SCHOOLCHILDREN'S ATTITUDES TOWARD LEARNING FROM OLDER PEOPLE: A CASE STUDY IN ISRAEL

Abstract

This report on a pilot study concerning children's attitudes and readiness to learn from older people is part of a larger investigation of the mutuality of learning between the aged and children. A review of the geron‐tological literature reveals that relatively little research has been reported on the attitudes of children in different cultures toward the aged. The pilot study reported here shows that school children in Israel from different cultural groups perceive the positive roles that elderly persons can and do play. Indicated in the study are some of the conditions that seem to promote and support the role of the aged person as teacher. Different aspects of the teacher role as perceived by children from different cultural origins are also specified. There may be both theoretical and practical implications behind the findings of the study.