For use by educators, national and state education associations, textbook publishers, and others interested in promoting gerontology education in grades K-12.

AGE SHARE documents currently available:

•  Why Teach about Aging?

• Goals for Aging Education

• Aging Education in the Classroom

• Children's Images of Aging

by Fran Pratt

Children learn about aging whether we teach them or not. The issue is not whether they learn, but what they learn about the lifelong process of growing up and growing older. If left to happenstance, children learn about aging in the same ways they learn about many things---by absorbing whatever they hear or see, often without being able to distinguish between fact or fiction. Too often, what children learn about aging is based on myths that are deeply entrenched in our culture about the aging process and on stereotypes of older people. These myths and stereotypes are transmitted from one generation to another in our language, humor, literature, and popular media. They perpetuate our society's knowledge, values, and attitudes about aging.

Not everything children learn about aging is negative. Children, like adults, have complex and changing attitudes about aging. Yet research shows that, even at a very early age, children may have already internalized ideas that lead to ageist views (age prejudice) and gerontophobia (fear of aging).

Similarly, not everything young children learn about the aging process is false. Research demonstrates that what children know about the process of growing up and growing older is a mixture of truth and misinformation. Like many adults from whom they learn, their perspectives on life in the later years (and of their own future as people who will someday grow old) is often dominated by a view of aging as a process of decline, rather than one of growth and fulfillment. A child's view of what it means to grow old frequently emphasizes physical and mental handicaps, loneliness and isolation, institutionalization, and dependency. A vision of life that is characterized by wellness, involvement with others, and independent living at all ages is missing. In other words, children fully understand the problems that often accompany old age, but not the great potential for happiness and wellness throughout the life span and the opportunity to remain active participants in the mainstream of life.

Children today are expected to live longer than any previous generation. Barring unforeseen circumstances, they are expected to live their lives in a progressively aging society. Since the beginning of the century, average life expectancy at birth has steadily climbed from 47 to 75 years. Thus, children born today should live to their mid-70s, even if no new breakthroughs in medical technology and health care develop.

When today's elementary school children become tomorrow's older adults, they will be among those one out of four Americans who have already passed their 60th birthday. This longevity revolution of the 20th century brings vast implications for all aspects of life. Longer life expectancies and changes in the age composition of the population have had, and will continue to have, an enormous impact on the family, careers and retirement, education, medicine, business, government and the distribution of public resources. All living Americans, and especially the young, will live out the rest of their lives facing new challenges on the age-related issues. These challenges will require intelligent decisions based on knowledge and comprehension, not on myth and misinformation.

For all these reasons, children need to learn about aging. Children should begin at the earliest possible age to develop a healthy and realistic view of aging. They should be empowered to maximize their own opportunities for quality of life, and to develop an understanding of the complex issues of living in an aging world. None of us, and least of all young people, can afford to face our individual or collective future(s) guided by ageist myths and stereotypes or by patterns of age discrimination and gerontophobic behavior. Preparation for the future, as a goal of education, should include education about aging as a high priority for all who play a role in educating & socializing the young.

By Fran Pratt

The National Academy for Teaching and Learning about Aging (NATLA) recommends three major areas of focus for aging education: attitudes about aging, the aging process, and issues of an aging society. The goals for each of these areas are stated as concepts and can serve as guides for planning curriculum and developing learning activities.

Attitudes

• Perceive long life as an opportunity for continuous growth and development, not as a late life process of decline.
• Recognize the unique individuality and diversity of all people as they grow and mature.
• Appreciate the roles of older people.
• Understand ageism and the harmful consequences of age prejudice and discrimination.
• Recognize that the quality of life for people of all ages depends largely on choices made by the individual and the society.

• Comprehend aging as a continuous, life-long process of growing up and becoming older.
• Become conscious of one's own potential for long life.
• Understand the aging process as a complex interaction of genetic, life style and environmental factors.
• Recognize that personal choices about mental and physical health habits affect the quality and length of life.
• Recognize that the way people age involves a complex interplay of physical, psychological and social factors.
• Appreciate that each individual grows old in a different way.
• Understand the relativity of the terms "young" and "old."

• Understand that advances in nutrition, medicine, and health care have made it possible for most people to live long lives.
• Be aware that growing longevity is increasing the number and percentage of older people in the population.
• Recognize that an aging population creates changing economic and social circumstances which demand intelligent and informal decisions by individuals and society.
• Be aware that growing longevity presents opportunities as well as problems, depending on how the challenges are perceived and met.
• Appreciate that both individuals and society can alter their behavior and policies in ways that improve the quality of life for all generations.
• Understand that positive intergenerational relationships are needed to meet the demands that growing longevity places on the family and society.

By Lori Moseman, Ph.D.

What are educators actually doing in their classrooms in terms of aging education?
Do they plan instruction or is aging an incidental topic that may or may not be addressed?
How can we systematically assess what classroom teachers are doing?

Data were collected from 305 intermediate-level teachers in Nebraska. The three education practices most frequently employed were (a) presentation of aging as a natural part of the life cycle, (b) planning intergenerational activities, and (c) explanation of death as a natural part of the life cycle.

The aging education practice least frequently reported involved providing planned instruction about aging. Only 1.4% of intermediate-level teachers reported "always" and 4.6% "frequently" provide planned instruction about aging in their classrooms. Only 40% of respondents "always" or "frequently" addressed topics related to aging when they arise spontaneously in the classroom. Although most teachers reported using one or two aging education practices, most did not consistently use a variety of practices.

