Continuance |
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Continuance Fall / Winter 2003-2004Gallery of Intergenerational Ideas Organizing
an intergenerational program Organizational Models for Intergenerational Programs 1. Partnerships with senior organizations, clubs, and centers 2. Individual recruits: Just ask! 3. Organizing through the curriculum 4. Retirees: Managers of programs 5. Community intergenerational centers Some organizational models are a combination of all five. How does one organize an intergenerational program? There are many answers to that question. A teacher may say, "ask the students to recruit their grandparents." A college president may say, "Our service learning program is a perfect fit." A principal approaches the question from a different perspective, "Partner with a local senior center or senior club." A dean may volunteer graduate students and partner with the campus program for senior citizens. A superintendent might suggest working through the district volunteer program. A curriculum director would readily understand the benefits of involving older people in language arts or the social studies curriculum. All of these suggestions are used in schools, community colleges, and universities to tap the experience and wisdom of older adults. The five most common ways of organizing intergenerational programs are based on partnerships, effective communication, and telling the stories of student achievement and elder satisfaction. 1. Partnerships with senior citizen organizations A. Senn School in Chicago organizes their intergenerational program by partnering with a local senior center. The students adopt abuelos, or grandparents, at a day-program attended by Hispanic senior citizens. The students learn how to speak Spanish and also offer their talents in dancing and singing with senior citizens. The service learning program helps them relay the importance of understanding other cultures, developing good family relationships and caring for people of all ages. Students at Gilson-Brown Elementary School partnered with senior citizens in a nursing home next door and celebrated the Chinese New Year. The principal and the teachers, with the activities director at the nursing home, senior citizens and students made plans. Palatine's Generations Exchange brings older adults to the schools to help with math, science, computers, music, and especially reading. The time spent by the seniors is used to cover their local taxes. The program is sponsored by Palatine School District 15. Schools are finding volunteers to help their students in a variety of senior clubs and organizations, such as garden clubs, quilting groups, and why not recruits from the bridge club to help with math? 2. Individual recruiting: Just ask A. Mille Boyd, a volunteer at Prather School in Granite City, said "I have received a lot of satisfaction because you get an inkling that you're making a difference in so many children's lives." The intergenerational program started four years ago with older volunteers reading and helping students choose books in the library. The volunteers are recruited locally by the RSVP program sponsored by the Southwestern Illinois College and the Illinois Department on Aging's TOPS (Talented Older Persons in School). Program coordinator, Sarah Huber says that "reading scores improved by half a year to a full year for some students." B. At Momence High School students discuss their future careers with retirees who have worked in the community. The youth, aspiring professionals themselves, absorbed the unique experiences that older community residents shared with them. The elders were amazed with the experiences of the students and appreciated what they had to say. 3. Organizing through the Curriculum A. Field School students in Northbrook studied how senior citizens were portrayed in literature, television shows, commercials, and magazine ads. As they reported on their research, they discussed what they might do as a service project. They decided that senior citizens might like to learn about computers. Language arts teachers and students developed a course called "An Introduction to Computers" and listed it in the fall schedule. The initial response was enormous. Pen pal programs have also proven successful in linking generations. At Glenn Elementary School, students send letters to the RSVP volunteers. The students are learning about paragraphs and composition. Teacher Cathy Bissoondial says, "It makes writing much more interesting." B. Aurora Middle School gives students practice interviewing other cultures to learn about history. The curriculum is an ideal way to organize intergenerational programs. At Southern Illinois University, students in a gerontology class interviewed elders to practice their communication skills. Their professor says, "the best way to learn about aging is to experience it by interacting with older adults. 4. Retirees: Program managers HURRAH (Happy Upbeat Recycled Retirees Actively Helping) began in 1990 after two retired teachers suggested organizing interested retired teachers into a volunteer unit that could provide qualified, experienced, and effective assistance in the classroom. Russ Marineau coordinator of the program got started because he wanted to give back to an educational system that had been good for his family. "The involvement with younger people and being a partner with our schools in the education process, has been a key part of the retirement phase of my life and a real source of personal satisfaction. The HURRAH program offers our volunteers all of the ingredients for a successful retirement." The Naperville School District 203 program has Over 250 retirees volunteering in the schools and well over 50% of the volunteers come from outside the education system. 5. Community intergenerational centers A. Libraries are the community intergenerational centers because all ages, young and old, pass through their doors. Community colleges and universities share that experience as older learner programs are increasing in higher education. Libraries often have reading programs for preschool children and other creative programs for youth. The Carbondale Public Library sponsors a writing program called, "Writers Live at the Library." It started as an attempt to provide a creative writing workshop for school-challenged middle school students. Fran Fanning, the organizer, says, "We try to pair up a senior with a student, and in many cases real friendships are forged." Senior Scholars at Illinois State University are also involved with students. They practice mock interviews with students who are looking for jobs and also mentor individual students. The program is organized through the Institute for Learning in Retirement. |