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Dr. Richard Summers from the University of Pennsylvania, sent in this intriguing inquiry:
"Why should the opportunity to be part of a national service program to help teach American students be limited to young people? How about a Teach for America for those with gray hair?
"Teach for America has become a hot choice for college graduates, sending 4,500 college graduates into 100 of the lowest performing school districts. The WSJ reported, ' … Teach for America received an applicant pool that Morgan Stanley recruiters would drool over. Their 46,000 applicants included 12% of all Ivy League seniors' (Wall Street Journal, 'What They’re Doing After Harvard,' 7/10/10). The organization has a training institute for all of its new recruits and outcome studies to demonstrate its remarkable impact.
"Retirees often end their careers looking forward to active lives but struggling with finding purpose and meaning. There is an urge to give to others and not just play golf. Many have imagined teaching as a satisfying experience, especially as they are aged and matured. This generativity is a normal part of the adult lifecycle, and for some is also a reflection of work that has not satisfied their altruism. Older adults find contact with young people energizing and fulfilling. A program for older adults which organized volunteer experiences in the schools, perhaps on a part-time basis, would be attractive to a generation of aging Baby Boomers, promoting their health and vitality while recruiting more help in troubled schools and preschools. The new program could reach the same scale as the current program and could result in a similarly substantial impact."
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