Diversity for the Ages Teaching Intergenerational Diversity Prepared

Diversity for the Ages: Teaching Intergenerational Diversity Prepared for distribution by the CSWE Gero-Ed Center

Purpose § Introduce activities into the classroom § Activities which lead students to understand the importance of social, political, and economic events across life span and the concept of cohort § How these events, the developmental process, and diversity interact

Foundation § Social Economic Political Context Comparison Life expectancy Population Index Social Economic Indicators § Generational Model

Generations § World War II Generation (1914 – 1929)** § Silent Generation (1930 – 1945)** § Vietnam Generation (1946 – 1955)** § Me Generation (1956 – 1965)** § Endangered Generation (1966 – 1980)** § Millennium Generation (1981 – 1996) § ? ? ? Generation (1996 - ) **Hutchinson (1999) based on Sheehy 1995

WWII Generation § Resurgence of the KKK § Mass production (10 second car) § Women obtained the right to vote § Great Depression § African-Americans of this generation were the grandchildren of slaves

Silent Generation § Cold War/ “Red Scare” § Japanese American Concentration Camps § Leaders of the civil rights and feminist movements

Vietnam Generation § TV generation § Desegregated schools (Busing) § Assassination of a President and MLK § Watergate

Me Generation § Entitlement § Grew up during an era of prosperity § Working Mothers of the 1990 s § Height of the Baby Boom § Man on the Moon

Endangered Generation § Challenger Explosion § Clinton First President voted § 21 age limit for alcohol § 18 voting age § Computer Kids § AIDS generation

Millennium Generation § Aids Epidemic § Gulf War § School violence § Home computers § 2000 Election Indecision

? ? ? Generation § No stay-at-home mother § Welfare reform § 9 - 11

Teaching Ideas § World War II or Silent Generation Oral History Interview (Social Welfare History) § Popular films and documentaries (Social Welfare History, Policy, HBSE, Child Welfare, Seminar, Introduction to Social Work) § Comparative Analysis Exercise (HBSE) § Modified Life History Grid (Practice Micro/Mezzo courses)

Oral History Interview §WWII or Silent Generation §Do an in-depth interview on political events /social events/ economic events §Students then recap what they have learned §Discuss how these events have impacted the individual §Discuss how these would impact treatment (practice courses) §or policy decisions (policy/history courses)

Film Exercise §Films/Books designed to supplement course material §Use films/Books in service learning §Students could do project by reading books to shut in §Students either read a book or view film with someone from that generation §In-depth discussion of individuals remembrances §Discuss impacts within paper

Comparative Analysis Exercise §Students select another generation §Preferably the WWII generation §Retain own characteristics §Jewish §Feminist §Analyze how their life would be similar §Understanding of faith §Analyze how their life would be different §Buying cheese burger today for the yearly wage of then

Modified Life History Grid §Basic Life history Grid §Age §Location §Family composite §School §Health §Activities §problems §Social/Political/Economic Events §Social events §Sept 11 th §Red Summer §World War II §Political changes §Election Indecision §Economic events §Stock Market Crash