Play is traditionally considered the foundation of learning in the early years. Because play is characterized by free choice, it can be difficult for adults to ensure all learning is useful for children. The intervention described here took a novel approach to this problematic. It exposed 17 four-year-olds to different adult demonstrations to see…

Meeting the diverse needs of young people who are coping with such problems as delinquent behaviors or poor academic performance is an urgent issue today. This paper aims to demonstrate the benefits of introducing intergenerational mentoring activities into educational programs for supporting "at risk" adolescents by highlighting some innovative…

Low-income parents and children unaccustomed to a school environment are made to feel welcome in the Buffalo Public Schools' Parent Center. Parents are guided-through classes, discussions, and take-home computers-to be their children's teachers and to learn the school system well enough to negotiate it to their children's advantage. (CJS)

Describes the development and implementation of EL Paso Community College's model Intergenerational Literacy Project, which brings Spanish-speaking parents and their children together in the classroom in an effort to improve the two groups' literacy skills in English and Spanish. (BB)

An intergenerational project trained older adult volunteers from a small South Carolina community to teach vocational skills to students at a residential school for at-risk youth. Volunteers helped students with production and marketing of goods and services for six school-based companies. Benefits include enhanced sense of community for…

Describes 17 family education programs considered innovative and promising. The programs selected target low-income families with children between three and eight and are linked with public schools. All of them work with parents to enhance children's cognitive development and academic achievement. Summarizes methods used in recruitment, staffing,…

Cooperation among service providers of the young and old is essential in times of decreasing resources and increasing needs. This article reviews characteristics of successful and exemplary intergenerational programs, which can be found in almost all areas of human services, and presents program models responding to diverse populations and…