Grandmothers: A Learning Institution - Basic Education and Policy ...

TABLE 2:Questions for Basic Education Planners Regarding "Core Roles" of Grandmothers Across CulturesCore Roles of GrandmothersAcross CulturesQuestions for Basic Education Program PlannersAll cultures recognize the critical role of Do education materials and curricula acknowledge and value thegrandparents as guides and advisors to the wisdom of grandparents in society?younger generations.Do school programs encourage children to learn from theirgrandparents?Are grandparents included in program activities?In all cultures grandparents play gender-specific Do programs recognize the gender-specific roles and expertise ofroles related to child development.grandmothers and grandfathers?Do programs promote respect for both male and female rolesand experience?Grandmothers’ child-rearing expertise is Are there opportunities for grandmothers to share their lifeacquired over a lifetime.experiences with students in person, in print, on the radio or inother media?In all cultures grandmothers are involved in Are grandmothers’ knowledge and skills included and valued invarious aspects of the lives of children and program activities?families at the household level.The roles of grandmothers appear to be Are cultural values and traditions incorporated into programuniversal whereas much of theircontent?knowledge and practices are culturally-specific.Grandmothers influence the attitudes anddecisions made by male household membersregarding children’s well-being.Grandmothers are both directly and indirectlyinvolved in promoting the well-being ofchildren.Some of grandmothers’ knowledge andpractices are beneficial to child developmentwhile others are not.Are grandmothers given opportunities to share their culturespecificskills and knowledge in school programs?Do schools involve grandmothers and grandfathers in strategiesto promote school attendance and school retention, particularlyof girls?Are grandparents included, along with parents, in schoolassociations?Do school programs aim to educate grandmothers on children’spsychological, nutritional and health needs?Do programs encourage dialogue between grandparents andparents on children’s needs?Are grandmothers presented in a positiveor negative light in curricula and materials?Are grandmothers viewed as a resource or as an obstacle tochildren’s educational development?Do programs encourage children to respect grandparents’knowledge even if they have not been to school?All grandmothers have a strong commitment Do schools support activities that encourage children toto promoting the growth and development of acknowledge grandmothers’ knowledge and care for them?their grandchildren.Compared to younger women, grandmothers Is grandmothers’ availability and patience viewed as a resource togenerally have more time to spend and more be exploited by education programs?patience with young children.Most grandmothers are interested in increasing Are grandmothers given opportunities to learn new thingstheir knowledge of “modern” ideas about child related to children’s educational development?development.Grandmothers’ knowledge comes both from Do programs work with networks of grandmothers and theirtheir own mothers and their peers.leaders?Many grandmothers have a collective sense of Do educational programs build on and strengthen grandmothers’responsibility for children and women in the sense of responsibility for children and women outside theircommunity.family?Some grandmothers feel that their status as Are organizations and programs observing this trend or workingadvisors in child and family development is to increase the inclusion of grandmothers?diminishing.Do schools encourage children to reflect on what they can do tovalidate the role of grandparents in the family and community?44 UNITED STATES AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT