Outdoor education specialists. There is now considered to be something called nature deficit syndrome, which even many rural kids, who are essentially containerized most of the day, have. Certainly most inner city kids.

One problem is that educators tend to be drawn from the social career path..and I would presume so do sociologists, but I don't know. Most students however are from the realistic (hands-on, highly rational, technical etc.) group..or at least that is how I remember. Also, if you look at auditory, visual, kinesthetic learners, most teachers are either auditory or visual and most students are kinesthetic..again subject to my fading memory. Anyway, there is a huge disconnect in education, which is hoped to be the great solution..but you have a great and fundamental problem in education with this disparity between learning styles, in fact, basic brain architecture, between students and teachers. Oh, how do we solve this you ask. ALmost any problem you can think of in society can be reduced at least by vocational education (who tend to be drawn from the other groups). And what kind of respect do they get? Go figure. If you want to read something really good, that will tell you step by step how to get out of poverty, read Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington. Of course I mean it applies to everybody. It is universal..apply to rich and poor...everyone..well, the rich don't have to get out of poverty right at the present time, but the day could come...anyway Booker T. --the one book I will always have in my personal library...hero of vocational educators. I will tell you this..unless we can speak candidly and honestly and bring our best thoughts to this...and spare me the blame the victim crap...I am one of the aforementioned realistic types...I just want to solve problems...we won't make a dent in this and the problem will expand faster than the solutions. mg