transforming practitioner homelessness

1. Family Issues: Homeless Students
Transforming Practitioner
By: JoAnn N. Payne ~ EMAT 620 ~ Fall 2009
10/01/2009

2. Purpose
Define Homelessness
To increase awareness of:
Homeless Children in the Public School System
Childhood Development of Homeless Students
Academic Achievement of Homeless Students
Empower Current and Future Educators: A Positive Impact/Intervention
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3. Homelessness Defined
Person who resides in:
an emergency shelter or in transitional/ supportive housing for homeless persons; or
a place not meant for human habitation, such as cars, parks, sidewalks, abandoned buildings, encampments, and dilapidated buildings
HUD definition expanded to include people:
doubled up with family or friends due to economic condition
living in motels and hotels for lack of other suitable housing
migrant workers living in housing not fit for habitation
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U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
U.S. Department of Education
Source: Georgia Department of Community Affairs July 2008 Report3

4. Awareness:
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Awareness is defined as a human's or an animal's perception & cognitive reaction to a condition or event.

5. Awareness:
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This video, a MikeMenn Production, was created to increase awareness on homelessness.
Source:
The Georgia Coalition to End Homelessness, Inc.5
www.gahomeless.org

6. Homeless Children in Public School
10/01/2009
Across the nation, public schools have identified and enrolled almost 800,000 homeless children during last year school year, and the number could be rising.6
In the 2007-2008 academic year, 22,888 children in Georgia public schools were reported to be homeless.3

7. News Report: Public Schools Dealing With Homeless Students
10/01/2009

8. Childhood Development of Homeless Students
Lack a sense of security.
Frequent illness.
Inability to concentrate.
High mobility.
Sadness, loneliness, hopelessness, fear and anger.
Low self-esteem and poor social skills.
May exhibit unruly or withdrawn behavior.
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Children who have no permanent residence experience:

9. Academic Achievement of Homeless Students
Academic performance hampered by the poor cognitive development and the circumstances of homelessness.
More likely to:
score poorly on math, reading, spelling, and vocabulary tests
be held back a year in school
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Children who have no permanent residence experience:

10. Empower Current and Future Educators: A Positive Impact/Intervention
Homelessness is a state in which people are not only excluded from basic shelter, but also from security, a place to belong, intimate relationships, neighbors, and all of the benefits of having a place to call ones ownOver time, exclusion from one aspect of the normally expected benefits and resources of society leads to exclusion from others, and to a compounding set of reinforcing disadvantages.
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10/01/2009
How can teachers assist homeless children?
Realize that your classroom may be a childs only stable haven.
Understand that acting out is a way that children communicate their fear and anxiety.
Do not make assumptions about a childs potential based on his or her living situation.
Tell these children that they are capable and have high expectations for their success.
Provide a predictable schedule and environment where they feel safe and a sense of belonging
Use cooperative learning groups and other techniques to further peer acceptance.
Be caring and respectful toward these students and their parents.
Leah Davies, M. Ed.

10/01/2009
Recommended Practices for Meeting the Needs of Homeless Students1
Affective Needs:
Commit to student success by arriving early and/or staying late with students who need additional time.
Take time to talk with the student and build a relationship.
Incorporate techniques that build a sense of classroom community.
Assign a buddy.
Academic Needs:
Set up different learning areas in the room to accommodate different learning styles.
Review student records that provide information about previous learning.
Assess student interests to hook them into learning.

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Recommended Practices for Meeting the Needs of Homeless Students1
Technical Needs:
Have extra school supplies on hand.
Have wholesome snacks or food in the classroom.
Get to know outside resources.
Be familiar with laws that may affect school mobility for the students you teach.
Provide students with coats from a coat closet or meet other needs they may have.
Hold parent meetings in places the parents may be likely to attend (community center, local churches, homeless shelters, etc.)
Notify school officials and/or community agencies if a student who is highly mobile has not been in school for a few days.

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Be sensitive and meet your student where he/she is.
By creating a warm, loving, and safe environment.

15. References
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Professional Articles:
Popp, Grant, Stronge. Classrooms with Revolving Doors: Recommended Practices for Elementary Teachers of At-Risk and Highly Mobile Students.
http://www.serve.org/NCHE/downloads/eff_teach_elem.pdf
ERIC Digests. Providing Highly Mobile Students with an Effective Education.
www.eric.ed.gov
Secondary Sources:
Georgia Department of Community Affairs July 2008 Report.
http://www.dca.state.ga.us/housing/specialneeds/programs/documents/homelessReport08web.pdf
Davies. Educating Homeless Children. http://teachers.net/gazette/MAR09/davies/
The Georgia Coalition to End Homelessness, Inc. www.gahomeless.org
Cobiella. CBS Reports: Children of the Recession. http://www.youtube.com/v/5QGNXeynma8

16. Bibliography
10/01/2009
Antonia, M. (Writer). (2009). CBS Reports: Children of the Recession [Motion Picture]. KMBC-TV.
Davies, L. (2009). Educating Homeless Children. Teachers.net Gazette, 6 (3), 1-2.
Georgia Coalition to End Homelessness. (2009). Retrieved September 2009, from The Georgia Coalition to End Homelessness, Inc.: www.gahomeless.org
Georgia Department of Community Affairs. (2008). Homeless in Georgia 2008. Atlanta: Georgia Department of Community Affairs .
Popp, P. A., Grant, L. W., & Stronge, J. H. (n.d.). Classrooms with Revolving Doors: Recommended Practices for Elementary Teachers of At-Risk and Highly Mobile Students. National Center for Homeless Education , 1-20.
Walls, C. A. (2003). Providing Highly Mobile Students with an Effective Education. ERIC Digest , 1-7.

17. Thank You!!!
10/01/2009

transforming practitioner homelessness

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