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Reducing the Generation Gap and Strengthening Schools
Abstract
Points out that there are fewer adults in families and that schools are unused before and after classes. Suggests that older adults can provide some support for school-aged children who would normally go home to an empty house. (JOW)
... They noted the old adults' contribution toward enriching the lesson and the potential of their assistance in scholastic assignments. In a clear reflection of the productive-aging approach, Waddock andFreedman (1998-1999) establish a connection between narrowing the generation gap and the need to reinforce the political status of the school in the community. ...
... They noted the old adults' contribution toward enriching the lesson and the potential of their assistance in scholastic assignments. In a clear reflection of the productive-aging approach, Waddock andFreedman (1998-1999) establish a connection between narrowing the generation gap and the need to reinforce the political status of the school in the community. ...
... What about their possible role as consumers of information and knowledge? As a partial answer to these questions, it deserves emphasis that most scholars who deal with intergenerational programs focus on the educational benefits for the younger generation and devote insufficient attention to the intellectual and communicative benefits, let alone general benefits, for old adults (Waddock andFreedman, 1998-1999;Cibulski and Bergman, 1981). ...
This second paper commences where Part 1 concluded in volume 33, number 1, 2006. The paper describes the relations reflected in the Model-of-Knowledge between all partners of the intergenerational encounters at school—children, old adults, and teachers. The Model-of-Knowledge represents a relatively balanced approach toward the generations' typical needs, while teachers are regarded as members of the middle generation who may contribute to the intergenerational mediation process. By discussing concepts such as “authority,” “productive aging,” “search for meaning,” and “life span,” the paper offers possible ramifications for the social images and status of older adults. Additionally, it discusses the experimental realism of the intergenerational programs at school. Gerontologists and education professionals are invited to explore the psychosocial insights that the model brings to the fore.
... Failure can be potentially humiliating and devastating as they may not yet have the life experiences to respond maturely. Literature also suggests that the growing generation gap between adults and children result in children not feeling understood (Mead, 1969;Waddock & Freedman, 1998). The younger generation feels 'unsupported' by the adults in the society, and this is shown to create added strain to the adolescents (Waddock & Freedman, 1998). ...
... Literature also suggests that the growing generation gap between adults and children result in children not feeling understood (Mead, 1969;Waddock & Freedman, 1998). The younger generation feels 'unsupported' by the adults in the society, and this is shown to create added strain to the adolescents (Waddock & Freedman, 1998). ...
This research uses a narrative inquiry approach to explore and stage a Bhutanese
community dialogue on the recent troubling rise in suicides by school students.
Forty-four individual interviews and seven group interviews were conducted. The
voices of secondary school students, key policymakers, a parent, school principals,
school guidance counsellors, and a Buddhist teacher represent the Bhutanese
education community. A community dialogue on suicide is timely and illustrates
that collective efforts can generate systemic changes.
... teachers.com/articles_tchtraining/meeting_edna.htm schools (Cummings et al., 2002;Newman et al., 1999;Waddock andFreedman, 1998-1999;Bostrom, 2003), and in caregiving centers for children (Angersbach and Jones-Forster, 1999;Newman and Riess, 1992). The studies generally show that the intergenerational encounter has positive implications for both sides. ...
... teachers.com/articles_tchtraining/meeting_edna.htm schools (Cummings et al., 2002;Newman et al., 1999;Waddock andFreedman, 1998-1999;Bostrom, 2003), and in caregiving centers for children (Angersbach and Jones-Forster, 1999;Newman and Riess, 1992). The studies generally show that the intergenerational encounter has positive implications for both sides. ...
This paper, the first in a 2-part series, proposes a Model-of-Knowledge for the social analysis of intergenerational encounters between older adults and children and discusses professional intervention. The model is based on the findings of a pilot counseling activity at a primary school in Israel. It sets forth 4 types of encounters between children and older adults. The encounters included an estimation of the relative advantage of knowledge on both sides, a mutual estimation of equal knowledge, and a mutual estimation of equal lack of knowledge. Beyond the presentation of each type's content, the paper deals with this question: How does the proposed Model-of-Knowledge reflect the intergenerational gap between children and older adults and mediate between them? Gerontologists and educational professionals are invited to explore the psychosocial insights that the model brings to the fore.
... There is an increasing incidence of children and youth growing up in fragmented families (Waddock & Freedman, 1998) and lacking the resources and skills needed to transition into adulthood, thus making them vulnerable and at risk for crime, depression, drug abuse, and unwanted pregnancies (Taylor & Dryfoos, 1998). ...
... Second, Duvall and Zint (2007) and Waddock andFreedman (1998)/1999) highlight the importance of educational institutions as a source of environmental information within the broader community. In addition to the students and teacher from Dunsmuir Middle School, the project engaged students, faculty and staff from Royal Roads University, city representatives and staff from the Solar Colwood program, representatives of the local utility, BC Hydro and members of a local First Nation. ...
The City of Colwood in British Columbia, Canada, has engaged in a wide-ranging project aiming to encourage whole community transformation, through the use of environmental education, incentives and the adoption of energy efficiency behavior and technologies. Researchers and students from Royal Roads University partnered with a Middle School to deliver an action research driven educational program to 120 Grade 7 (age 12/13) students that reflected goals of the City program: water conservation, solar hot water and the energy efficiency of homes. Students engaged in classroom activities and field trips to homes with energy upgrades installed. The students’ subject matter engagement was captured through systematic observation, field notes and photographs, and the development of knowledge was assessed through curriculum exercises and a quantitative survey. Both students and their parents were surveyed to see whether the interaction with the students had implications for intergenerational learning and the possibility of increasing wider community engagement in the program. It was found that while the students engaged in the classroom session did increase their awareness and understanding of energy efficiency, curriculum design needed to include more opportunities to discuss the issues at home to maximize the opportunities for intergenerational learning and an increase in awareness more generally.
