Full Immersion

The Meadows School Immersion Project^TM
as a model for Full Intergenerational Immersion

During 2008/2009, a formal evaluation of the Meadows School Project^TM operational model is being supported by a significant research grant under the auspices of the University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, CA and UBC-O, BC, CA. Results of this Health-Education based report will be shared here early in 2010.

Full immersion will be characterized by:

1. extensive initial organizational work, particularly in area of building awareness and acceptance of a less traditional intergenerational methodology
2. ‘daily immersion’-at this level, students and teachers will become part of lived-experience with the elders in their home setting
3. more wide ranging goals that will be more easily reached due to the embedded nature of the experience
4. a creative and adaptive approach to curriculum for the students, and a flexibility on the part of the elder residents, staff, and care home project facilitator
5. the promise of deeper connections that may leave more sustainable attitudinal changes
6. a more extensive understanding of care homes and the care giving occupations, which may have significant influence on career choices of youth participants

Full immersion entry level could look like this:

immersion that takes place over the entire school year, with a permanent classroom in the seniors’ facility
shorter term immersion spread throughout the year (e.g. one month in the fall term, and one month in the spring term, regular monthly visits, or two full days every week
vacated school re-opened with pre-school facilities, including seniors’ care facility or recreational facility as w ell the two groups come together consistently on a daily basis to share story times, craft times, snacks, and visiting.

Preparing residents for their young visitors