Abstract:

Aging and the old age are presented as a social construction based on external representations and knowledge, which a person builds through life experience, culture, history and community. Aging and old age must, therefore, be understood in a global way, taking into account all the factors that contribute to their understanding. Stereotypes arise for the first time during the childhood period of the person, when mental structures do not yet allow to evaluate whether or not a dimension or representation is true. However, the formulation of stereotypes, in this period of the life cycle, leads to its internalization, resulting, in the subsequent phases, in its intensification throughout adult life, since, during its development process the child learns to position himself socially. In this sense, this study aims to analyze the perceptions of pre-school children about the aging process and about old age, considering the relevance to create realistic conceptions about them since childhood, so that one can learn to live with the age in an active and positive way. To assess the perceptions of children, a qualitative study was conducted, using semi-structured interview, and draws as data collection instruments. The participants in the study were 21 children, 12 with 4 years of age, six females and six males, nine 5 years old, three male and nine females, from a kindergarten of the solidarity network. A previous meeting was held with the kindergarten teachers, clarifying the main objectives of the children participation in the study. The procedures were defined, and the intervention strategies were drawn collaboratively. Children were asked if they wanted to participate, and only the children that chose to participate freely in the study were involved. Moreover, the parents’ consent was requested. Regarding this, all ethical procedures were considered in study, ensuring the anonymity, confidentiality and informed consent of children, educators and families or institution. Children’s interviews were recorded and, subsequently, transcribed and submitted to content analysis, whose heuristic function increases the propensity of the discovery of the reality experienced by the actors. From the content analysis, categories emerged that allowed the analysis of the discourses. The text produced was analyzed and described in an articulated way, trying to apprehend the specific conditions in which it was conceived, revealing a certain order of reality, from which the narrative was made. The results obtained allow to verify that the children who participated in this study have realistic thoughts about the aging process and about old age, because they reveal that it is a continuous and differentiated process and that old age is the last stage of this aging process. They also reveal some negative representations about the aging process, but also highlight positive representations. This study shows that it is necessary to start early educational interventions, in order to support children to build realistic visions about this process, which may in the future have consequences in their active aging. It is important to know how children think so that educators and teachers include in their practices learning experiences that give a positive view of aging and greater respect for older people. This study may also lead to the development of intergenerational projects.

Keywords:

Early Childhood Education, children's conceptions, aging, old age, Pedagogy.