Children's Books and Aging: directions for new parameters and pedagogical practices in schools

Abstract

The main research question on the place of the older people in the family and in society instigated analysis of children's storybooks, in order to discuss how contents of children's literature address the reality of aging in view of to implement innovative pedagogical projects in schools under an interdisciplinary perspective in area of Social Gerontology, Education and Linguistics. The methodology focused on content analysis of ten children's books, considering title / author, cape and synopsis; in order to verify how these aspects to be crucial to handling and reading of books for adults and children, whether written under the light of a realistic and current, can direct a proper reading of the aging process. The interviews next to the Coordinator of “Escola Viva”, located in the city of São Paulo, complemented the research making feasible the analysis of collected and the composition of following results: (i) characterization of the discourse contained in children's storybooks about aging, their implications and consequences, also identifying what they cease to say, and how can be more productive dialogue between students and teachers, considering the importance of relationship child-elderly; (ii) identification of potential problem expressed in the texts analyzed concerning values as respect, dignity, and appreciation of the other, in everyday relationships intergenerational family and society; (iii) contribution to rethink conception education on aging and the set of theories that allow composing a new ideology in favor an affectionate and supportive human relationship in the family, in society, which may be incremented by practices educational that respond to these challenges.