OLD PEOPLE ARE NOT STUPID!

 

My mentor for at 102 years old 

she still is yearning to do some learning.

GOOD MORNING!!!

A few years ago I tutored a wonderful third grade young man.  For one of his Persuasive writing papers, he chose the idea:  "Old people aren't as smart as Children". His initial working title was "Old people are STUPID". Obviously, since I was one of the "old" people I asked him to explain himself.  He started to tell all of his facts to explain and  justify his argument.  He felt very strongly and didn't even get upset when I told him he needed to write them out; not just tell me.  This is a excerpt of that paper from his rough draft:

             "My mom and all old people can't use cell (phones). How stupid are they. 
              All children can use cells ("c's"). They always ask me dial the cell? What
             dial? All you have to do is push the buttons or tell it what number
             to call. They can't use computers right. Nobody in my house especially
              the old people can use my computer but me. They break it. When we 
             went to store my mom can't check out her food. My Dad always makes 
             sure my mom has money because she can't make the ATM work." 

What made me laugh at the time isn't quite as funny now since I am not only being "old" but also a student.  Every reason he felt "old" people were STUPID was tied to the technology of today.

Oh, and I should explain; the first time he told me about "c's" I didn't know what in the world he meant.  He blatantly rolled his eyes and sighed loudly at me when I said "Oh...you mean cell phones"; and replied "Yesssszzzz Mrs. Gray" in his aggravated voice. Computers, ATM's, cell phones were not even common when I was his age. When I told him this; he didn't believe me for he had known them all his life.

Before my current class in Technology Education; I was scared and afraid but still trying to adapt.  Now, I am excited (just like him!) to learn all these new fangled things and to make them a part or extension of my lessons.  One idea that I shared with my field placement teacher (kindergarten) was of letting the children take their cell phones and do a scavenger hunt with the alphabet.  This idea came after observing the number of cell phones (more than half) that were in the students cubbies and backpacks. Just for a giggle...let me explain; my FIRST cell phone came at 30 years old NOT 5!!! 

I felt it would make a great connection to the alphabet and learning each others names; allow the students to work in groups, and later students could give the phonetic sounds to go with the letters.  The teacher did not agree with my enthusiasm nor lesson plan. I was told it was too much for the students.  So we continued to use and view the chart at the front of the room for the rest of my time there for the alphabet at carpet time.  I felt a "golden" opportunity was missed.

As the picture above shows, I believe in the ideal that we are all "life-long" learners. Someday, that may be me sitting in class with my grand kids learning how to use new technologies not even thought of yet. She is a mentor with whom I have never met but greatly appreciate.  As I told my student, all he had to do to make us smart "old" people was to teach us.  He grinned and said "NO!" for I was the "teacher" and he wanted to make video games. I laughed and told him that he was already teaching me vocabulary with the "c's" and how to use my cell phone.  He hadn't thought of it that way...and sometimes that's how the best learning happens...with out even knowing it between the "old" and the young.