Never too old to learn new tricks

A pragmatic approach

Yuan Xiaohong, 60, takes a dancing class at the Chinese Academy of Sciences' College for the Elderly. Th e huge number of retirees enrolling at "universities for the aged" is placing pressure on the education system for the elderly. [Photo by Wang Jing / China Daily]

Unlike some regular students, retiree students are usually motivated by pragmatism.

Wang Jiaren, one of 2.5 million people aged 60 or older in the capital, studies English at the CAS College for the Elderly. The class starts at 3 pm every Monday, but Wang - who retired from Beijing Yuetan Middle School in 2000 - always arrives 30 minutes early to spend a "fulfilling" afternoon with his 30 classmates

"I am very fond of English," said Wang, 73, who insisted on speaking in English. "Language is my life-long interest. We prepare different topics in advance and bring them along to share with classmates. The topics revolve around our experiences. This afternoon, for example, we shared our reasons for studying English," he said. "We give presentations. Some of my fellows were shy at the beginning and afraid of talking in another language in front of the whole class. But now, they really enjoy it."

Qiu Wanhua, who also studies English, travels across Beijing once a week to attend college.

The 78-year-old teaches her 6-year-old granddaughter at home. "I am happy to have something to share with her. The early years are so important for language development. I like English and I hope I can create an environment that will help her fall in love with the language as well," she said.

Wang Baoling has studied electric piano for three years. Although the 73-year-old, who attends the CAS College for the Elderly, can't lift her hands as high as younger people, or produce clear, independent notes, she enjoys "playing".

"I have always loved music. I used to be a singer, but now I can be a player too. Not a good one, but still a player," said the retired teacher with a smile.

The teachers appreciate the students' enthusiasm.

Chang Yang, who teaches singing at Chongqing Senior College, has taught around 5,000 students since he joined the school in 2007. "Singing is the most popular subject at the school, but I'm not looking to make money through this job," said the 31-year-old, who earns 60 yuan an hour and teaches class on Thursday afternoons. His motivation is more altruistic, because he also owns a singing school in the city, where he charges between 200 and 300 yuan an hour.

"I give the retired students something that touches them and they give me something back and move me in turn. When I interact with the students, I see their joy at learning to sing," he said.

Liu Yan, who teaches English at the CAS College for the Elderly said: "My students are lovely and extremely earnest and diligent." She teaches English at the CAS College for the Elderly. She's been there for eight years, but has also taught at several universities and training classes for retirees in the capital.

"Some come to class with a grounding in the language, while others are beginners who are learning English so they can communicate with their grandchildren who were born overseas and only speak English. Regardless of their reasons for learning, they pay close attention and take it very seriously," added the 57-year-old.

"The curricula in colleges for retirees are really driven by the students' needs," said Sun.

"For example, a decade ago, our school offered basic computer courses, because at that time most of the students had little understanding of information technology. They needed to understand the new technology to stay in touch. However, nowadays most of our students know about computers, so instead, we offer photography and image- or video-processing courses," he said.