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Group discussions featured aging and the involvement of older volunteers from preschool through college. L to R: Martha Dennler, INCRRA; Anita Revelle, ISU; Carla Gosney, RSVP, John Wood CC; Charles Johnson , director, Illinois Department on Aging; and Jalea Jackson, a student at Temple Christian School, and Lisa Hood, ISU
Aging is an Asset for P-20: Teaching the Elepahnt to Dance
Throughout education, students are tutored, mentored, and find educational success because an older person gave time to help them with reading, learn about math, research history. Students help elders learn about computers, rake their leaves or save family stories by conducting oral history interviews. Intergenerational experts like Nina Menis from Naperville, Carla Gosney from Quincy, agree that students who are involved with retirees in intergenerational program have an advantage over their peers. If it is such a win/win situation, then why don't more schools have intergenerational programs?
In Teaching the Elephant to Dance, James Belasco describes the way that elephants are conditioned to quiet behavior. Trainers shackle young elephants so they will stay in place. Older elephants have been conditioned not to move as long as they have that metal piece around their leg. Like elephants, the educational system is bound by conditioning. They don't tap the skills and experiences of older adults, not because they don't think it is important, but because they have never done it.
On February 26, 2007, retirees, education
leaders, legislators, and students joined in the second Aging is an Asset Forum with a discussion of how retirees can help throughout the education system P-20+. Senator Ed Maloney, D-Chicago, said that the key to success is communication. All levels need to foster stronger ties. The first step is the recognition that what we are trying to acoomplish is win/win for retirees and children in the state.
Charles Johnson, Director ot the Illinois Department on Aging said "Today people came here and learned something about older people. Things are going to happen so we can figure out a way to utilize two million older people. These are mutually beneficial relationships-we get something out of it and find "What's in it for me."
Senator Kimberly Lightford shared some of her history. "For eight years, I have worked with the education committee. When we have new ideas, we have to chip away and tell why it is serving our students. A real challenge is when children come to the classroom and are not ready to learn. Education needs a big umbrella and many partners on the team.".
Leaders of the Aging is an Asset for P-20+ (preschool through college and beyond) L to R: Senator Ed Maloney, Chicago; Charles Johnson, director, Illinois Deprtment on Aging; Senator Kimberly Lightford, Maywood, and Randy Tinder, president, Illinois Association of School Admnistrators
Randy Tinder, president of the Illinois Association of School Administrators said, "Everybody has an opinion about what we need to fix this system. We point fingers at other levels of education that they are not producing students ready for the next level. We must drop all these barriers and accept the fact that things have to get better by working together and implementing ideas that benefit everyone. Education is the cornerstone of democracy."
Four groups brainstormed and struggled with the P-20 concept, particularly the notion of the educational pipeline and how students flow through it or don't. Linda Dawson, Illinios Association of School Boards, expressed the concerns of many about the pipeline, particularly the inadequacy of it as a descriptor of what happens in education. "Why do we continue to expect children to march at exactly the same pace through the school system when much of the research proves that they learn in different ways and at different rates? I even listened to Margaret Spellings, the secretary of education refer to people who don't finish college in four years as failures."
Jana Edge, retiree from ISU, said that the segment of our society that is growing the fastest is retirees. Because of our country's prosperity, they are healthier, more educated, more financially stable and living longer. Adding these life-long learners to the tool boxes of education provides a cost effective means that will potentially plug some of the leaks in the education pipeline.
Clearly younger and older generations have reasons to be together, but unfortunately it isn't happening as often or as organized as it should. The economic cost is great in lost resources for schools, such as the potential to enrich education, increase reading and math scores, and raise the bar for academic achievement or gaining the benefits of a lifetime of wisdom, knowedge of the peaks and valleys, and stories of perseverance.
"We can create an infrastructure supporting retirees' efforts in several ways," says Carla Gosney, director of the RSVP (Retired Senior and Volunteer Program) at John Wood Community College in Quincy, "We must begin with an awareness of the needs of education and the skills and abilities of retirees.Teachers and administration often are not aware of the value of older persons. Faculty and administration need to be briefed to realize what volunteers can do to support education. Administration needs to be completely in support of a volunteer project for it to be successful. To get their buy-in, institutions need to know what's in it for them," Gosney said
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Senator Lightford added "We should involve seniors in ways that will instill more civility, pride, responsibility, and love of education in segments of the population that don't have these traits now." She commended the people who are bringing the generations together, "It is an important movement for education."
