Career Field Overview
Beliefs about aging and older adults are developed very early in life. An increasing number of grandparents are raising grandchildren and many older adults are positioned to serve as volunteers in classrooms. Educators, from pre-k through college, with gerontology training will know how to teach ageism-free content, help students identify and question ageist assumptions, both teach and employ age-friendly communication skills, and draw on the vast social capital represented by older volunteers. They will also know to replace commonly implemented activities that reinforce ageism (e.g., dress like a 100-year-old for the 100th day of school) with appropriate lesson plans that foster academic learning as well as inclusive and welcoming thinking.