Both of my grandmothers were quite long-lived—one living to the age of 97 and the other making it to 100. Unfortunately, in their last ten years or so, they were plagued with various issues, including progressive dementia. To live to that age and still be able to function cognitively would be amazing.
That’s why I want to share this article with you about Agnes Zhelesnik. At 102, she is most likely the oldest working teacher. Not only does she teach children home ec skills, she also gives them valuable time with an elderly individual—something many of them may not get in their day-to-day interactions. In my opinion, the elderly are often pushed aside in our society and labeled as helpless and without value. You don’t get to 102 without learning a lot of life lessons, and she can pass these lessons on to her students.
How can you include senior citizens into your students’ school day?
We had a wonderful time last year doing mystery readers. The best thing about it was many parents were working so grandparents and great grandparents did it. It was a wonderful time and especially when they would talk about they didnt have schools like ours when they were growing up.