Classrooms are opening up – some in-person and some virtually – and we have a similar opportunity to educate ourselves in this traditional “back-to-school” autumn season
It’s fall so it must be time for school
Many of us, especially those of us with school-age children or grandchildren, or those who follow high school or college sports, know that late August or early September depending on the school and area of the country) is time to head back to the classroom.
This year has been quite the exception, with most classes having been closed to physical participation since spring break and many not returning yet. Some are going back now but are planning on furloughing again at Thanksgiving.
So while the calendar says it’s time for school, the reality of the virus environment may say otherwise.
Time is measured by the school year
As we were growing up, and as our children have aged, we have measured the passage of time according to the school calendar. Ask a child what grade they are in. Toward the end of one school year or over the summer, ask them what grade they are going to be in when school starts. Ask a high school student where they are planning on attending college. It’s all about the school year, where we are in relation to it, and how it measures our time progression.
Even years after completing school we still look at the 12-month calendar and remark on what school events (games, homecoming, festivals, parties, celebrations, tests, proms, graduations, and other activities are happening or about to happen at various time throughout the year.
Once a student or once a parent of a student – which takes in all of us (much the same as aging in place does) – we can never look at a calendar again without connecting it to school activities.
Aging in place is tied to the school year also
As we complete one school year with our child and prepare for the next, we may remark how quickly the year passed, but we likely don’t consider that another year of aging in place in our home also has passed.
After a couple of school years have passed, we may remark how quickly the time is passing. Even during the school year, the time passes quickly as the calendar moves from one event to another – the start of football season to the last game of the season, basketball season, Thanksgiving, winter holidays, spring break, baseball season, picking out classes for the next term, finding a summer program to enroll in, and then, school is out – to repeat the process again in a few weeks.
Even after we have been out of school for several years, and our children have as well, we still have this internal clock that parallels the school year and reminds us of what it is time for in the school calendar.
Returning to the classroom for aging in place certification
Many of us as adults have become accustomed to graduate school classes, continuing education, and other courses on campus or remotely. So, back to school is something we can relate to as much as the younger generations.
We can take the Certified Aging In Place Specialist program online. In years past, this was only available in-person which meant finding a convenient location and date, arranging to get there, and spending three days away from home for the classes – unless we were fortunate enough to have them withing commuting distance of where we live.
Now the classes are online, travel is no longer a consideration – along with such inconveniences as airline travel, rental cars or car services, hotel rooms, eating out, travel time, and being away from home. Those no longer are any concerns. We literally can walk from one part of our home to the computer, sit down when its time for the class to start, and leave when the class is over to have dinner and finish our day at home.
Returning to the classroom is used loosely here because our dining room, kitchen table, home office, or patio can be our classroom – anywhere we have access to a computer, tablet, or smartphone.
Let’s take advantage of the spirit of returning to school and complete our coursework – or advanced coursework if the CAPS has been completed.