Opening Doors for Children Experiencing Homelessness

Sheryl Nussbaum-BeachGuidance Statistics Specialist

Virginia Beach City Public Schools

Adjunct ProfessorCollege of William and Mary

Sandra Dowling, Maricopa County School Superintendent

“When a new teacher comes to the school, I tell them, “If you went into teaching to make a difference, I want to welcome you. But with these kids, you wont make a difference: you will be the difference. “

Who are We?

How many of you teach homeless of at-risk children in a classroom?

How many pre-service teachers? How many service providers to the

homeless? Who else? Why believe me?

What do teachers need to know about students experiencing homelessness?

Understand the life circumstance and needs of homeless, highly mobile, and poor students.

How to seamlessly integrate life skills into curriculum

How to work with the wiggle (learning styles and engaged learning)

Understand that we respond to highly charged, drama-based motivation

What do teachers need to know about students experiencing homelessness?

We want you to be someone we can trust and share what’s going on with you—remember we have been trained to not tell.

We have a very poor ability to conceptualize

We have poor organizational skills We need loose structure with stability We need a personal space and are

possessive of our belongings

What do teachers need to know about students experiencing homelessness?

Our parents and us do not want to describe ourselves as homeless (would you)—We see this state as very temporary.       

We can be both an over-achiever or an under-achiever

We seem very mature in a hip-worldly way. Our parents are afraid of “big brother” If I am the oldest homeless child I spend a great

deal of my time providing child-care. Help me have a childhood.

When you help our parent(s) you are helping us.

Teaching Strategies that Work Best for Homeless Kids

Ownership in the rules and their learning Motivate them Motivation is important because it helps

determine achievement. Motivation will allow achievement

regardless of life circumstance or intellect.

Set high standards

Teaching Strategies that Work Best for Homeless Kids

You are a living textbook Do like Dewey When you have kids of high poverty in

your classroom you are not just teaching content anymore– accept it.

Marva Collins says… “Teacher inabilities are as prevalent as learning disabilities.” Sheryl adds “… and sometimes in direct proportion.”

Teaching Strategies that Work Best for Homeless Kids

Build self-confidence and positive self-concept Self-esteem and Self-control are closely

related Establish relationships Prepare for the next transition Teaching methods that work best with

homeless kids work for all impoverished or at-risk kids and their parents.

Teaching Strategies

Planning and Preparation are Key Constructivist- Problem-Based Learning Active and Imaginative Problem Solvers High Standards and High Expectations View them as at-promise - rather than at-

risk Teacher’s job is to break the cycle of

poverty

Water Downed Expectations

“What hurts us more, is you teach us less.”

Haycock (2001) says…“…we take the students who have less to

begin with and then systematically give them less in school.”

And then we call it best practice…or differentiation.

Student Motivation to Learn

Emotional Trauma = Low Self-Esteem Crave attention and the need to belong Desperate for “good girl/boy” and approval Give them a reason to work hard for intrinsic

rewards. If they came to you from the desert—needing

water– would you withhold it from them to help them learn?

Motivation to Learn

Severely damaged self-image causes shut down at criticism.

Can’t deal with criticism as a way to self-improvement.

Learn to isolate the behavior from the person and look for opportunities to blossom.

My Goals in Working with At-risk Students

To build meaningful relationships, establish trust, and try to give this kid the missing tools in his/her toolbox• Blossoming with specific praise

To move them from extrinsic motivation to intrinsic motivation

To teach them self-government and other-mindedness

Involving homeless parents or at-risk adults:

Teacher attitudes Welcoming school—have a plan Meaningful involvement

So how do we overcome the barriers?

Needs of the At-risk Parent

Ruby Payne- Hidden Rules

•Like vs. Learn

•In your face vs. policy and issues

•Food

•Did you get enough?

•Did you like it?

•Beautiful presentation

Here are some of the things at-risk parents need you to help them understand…

Help me understand “dress for success” Help me with interpersonal skills Give me some marriage/parenting tips-

to break the cycle… modeling Family-focused programs with a possible

two generation approach to education • Horizon Plus

Here are some things at-risk parents need for you to understand

That our family roles are lost and distorted due to my circumstances and often family traditions you take for granted are nonexistent.

Need someone to not misunderstand our survival decisions… someone who could detach from judgments.

Need someone to understand… I love my kids. I want them to succeed.

Man is so made that whenever anything fires his soul, impossibilities vanish. -- Jean de la Fontaine