The most outstanding part of the meeting was the description of how retirees are helping children, teens, and young people through tutoring, metoring, career advising, sharing their histories, and students discover that have a cheerleader in their corner.
P-20 Intergenerational Programs
Preschool programs involving retirees abound. One of the earliest programs was founded by Helen Block at Oakton Community College. She said, "When children start preschool, they must deal with separation anxiety as well as the strangeness of new teachers and a new environment. The presence of a caring elder can be an anchor for them.
HURRAH(Happy Upbeat Recycled Retirees Actively Helping) volunteers provide a variety of services throughout District 203 in Naperville. They emphasize reading skills, one-on-one reading or group assistance to students who need extra help to keep pace with their classmates. "The lady volunteers are often referred to as grandma readers," according to Chair Russ Marineau, "because of their close relationship with their students, but we have many male volunteers, including retired businessmen, policemen, firemen and Naperville's Mayor George Pradel."
Middle school programs often focus on technology -- the students gather information about the needs of senior citizens and then invite them to come to the classroom to learn about computers and the Internet. Field Middle School in Northbrook and Washington Middle School in Springfield have had these types of programs in the past.
Other examples of intergenerational programs include quilting, oral history interviews, pen pal programs
Tom Laue, LifeTimes; Carol Resnick,Concordia College; Robin Stearnes, Sternes Group, and Linda Kolbusz-Kosan share ideas about P-20 education and how all levels of education can work harder to strengthen connections.
in the traditional way and on the Internet. At the Small School of the Arts, students interview elders in the community and then create a play based on the history.
Community colleges and universities often focus on conversations with retirees as a way of expanding knowledge in a class, develop communication skills in mock interviews, or jointly planning programs to serve their communities.
Aging is an Asset for P-20+ emphasized the importance of the resources of retiees, and yet fewer than 7% are involved in the schools. Participants agreed that we need to do a better job of discussing the ways that retirees can help with education and develop a different mindset among educators about their usefulness. Aging is an Asset for P-20+ suggested the ways that older people can make an impact on the various levels of education.
Senator Kimberly Lightford (center) commends the people who are promoting intergenerational programs but she said that "We are all must do more." L to R: Dennis Sorensen, Kankakee Community College, Lightford, and Carol Resnick, Concordia University and Illinois Council of Continuing and Higher Education
Meredith Byers talks about the importance of retirees, particularly those who are interested in volunteering, but haven't been asked. L to R: Byers, IEA; Jan Maruna, IL Network of Child Care Resource and Referral Agencies, and Jana Edge, IL State Univ.
Nina Menis tells about the HURRAH program in Naperville that brings about 200 volunteers to the school district. L to R: Menis, Don Naylor, SUAA; Sen. Ed. Maloney, and Troy Jackson, a student at Emanuel Lutheran School
A newly retired Anthony Traxler presents the opportunities for retirees to stay active and involved. L ro R: Commodore Edmond, Rich Township; Traxler, SIU Edwardsville; Preston Morgan, ICCB; Erika Hunt, ISU and Kim Armstrong, Black Hawk College
Participants in Forum II
Aging is an Asset for P-20
Kim Armstrong, Black Hawk College; Jonathan Astroth, Heartland Community College; Mary Bates, Waubonsee Community College; Meredith Byers, IL Education Assoc; Linda Dawson, IL Assoc of School Board; Martha Dennler, INCCRRA; Jana Edge, IL State University; Commodore Edmond, Suburban Cook County, Sr. Companion Program; Carla Gosney, John Wood Community College; Lisa Hood, IL State University; R. Gene Humke, Central IL Agency on Aging Inc; Erika Hunt, IL State University; Troy Jackson and Jalea Jackson, students; Charles Johnson, IL Dept on Aging; Linda Kolbysz-Kosan, U of I Urbana Champaign; Thomas Laue, Life Times; Senator Kimberly Lightford, Senate Education Committee; Senator Ed Maloney, Higher Education Committee; Jan Maruna, INCCRRA; Nina Menis, Naperville School Dist. 203; Preston Morgan, IL Community College Board; Bill Naegele, IL Community College Board; Don Naylor, State Univ. Annuit. Assoc; Gil Nolde, Area Agency on Aging; Rick Pearce, IBHE; Carol Reiseck, Concordia Univ; Anita Revelle, IL State Univ; Dennis Sorensen, Kankakee Community College; Robin Stearnes, The Stearnes Group; Randolph Tinder, Forest Park Dist #91; Dr. Anthony Traxler, SIUE, and Jane Angelis, Center for Intergenerational Leadership.
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