Grandpartners: Intergenerational Learning and Civic Renewal, K-6

There is a dynamic new movement in education gaining national recognition: the practice of intergenerational learning. Succeeding where many single-focus reforms have failed, these across-age programs pair children and the elderly in authentic activities to promote civic engagement and social connectedness. Now, for the first time, Linda Winston makes public the essentials of a successful K - 6 program.

Grandpartners documents several of the best examples of intergenerational learning, reflecting a range of approaches and goals. Each of the programs Linda Winston describes moves beyond mere contact between generations to create genuine circles of caring in which everybody benefits. You'll read about a literacy enhancement project in which senior citizens work with elementary students, an intergenerational orchestra whose members range in age from six to eighty-eight, an intergenerational "living history" theatre project, and an across-age community-service/action program. Along the way, you'll discover specific advice on how to plan, develop, and sustain similar programs, with lots of resources to assist you in your efforts, including an annotated bibliography of children's literature with intergenerational themes. The closing chapter reviews some new directions for intergenerational learning and their far-reaching implications for educators.