Bridging Generations: PreK students learn from community elders
A COJOWA grandfather and PreK student during a recent interdisciplinary unit about elders; grandparents were invited into the classes to share stories and activities with students.
Pre-Kindergarten students at Colegio Jorge Washington School (COJOWA) in Cartagena, Colombia, recently embarked on a heartwarming journey with elders in their families and community. A six-week learning unit called “How to Make the Elderly Smile” was an exploration of empathy, history, and service, culminating in a Christmas program that captured and created joy.
The Concept: Understanding and Caring for Elders
The unit was designed to help students understand the role of elders in their lives and the broader community. The project's core question was poignant: "How do we make the elderly smile?" This led to a series of activities that integrated various learning domains such as English vocabulary, math and social studies.
Family at the Forefront
The journey began with the children interviewing their grandparents. These interviews, conducted via video, delved into the grandparents' childhoods and the special moments they now share with their grandchildren. This exercise not only strengthened family bonds but also allowed the children to learn about history and traditions firsthand.
“The students recorded their interviews and shared them with the class,” explains Pre-Kindergarten teacher Juanita Carvajales. “We noted themes that emerged in interviews with the grandparents such as traditional games they used to play like 'Mariamandunga,' typical to the Colombian coast. Then we found those games and showed them to the children and they were able to play them.”
A highlight of the unit was inviting grandparents to the classroom during Montessori time, a morning portion of the school day where students were able to proudly showcase their learning environment and engage in activities with their grandparents.
“We also had a number of grandparents come into classes to do things like read stories,” says Juanita. “One grandpa shared his story of being in the navy and one grandma is a famous baker here in the city. She owns a bakery and she brought cookies and taught the students how to decorate cookies and cupcakes. The students loved these interactions with different grandparents.”
Beyond the Classroom: Engaging with the Community
Understanding that not all elderly individuals have the privilege of family support, COJOWA partnered with the local Fundación Dones de Misericordia. The foundation's director visited the school, sharing insights about the daily routines in elders' homes and how the students could contribute to their well-being. This interaction was an eye-opener for the young learners, helping them to become aware of the experience of community elders. In the Inspire Citizens’ empathy to impact model, this was key in moving through the stages of “care, aware, able and impact”.
The Christmas Program: A Festive Celebration of Giving
The unit's finale was a special Christmas program organized at COJOWA for seniors from the elders' home. Every year the Preschool students put on a Christmas show for families; this year, residents from the Dones de Misericordia Foundation elders’ residence were invited to attend, and a portion of the funds raised from ticket sales will be donated to the Dones de Misericordia Foundation. Two residents were physically able to attend, along with a nurse and the director of the Fundación Dones de Misericordia, and the residents thoroughly enjoyed the show.
“We have worked with the Fundación Dones de Misericordia in a variety of ways with service learning, and they have a strong commitment to the elderly in their work,” says Community Liaison Coordinator Jessica Benitez. “Partnering with their elders’ home for this unit was really special.”
Learning Through Action: Service and Reflection
The project wasn't just about learning; it was also about taking action. The students raised funds, and also collected clothing, food, and toiletries for the elders’ home. These acts of service were not only about providing material support but also about teaching the young students the value of sharing and caring for those less privileged.
“The students learned to share, to become aware and conscious that not all grandparents are as privileged as theirs, and that there are ways to help others,” says Pre-kindergarten teacher Luisa Lemaitre. “They also learned to value their time with their own grandparents, too.”
Impact Beyond the Classroom
This project had a profound impact on the students. They learned valuable lessons about empathy, community service, and the importance of intergenerational relationships. The project also strengthened COJOWA's bond with Fundación Dones de Misericordia, reinforcing a long-term service partnership.
“At the end of the unit, the students reflected by sharing and posting photos of them with their grandparents,” says Pre-Kindergarten teacher Cristina Barake. “We asked the students about what they like to do with their grandparents and how they like to make their grandparents happy and it was lovely to hear all of their stories.”
This reflection was not just a closure of the unit, but an affirmation of the project's success in instilling the care-aware-able-impact cycle of thinking and being in the young learners’ minds.
Final Reflections
“Aaron met with us before we launched this unit, and he helped us organize and ideate,” says Luisa. “We had lots of ideas and he helped us create a focus.”
Jessica explains that the design session was especially special because it happened when Aaron was on campus at COJOWA during a two-day visit to the school. “He got to meet people from the foundation and meet the director. Aaron helped us think about how to embed the four stages of ‘Care, Aware, Able, Impact’ into this learning experience,” she reflects.
Through this project, COJOWA Pre-Kindergarten has exemplified how education can extend beyond academic learning to encompass emotional intelligence and service, truly preparing students to be responsible and empathetic global citizens.
Photos below feature the culminating Christmas show and two senior guests from the Dones de Misericordia Foundation, supplies collected by students to support seniors at the Dones de Misericordia Foundation elders’ home, and grandparents visiting classes at COJOWA during the PreK unit. The video is an example of the interviews that PreK students recorded with their grandparents.