... They do not envision public education as an intergenerational social compact, at least not in Arizona where they relocated later in life. Waddock and Freedman (1998-99) argued that attention has focused on older Americans voting down school bond issues while opportunities for intergenerational exchange in public schools remain unrealised. With fragmentation of families and geographical mobility, we are creating age-segregated environments in which children are isolated from older adults and vice versa. ...
Time and collective historical experience loom large in the formation of generations. I argue that spatial proximity cements generational consciousness among seniors in Arizona retirement communities who identify themselves as members of the Second World War generation. The argument twins Karl Mannheim's social-historical conception of generations and Hannah Arendt's political philosophy which underscores the space of appearance in the public realm in identity formation. It is through congregating, interacting and conversing on a daily basis that seniors in retirement enclaves affirm and reaffirm who they are, both to themselves and outsiders. I draw upon a suite of Arizona case studies, 1988–2000, in revealing ‘voices’ for a slice of the Second World War generation. Discussions revolving around family, community and national life reveal beliefs and values coalescing around four themes: (1) splendid isolation; (2) dissolution of values; (3) absence of children; and (4) fraying the social compact. The space of appearance within retirement enclaves engenders a strong sense of collective identity and belonging in ageing and, simultaneously, leads to questions about implications and consequences of intergenerational separation. I conclude with a poignant multigenerational experience as suggestive of the potency of intergenerational contact and exchange. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Meeting the diverse needs of young people who are coping with such problems as delinquent behaviors or poor academic performance is an urgent issue today. This paper aims to demonstrate the benefits of introducing intergenerational mentoring activities into educational programs for supporting "at risk" adolescents by highlighting some innovative and effective methods. Among various types of mentoring activities, this paper will focus on ones in which older adults take on the role of mentors. The significance of mentoring activities in which older adults give emotional support to at risk adolescents has been recognized since the late 1980s in the United States. An important component of this type of "intergenerational mentoring" initiative involves establishing a sense of mutual trust between the older adult mentors and the at risk youth mentees. This paper consists of the following parts. Firstly, the author will describe the rationale and some of the societal factors that are contributing to the emergence of the mentoring activities for at risk adolescents in contemporary society. Secondly, the author will describe key characteristics of intergenerational mentoring activities designed to support at risk adolescents. The primary focus will be on lessons learned from an intergenerational mentoring program called "Across Ages" which is operated by Temple University's Center for Intergenerational Learning. In analyzing this model program, the author will focus on challenging issues related to how the mentor role is constructed and how the mentors function in the context of program goals to produce benefits for the participants. Finally, in concluding this paper, the author will point out that such intergenerational mentoring endeavors not only expand informal helping resources for at risk adolescents but also help in establishing a circulative mentoring process that has implications for the enrichment of the lives of people of all ages in the community.
This article outlines the concept and initial implementation of an intergenerational learning community (ILC), a new charter school concept, and reviews relevant literature. We discuss the mission, curriculum, educational design, philosophy, and lessons learned from initial implementation of The Intergenerational School (TIS). Such multiage communities of learners represent a conceptual and organizational response to the challenges that rapid cultural and environmental change and resultant alienation are posing for human societies.
W niniejszym artykule podjęto próbę pojęciowego określenia międzypokoleniowej edukacji stanowiącej nieodłączną część międzypokoleniowej praktyki, będącej odpowiedzią na zjawisko międzypokoleniowej segregacji nasilającej się wskutek postępującego procesu starzenia się społeczeństwa oraz towarzyszących zmian ogólnospołecznych i kulturowych. Celem edukacji międzypokoleniowej jest zawiązanie na drodze formalnych i intencjonalnych działań łączności między generacjami, najczęściej skrajnymi, z intencją czerpania obustronnych korzyści i wzajemnego ubogacania, a w szerszym znaczeniu - wzmacniania rodzin i całych społeczności. Międzypokoleniowe uczenie się to w praktyce zjawisko stosunkowo młode, podobnie jak w nauce, w której dopiero tworzone są jej podwaliny teoretyczne i empiryczne. W niniejszym tekście zaprezentowano wciąż nowatorskie na gruncie polskim zagadnienie międzypokoleniowej edukacji w perspektywie koncepcyjnego dorobku praktyki międzypokoleniowej.
Intergenerational programs have proliferated in community and educational settings, yet research on their effects and impacts lags (Kaplan, 2002; Kuehne, 1998/99), and the benefits and learning that occur for participants are under-theorized (Abrams and Giles, 1999; Smith and Yeager, 1999). Similarly, insufficient research has been reported on the learning that takes place in environmental education programs. In this paper we focus on the relationship that developed between community elders and elementary school-aged children during the first year of an intergenerational environmental education project. Our goal is to better understand these experiences so we can sustain participation and develop programs rich in rewards for elders and children. We are particularly interested in the nature of intergenerational learning that occurs when children are brought together with community elders for environmental education that is integrated into a school program. Granville and Ellis (1999) propose that for a program to be defined as intergenerational, it must show a benefit and value for both generations and “demonstrate an improvement in the quality of life for both, and from that, an improvement in the quality of life for all” (p. 236). We concur with these criteria and designed a program linking community elders with farming backgrounds with one class of 18 grade-seven girls for the purpose of fostering environmental consciousness. In this paper we focus our attention on the learnings of participants in order to understand the mutuallearning that occurs in an intergenerational environmental program.
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