What I learned from teaching at Senior Centers in Seattle

For a while now, I've been really passionate about tutoring older adults individually. It's great because I can really understand their specific needs, challenges, and what motivates them, and then tailor my advice. The downside is that it's just not scalable – I'm currently handling all the behind-the-scenes work myself. So, I decided to try something new: giving broader talks on "Using Technology in Daily Life" at a local Senior Center. You can find the presentation I used here. It was truly rewarding to connect with the seniors, and I hope I made a small positive impact on their lives.

I have a deep respect for teaching and don't take the responsibility lightly. Honestly, I don't have a ton of teaching experience, and it can feel overwhelming trying to figure out the "right" way to do it. It's even trickier when you have a diverse group of students with different backgrounds, interests, and tech skills – which is pretty much always the case in a classroom setting. I recently read a book by Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, and it really resonated with me. He talks about how traditional lectures can be boring and tough for students to absorb. I want to avoid that by focusing on a few key things and making sure everyone leaves with new information they can think about, discuss, and actually use.

Here's what I focused on in the seminars:

• Common Scams and How to Avoid Them: We talked about the usual tricks scammers use and what you can do to protect yourself. (I've included a handout at the end of this post.)
• Why Seniors Might Hesitate with Tech: We explored the reasons why some older adults might be reluctant to try new apps, features, and devices. Is it fear? Confusion? Or just not knowing where to begin?
• The Benefits of Using the Cloud: I explained how storing photos and important files in the cloud can be really useful, even though there are some things to be aware of.
• Encouraging Self-Learning with AI: I also suggested using tools like ChatGPT to learn new things independently. Self-learning is so important, but I know AI can be a sensitive topic for seniors who are rightly concerned about privacy.

When I prepare for these seminars, I bring my own experiences, information I've gathered from AI like ChatGPT and Gemini, and insights from online discussions on Reddit. During the sessions, I really try to listen to the seniors' concerns and questions. This helps me decide how much I should stick to my planned presentation and when it's better to let the conversation flow naturally. The presentations are usually an hour long, but it never feels like enough time! I definitely need to work on my time management. However, sometimes addressing a practical issue that the audience really cares about is more valuable than sticking rigidly to my agenda. I'd also like to make the sessions feel more connected and build on the seniors' understanding of the topic step by step.

I gave out a handout to the seniors at the end of the presentation. I was really happy to see that they were already quite knowledgeable about these scams and how to avoid them. Still, it's always good to have a reminder and learn about the latest scams going around (like those toll scams we've been seeing in Seattle).

I hope you find value reading through this printable handout. Until next time, stay confident, informed and secured!