Clarín, March 18, 2007, Supplement Education Version
paper: cover here, the first page here and the second yonder.
A legion of adult fans to learn
Such is the success of Rojas that nearly doubled its enrollment since 2000. This year, approximately 5,300 adults over 50 years were enrolled in the program that offers 185 courses. From the cultural center say they are students who "demand everything that a teacher can give." Ruben A.
Arribas
"The Red is an addiction to a drug. Once you get here, I do not want to leave more. Besides teaching issues that the teachers are excellent or you prefer some other matters, "is a matter of social containment. There are people who became a widow, the children will be married, he has no friends ... Arrive here, and two months are other people. It is not my case nor that of Maria Antonia, who came for pleasure, to learn more ... But because many people come looking for company, "says Alba Garibaldi.
"Here, you meet with your peers, and that gives a lot of contention," says Maria Antonia Muniz.
"Look, many years ago a doctor friend who unfortunately passed away, I knew that I came here I said," Why Why do not you bring me the papers of Rojas? "He was going to be seeing patients who were depressed and came recommend coming here ... You know, people then return to thank him! They were people who remained single, and the disease he had was this: solitude, "says Alba.
friends addition, Alba and Maria Antonia are both addicted to the Elderly Program offered by the Centro Cultural Ricardo Rojas: Nearly two decades have engaged. But are not the only, there are at least 15 students involved them from the beginning (or almost) of this program created in 1987 and depends on the University of Buenos Aires. Improvements in educational provision and the solvency of management over the past years have only helped to increase the addiction.
At its inception the program was aimed at those over 60 years, had 450 students and offered 28 courses related to psychology, health and information technology. Twenty years after the age of access are 50, host to 5,300 students and offers 185 courses as diverse as swimming, painting, philosophy of Kierkegaard or Bergman's films, all with tariffs about 25 pesos a month per course. Its success is such that those who wish to enroll are lined up at 5 am every time the Red open enrollment.
Cristina Lombardi, program coordinator since October 2006 and the Red since 1987, explains the secret: "I do not think students and retirees, parents or grandparents, but as university students. This sets us apart from other approaches, such as gerontology. " He adds: "Students of Rojas come to incorporate tools that rewrite their lives as citizens think and produce knowledge. They come not only to listen to teachers, but to participate as these will help them capitalize on knowledge that even before or even recognize as their own. For teachers is a great pleasure, but also a great demand: are students who demand everything that a teacher can give. "
ie The Red puts teachers and cafeteria, the students, the rest. As in college, are students who breathe life to the cultural center building their networks of friends, passed by the Student Center to discuss the National Education Act, or even create a cooperative, self-employed to Rojas, "to travel together by Argentina. Apparently, the addiction has a reason: to live with intensity.
worked as Expert -grain ... And I always say I studied economics for a living and I live to study what I like, "says Alba. Rojas did in 5 years Political Science, 17, Art History, several courses in Computer Science, Tango ...
"I studied to what I liked: English teacher. And here I continued this line: History of Art and Philosophy, "says Maria Antonia.
As noted by the coordinator, was impressed by the enthusiasm of the university. And is that Alba turns 82 on April 29, never married but has two grandchildren and a niece who is like a daughter, won the battle to cancer five years ago and, given his leadership, colleagues call it the Captain. For its part, Maria Antonia meets 71 the day after, a widowed the years who also had the Red, two of his six grandchildren live with her and defatting classes for their peers. The two retired long ago, but both still working in his ... And they seem to have here to stay.
"I think coming to 120 years," says Alba.
"I do not know if so ... But I will continue here. The more I learn, the more I can give. That, along with everything I experienced, I can pass it on to my grandchildren. It's really nice to take them to the museum and telling the things I learned, "says Maria Antonia.
course, the body deteriorates with age, but wisdom increases. It is a fact. You only need to take care of together. So the classic adage says that if a company neglects its elderly, does not deserve to have a history. Alba and Maria Antonia illustrate why this is a fair sentence.
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social containment: a collective task
"Reaching the 60 to 70, at 80 and have friends, colleagues, learn new things, you feel that the children take into account that the grandchildren will listen ... Be happy. That's quality of life. So memory is not lost any contracts or psychopathology. " According
Nidia Schuster, Senior Program Coordinator for 50 of Rojas between 2002 and 2006, the quality of life depends on three factors: the psychological, biological and social. "In the first two deal elsewhere. Social containment, are responsible for places like the Red, but also that work is a collective task, "he stresses. And he warns: "Today young people, even doctors, have no patience with the older people and children barely take time to listen or to be with them for pleasure."
According to this educator, from 50 to adults increasingly find it difficult to establish a common language with the children and grandchildren. On the one hand, the pair fell, the children no longer live at home, many not even in the country, and often discouraging work. On the other, the world moves quickly and is easy to be out of date. What to do? Paradigm shift: "Before his retirement, is good to start a new educational process that enriches one, so the transition is smooth," said Schuster.
addition, he says, urging that the State and private sector policies implemented today for the next decade. "The elderly population is growing at 3 percent annually, it is becoming more qualified and has no space to integrate, develop and transmit their potential. " And as an idea for discussion, Schuster proposes to create the University of Experience, "a half social club, middle school, working in non formal education and to build on the experience of adults for the benefit of all."
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Exhausted subjects, always go for more
Punctual. Hungry for knowledge. Participatory. Solidarity. And above all, as motivators that teachers do not miss even when sick. After 20 years of teaching in Rojas, Jorge bounce and Cristina Piaggio defined as a pupil. Indeed, a class full of students who up to 40 people, averaging 62 years and much of which participates in the Elderly Program long.
Piaggio, professor of art history, knows the irreducible of Rojas, at least one group of 15 follows its course since 1987. Together with art began in Greece and, chronologically, went through the whole story until the twenty-first century. Exhausted the agenda for years, students took the post and suggested topics that interested them as a course on Egyptian art or a workshop to reflect on digital photography.
rightly Piaggio Rojas you more excited that the School of Fine Arts, where he teaches: "There is normal as you say, 'Oh, no, but I'm going to be an artist, I am not interested in Art History." Here the majority has the art as an unresolved and is not seeking a degree, just want to learn. "
The Coordinator of Information, Jorge bounce, shares the admiration of his colleague in the learning desire of these students. Here's a tip: Throw began in 1987 with 4 courses and 100 students, now coordinates 35 courses, has 800 students and must manage long waiting lists. And is that new generations of older adults will require more than just handle e-mail or surf the Internet, "Now We also Photoshop, Flash and web design, "says Smiley.
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