Planned instruction about aging in schools appears to be no more prevalent than it was over a decade ago. Possible reasons why teachers do not plan specific activities on aging topics include shortage of suitable instructional materials, lack of teacher preparedness, and negative attitudes toward their own aging.

The aging population provides opportunities for educators to teach young people about growing and being old. This will require the support and encouragement both outside and inside the ranks of public teachers.

Classroom Aging Education Practice Scale:

• I choose teaching materials containing realistic portrayals of older people.
• I share with students contributions older people have made to society.
• I emphasize to students the similarities between younger and older people.
• I seek older people to volunteer in my classroom.
• I select children's literature featuring life span themes.
• I address topics or issues related to aging when they arise spontaneously.
• I use family history projects to illustrate roles of older family members.
• I plan intergenerational activities.
• I present the phenomenon of aging as a natural part of the life cycle.
• I explain to students that death is a natural part of the life cycle.
• I highlight ways older people are stereotyped by society.
• I point out that the value given to older people varies across cultures.
• I encourage students to have empathy for the challenges older people face in today's world.
• I provide planned instruction about aging.

By Elizabeth W. Markson, Ph.D. and Francis Pratt

The "graying of America" is occurring at a rapid rate, bringing about widespread changes not only in the population, but also challenges for legislation, allocation of resources, quality of life, and ethical decisions. A basic knowledge of aging is something that everyone needs. Information about aging should be part of general education in elementary and secondary schools. This study examined, analyzed, and evaluated the depiction of aging in secondary school textbooks. It represents the first formal effort to establish a systematic framework for aging content in K-12 education and assess how much of this content is currently present in widely used educational materials at the secondary level. The study also examines how this material is presented (i.e., the mode of presentation may be as important as the information).

Researchers selected ninety-one books used in nine different subjects (biology, general science, health, government/civics, history, economics, psychology, sociology, and home economics) for content analyses. Using categories established by a team of gerontologists and high school educators, these books were examined for the amount of aging information they contained.

Results from the analysis indicated that high school textbooks contain both "sins of commission and omission." Frequent instances of false or misleading information were identified, such as confusion of Medicare and Medicaid. Numerous cases of negative portrayals of aging and older people existed in written text and illustrations.

The most significant finding was the absence of information about aging- related topics. Aging topics received only passing attention in biology, general science, government, and history. Texts either ignored or gave scant mention to aging or old age. Sample findings were:

Government/Civics. Only two of eleven government textbooks had extended discussion of Social Security as a contributory social insurance program. In three of the texts, Social Security was not mentioned at all.

Economics. The role of Social Security as a principal income source for retirees was not mentioned in ten of the fourteen books. There was no discussion of older workers or the changing mix of the labor force. Only two texts tersely noted any roles played by older people as productive members of society. Most did not mention that retirement is now a normal part of the life cycle. Only one text dealt with the effects of population aging on the demand for goods and services.

Biology. Out of fifteen biology textbooks, most implied, at least tacitly, that no significant biological change takes place once adulthood is reached.

Health. Although textbooks for health tend to give more attention to aging subjects than other subjects, most missed opportunities to explain causes and variations in life expectancy and aging processes.

Home Economics. With an average of 406 pages each, the twelve home economics texts contained an average of 12 pages with some aging-related content. None of the twelve texts alluded to career opportunities related to aging.

Psychology. With an average of 558 pages, the five psychology texts had an average of 19 pages on aging-related topics. Texts varied widely in their treatment of aging, ranging from none in one text to 68 pages in another. In one frequently revised psychology high school text, the only extensive discussion related to aging was on Alzheimer's Disease.

Sociology. The majority of the twelve sociology texts did provide students with accurate information about changing demographics and age stratification, but were lacking in information on social programs benefiting older adults.

Conclusion. Just as textbook authors and publishers have been responsive to concerns about race, ethnicity, and gender, they need to be sensitive to aging issues. This study is a beginning step from which authors and publishers may build a substantive framework for aging education in a variety of subjects.

By Donna Couper, Ph.D.

At early ages, children develop attitudes about aging. A 1995 American Association of Retired Persons study, conducted in collaboration with the National Academy for Teaching and Learning about Aging, looked at attitudes toward aging of 423 students, aged 6 to 11. Children from two racially and socio-economically diverse schools in two states were asked to draw pictures of an old person and a young person, and then asked to explain their pictures.

Research Findings

Those who drew older persons they knew, like a grandparent, were more likely to portray the older person in positive ways. Children with generalized drawings of older persons they did not know often drew negative stereotypes associated with disabilities.

Boys tended to be more negative in their views than girls. Compared to girls, boys had fewer drawings of older persons with happy expressions and more with negative features. Boys expressed negative ideas about aging, with fewer positive images of themselves growing older.

Older children (aged 9, 10 and 11) were more negative about old age than younger children (aged 6 through 8). The older group were more likely to draw people they did not know.

Implications

The way children view old age can affect the way they view older adults today and the way they will view themselves as they age. It is important to address how these attitudes develop.

What can you do?

• Promote K-12 aging education.
• Encourage healthy lifestyle choices for longer, more productive living.
• Promote non-ageist children's literature in homes, schools, and libraries.