Retired Teachers Help Local Kids Learn
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By David [email protected]
Thursday, six retired teachers met with a new batch of Rohrer's students at Edgewood Middle School to teach them about the past, and let the students teach them about today's students.[[In-content Ad]]While students were asking the retired teachers questions like "What was your school like when you were young?", Rohrer explained the lesson. She said the interviews provide her the opportunity to teach the academic standards on ageing. She invites real retired persons into her classroom to talk with the students. It's a lesson in communication, diversity and "the really neat thing is they learn from each other," she said.
The guests answer the students' questions on their childhood so the students can hear about the past. When they move over to the computer, it becomes the students' chance to teach the retired teachers about the computers.
Having done this for 10 years, Rohrer said, "The kids beg for more, and the retirees come back for more."
She said it's probably been the most fun lesson she has came up with in her career, and the most fulfilling. Part of that reason is because the lesson is about people.
Usually, Rohrer said, she finds the retired teachers through the Kosciusko County Retired Teachers Association. In March, residents of Grace Village Retirement Community will participate in the program.
Of the six retired persons taking part Thursday, Rohrer said, three are first timers and the others have participated several times previously. The participating retirees included Janet Kirkpatrick, Jim and Jo Alford, Paulette Couse, Charlie Hunter and Sue Harman.
"It is really interesting to get to talk to them," said Nathan Palladino, seventh-grader. "I learned how stuff worked before I was born."
Seventh-grader Carissa Wrenn said, "I think it's fun learning about what they had and how it's different from now. How they had typewriters and everything is advanced now."
Jo Alford volunteered to talk to the students for the first time Thursday. She said, "I think it's great. It's a nice experience for me. Just to see what they're doing compared to what students did when I taught school. They know so much."
Thursday, six retired teachers met with a new batch of Rohrer's students at Edgewood Middle School to teach them about the past, and let the students teach them about today's students.[[In-content Ad]]While students were asking the retired teachers questions like "What was your school like when you were young?", Rohrer explained the lesson. She said the interviews provide her the opportunity to teach the academic standards on ageing. She invites real retired persons into her classroom to talk with the students. It's a lesson in communication, diversity and "the really neat thing is they learn from each other," she said.
The guests answer the students' questions on their childhood so the students can hear about the past. When they move over to the computer, it becomes the students' chance to teach the retired teachers about the computers.
Having done this for 10 years, Rohrer said, "The kids beg for more, and the retirees come back for more."
She said it's probably been the most fun lesson she has came up with in her career, and the most fulfilling. Part of that reason is because the lesson is about people.
Usually, Rohrer said, she finds the retired teachers through the Kosciusko County Retired Teachers Association. In March, residents of Grace Village Retirement Community will participate in the program.
Of the six retired persons taking part Thursday, Rohrer said, three are first timers and the others have participated several times previously. The participating retirees included Janet Kirkpatrick, Jim and Jo Alford, Paulette Couse, Charlie Hunter and Sue Harman.
"It is really interesting to get to talk to them," said Nathan Palladino, seventh-grader. "I learned how stuff worked before I was born."
Seventh-grader Carissa Wrenn said, "I think it's fun learning about what they had and how it's different from now. How they had typewriters and everything is advanced now."
Jo Alford volunteered to talk to the students for the first time Thursday. She said, "I think it's great. It's a nice experience for me. Just to see what they're doing compared to what students did when I taught school. They know so much."
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