What are educators actually doing in their classrooms in terms of aging education?
Do they plan instruction or is aging an incidental topic that may or may not be addressed?
How can we systematically assess what classroom teachers are doing?

For more than 30 years, researchers and professionals have called for inclusion of aging content at various levels of public school instruction and have stressed the importance of aging education for young children. A 14-item self-report instrument was developed to assess classroom aging education practices. Teachers were asked to indicate the frequency with which they used different aging education practices in their classrooms, using a five-point Likert scale (1=never, 2=rarely, 3=sometimes, 4=often, and 5=always).

Data were collected from 305 intermediate-level teachers in Nebraska. The three education practices most frequently employed were (a) presentation of aging as a natural part of the life cycle, (b) planning intergenerational activities, and (c) explanation of death as a natural part of the life cycle.

The aging education practice least frequently reported involved providing planned instruction about aging. Only 1.4% of intermediate-level teachers reported "always" and 4.6% "frequently" provide planned instruction about aging in their classrooms. Only 40% of respondents "always" or "frequently" addressed topics related to aging when they arise spontaneously in the classroom. Although most teachers reported using one or two aging education practices, most did not consistently use a variety of practices.

Planned instruction about aging in schools appears to be no more prevalent than it was over a decade ago. Possible reasons why teachers do not plan specific activities on aging topics include shortage of suitable instructional materials, lack of teacher preparedness, and negative attitudes toward their own aging.

The aging population provides opportunities for educators to teach young people about growing and being old. This will require the support and encouragement both outside and inside the ranks of public teachers.

Classroom Aging Education Practice Scale:

• I choose teaching materials containing realistic portrayals of older people.
• I share with students contributions older people have made to society.
• I emphasize to students the similarities between younger and older people.
• I seek older people to volunteer in my classroom.
• I select children's literature featuring life span themes.
• I address topics or issues related to aging when they arise spontaneously.
• I use family history projects to illustrate roles of older family members.
• I plan intergenerational activities.
• I present the phenomenon of aging as a natural part of the life cycle.
• I explain to students that death is a natural part of the life cycle.
• I highlight ways older people are stereotyped by society.
• I point out that the value given to older people varies across cultures.
• I encourage students to have empathy for the challenges older people face in today's world.
• I provide planned instruction about aging.