' Children’s books that dismiss ageism and portray loving and fun intergenerational relationships between children and a modern older adult, whether a grandparent or someone outside the family, are powerful in developing a child’s worldview of aging and longevity. At the same time, we have an obligation to children to educate them on the realities of aging diseases and disabilities without connecting disease to ageism.' Holly Lawrence
Many of the children I teach have very little interaction with older people. They live away from their extended family and the number of grandparents even at Grandparents Day at school is dwindling. Unless they interact with an elderly neighbour or relative they have little context of what it means to be aging.
For this reason, it is more necessary than ever to share experiences with young children that allow for some interaction. When our school interacts with residents who live in an aged care facility that is nearby, both sets of ages benefit greatly. I try too to share books with my classes that show very positive interactions between young and old. Books such as
• Grace and Mr Milligan by Cat Goodwin
• The Truth About Old People by Elina Ellis
• Amelia Ellicott's Garden by Liliana Stafford
• Wilfrid Gordon Mc Donald Partridge by Mem Fox
• Rose Meets Mr Wintergarten by Bob Graham
• No Hat Brigade by Miriam Airey
• That's Not a Daffodil! by Elizabeth Honey
• Mr George Baker by Amy Hest
• The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita Lorraine Hubbard
• The Tide by Clare Helen Walsh
• The Wednesday Surprise by Eve Bunting
• Nobody's Granny by Tess Brady
• Leaves for Mr Walter by Janeen Brian
• A Morning With Grandpa by Sylvia Liu
• Grandpa Grumps by Katrina Moore
No comments:
Post a Comment