreation workers search out interesting and varied outdoor resources for middle school students. Equally important to resource development is facilitating knowledge based passageways into outdoor information. It is important to provide resources that are interesting, contemporary, and easily accessed by youth 10-15 years of age. Search engines are most handy in locating websites that are authentic, appropriate, interesting, and directly related to the topic selected for investigation and discussion.

This provides the basis for utilizing electronic resources such as the WWW for gathering information needed to share with a youth planning group. Working with middle school-age children obviously occurs in the classroom, but can also occur in after-school programs and during the summer months when participating in outdoor recreation activities. The WWW can be a huge help to teachers and leaders as they develop resources for youth to use as they locate valuable and appropriate information for inquiry into the outdoors.

Outdoor activities can involve the acquisition of knowledge, the development of skills, and enhance the outdoor appreciations of youth. Environmental ethics can be enhanced with the careful writing of goals, objectives, and learning outcomes appropriate for middle school students. The acquisition of knowledge needed to introduce students to new outdoor leisure pursuits is another area of learning that can be stressed in outdoor programming. There are questions to ask, topics to explore, and strategies to use in exploring the topics. The teacher and leader only need to set topic parameters, design the questions to be asked, and provided the resources necessary for information in which to make informed decisions about environmental viewpoints.

Clifford E. Knapp is a professional educator, outdoor education leader, and the author of materials designed to enhance the learning of middle level youth in the outdoors. He has shared his experiences throughout his 37 years of outdoor teaching by writing a text titled, In accord with nature (Knapp, 1999). This text demonstrates how educators and youth leaders can help middle school students understand and define their relationship to nature and learn the importance of protecting the environment. His text brings you in touch with modern environmental concepts and provides practical ideas and environmental activities for use in the classroom or in the field.

He defines and discusses environmental ethics and relates ecology, nature, technology, and community to establishing an environmental ethic using outdoor experience and reflection. He provides strategies for achieving an environmental ethic and outdoor values conducive to understanding and appreciating the environment.

Of significant importance is Chapter 5, What Activities Can Teachers Use to Help Students Develop an Environmental Ethic?. This Chapter includes nearly 30 pages of interesting and alternative activities for the teacher or recreation worker. Howard Kirschenbaum (Knapp, 1999) said it best when he described Knapp's text as a thought provoking and eminently practical book for teachers at all subjects and levels, private and public agency interpreters, and youth and club leaders in many settings. It is a hopeful direction for a new millennium.

An excellent way to engage youth in the discussion of environmental topics is to register them for field projects linked to special event days such as National Public Lands Day, National Day for After School, Month of the Young Adolescent, and Earth Day. The websites for these 2004-2005 special events are:

• www.npld.com
  National Public Lands Day
  11 th Annual Event ~ September 18, 2004
• www.afterschoolalliance.org
  National Day for After School
  5 th Annual Event ~ October 14, 2004
• www.nmsa.org/moya/moya_2004/overview.htm
  Month of the Young Adolescent
  October 2004
• www.communityenvironmentalcouncil.org/earthday/
  Earth Day
  35 th Annual Event ~ April 23, 2005

Volunteering for these special events could become a service learning project for a class or a community recreation outing composed of young adolescents. These types of national events provide an excellent opportunity for teachers and recreation workers to utilize the inquiry method while celebrating a very important event. Young adolescents should be engaged in these types of theme-based special events. Best of all is that these special events may be celebrated at your middle school or community center. The web sites for these events can prove very helpful in understanding the purpose of the event, reviewing the schedule of activities, registering your students and recreation participants, and learning about nearby organizations sponsoring the event. Many times the event is scheduled at a location very near to you.

Web addresses can be very helpful to the teacher, the recreation worker, and the participating youth if they are carefully selected and the appropriate content utilized. Web sites that feature authentic, contemporary, and professional materials should always be selected. WWW sites can provide a great deal of assistance to youth wanting to know more about environmental trends and controversial environmental problems facing our nation. Also, teachers and leaders will find information for setting parameters of inquiry and discovering information that will aid in formulating group questions. Websites contain news about state, regional, and national environmental topics. Furthermore, information about careers in outdoor recreation, resource management, adventure tourism, and environmental education are available on many websites. The following websites serve as examples:

• www.npca.org
  National Parks and Conservation Association
• www.nrpa.org
  National Recreation and Park Association
• www.acacamps.org
  American Camping Association
• www.aeoe.org
  Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education
• www.kdfwr.state.ky.us
  Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources
• www.environment.ky.gov
  Kentucky Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet
• www.parks.ky.gov
  Kentucky State Parks
• www.southernregion.fs.fed.us./boone/rrg.htm
  United States Forest Service Southern Region
  Daniel Boone National Forest ~ Kentucky

The linkages among PER workers and the similarities between pedagogy and leadership provide interesting “food for thought”. Impacting the development of young adolescents and preparing informed and caring future generations of citizens are at the heart of this article. Teachers and recreation workers have been given text and website resources to use when working with young adolescents. Using the inquiry method is a conversational teaching and leading technique that can be effectively used with youth between the ages of 10 and 15. Professional, caring, and energetic teachers and recreation workers can enhance their job effectiveness by incorporating outdoor discussions into their curriculum and program plans.

Dr. Larry K. Belknap has served as a youth leader of summer events, after-school programs, and community special events for many years. His experiences with youth ages 10-15 include the leading of outdoor trips, organizing events on national recognition days, conducting orienteering events, and discussing feelings and beliefs about the natural environment. Being a former resident camp director for young adolescents, currently serving as a Boys and Girls Club leader in Madison County, and being an active Orienteering Merit Badge Counselor for the Boy Scouts of America have afforded him many opportunities to work with young adolescents in the out-of-doors. He has the Doctorate in Recreation and Park Administration (Re.D.)* within the School of HPER at Indiana University. Dr. Belknap is currently Professor of Recreation and Park Administration at Eastern Kentucky University and is a Certified Park and Recreation Professional (CPRP).

*The Re.D. is currently titled Ph.D. in Leisure Behavior

Brightbill, Charles K (1966). Educating for leisure centered living . Harrisburg, PA: The Stackpole Company.

Hammerman, D.R. & Hammerman, W.M. (1973). Teaching in the outdoors (2 nd Edition). Minneapolis, MN: Burgess Publishing Company

Hammerman, D.R., Hammerman, W.M. & Hammerman, E.L. (1985). Teaching in the outdoors (3 rd Edition). Danville, IL: The Interstate Printers and Publishers, Inc.

Hammerman, D.R, & Hammerman, W.M. (1973). Outdoor education: a book of readings (2 nd Edition). Minneapolis, MN: Burgess Publishing Company.

Jordan, Debra J. (2001). Leadership in leisure services: making a difference (2 nd Edition). State College, PA: Venture Publishing, Inc.

Kentucky Department of Education (1999). Practical living/vocational studies (V 3.0). September, Page 13.

Knapp, Clifford E. (1999). In accord with nature . Charleston, WV: ERIC Clearinghouse on Rural Education and Small Schools.

Kraft, Richard J. & Kielsmeier, James, Editors (1995). Experiential learning in schools and higher education . Boulder, CO: Association for Experiential Education, Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company.

Stevenson, Chris (1986). Teachers as inquirers: strategies for learning with and about young adolescents http://www.nmsa.org/services/teachers_inquirers.pdf (National Middle School Association Monogram, Out of Print).

1. What similarities / differences do you perceive in the "teacher - recreator" realm?

2. Can both disciplines "learn" from one another and as a result improve overall instruction in their respective fields?

3. Could this be a "win-win" situation for both parties as we seek to provide our students with more comprehensive curriculums?

First copy the above questions ( you'll paste them into the reply form of the discussion forum) and then ...

Just click onto this link

October 2004 - Dr. Christopher Cushion will start with a new article.

Have a good discussion, 

co-ordinator 

Guy Van Damme