INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES AND PRACTICES OF TEACHERS WHO WORK WITH STUDENTS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS

Kimberly Pickles, PrincipalWJCC Public SchoolsDoctoral Candidate: The College of William and Mary

Stephanie Leek, School Social WorkerWJCC Public Schools

Presenters

•Participants will be exposed to the perspectives of classroom teachers regarding the challenges they face educating students experiencing homelessness•Participants will be able to identify and describe four areas related to supporting homeless students in the classroom

Objectives/Goals

•Participants will identify ways that teachers can change their instructional process to meet the learning and emotional needs of students who are homeless•Participants will be provided with district-level strategies utilized to support school-based staff

Objectives/Goals Continued

•Qualitative Research Pilot Study•College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, VA

•Purpose: To examine the pedagogical practices of teachers who have instructed homeless students. To explore the needs and strategies that teachers can use to differentiate and accommodate their instruction to maximize achievement for these students.

Pedagogical Practices of Teachers of Homeless Students

What are the pedagogical practices of teachers who have had students who are homeless?Specifically, once a teacher learns that s/he has a student who has been identified as a student who is currently homeless, what ways does s/he change their instructional process to meet the learning and emotional needs of the student?

Research Question

Research

“According to state education agencies, the most frequently reported educational needs of homeless children are as follows: remediation/tutoring; school materials and clothes; support services such as counselors; after school/extended day/summer programs to provide basic needs for food and shelter and recreation; transportation; educational program continuity and stability; and sensitivity and awareness training for school personnel and students” (Rafferty, 1998, p.50)

Research

“Teachers of highly mobile students must develop the skills to make them feel welcome while quickly weaving them into classroom routines” (Holgersson-Shorter, 2010, p.33)

4 Steps to Support Students1. “Heightening their awareness for the dynamics of the lives

of children and families who are homeless” (Swick, 2000; Powers-Costello and Swick, 2011)

2. “Engaging in experiences that deepen their sensitivity to the contextual elements that are pervasive in being homeless” (Powers-Costello and Swick, 2008; Sleeter, 1993; Swick, 1996; Powers-Costellow and Swick, 2011)

3. “Developing an action plan that provides some cohesive direction to their work” (Powers-Costello and swick, 2011).

4. “Helping teachers become active in building relations with students, parents, colleagues, and community that promote school success” (Swick, 2000; Powers-Costello and Swick, 2011).

Method Collective ethnographic case studies Research Design of advocacy/participatory

research Group of individuals that are faced with the

social issues of the day and in which an action agenda for reform within the schools would change the lives of the homeless children in the classroom.

Critical Theory Examines the changes and interactions

related to the improvement of the educational impact of students who experience homelessness

Participants Three Elementary School Teachers

5th grade reading teacher “Jane” 25+ years teaching experience

5th grade math teacher “Mary” 10 years teaching experience

1st grade teacher (all subjects) “Helen” 8 years teaching experience

Suburban School District

Participants Participants have worked with a

student or students that have experienced homelessness while in their classrooms Living in a women’s shelter with mother

and within the zone of the shelter Doubled up with friends and then

moved to hotel (in zone and then out of zone)

Started in a home, doubled up out of city and stayed school of origin

Interviews Structured Interview Questions; Open

Ended Face to face Focused on identifying the pedagogical

practices of teachers who instruct homeless students

Focused on how they adjusted their instruction for students experiencing homelessness

Recommendations to improved academic success

Findings Four categories/themes

Choices made by the parent to be able to provide for their child(ren) or the lack of the choices that they have available

Perceptions of the classroom teacher Relationship development between the

teacher and the child and the teacher and the parent for positive learning experience

Available/recommended supports within the school and classroom

Findings Con’t Choices

Lack of ability to make choices “Parents don’t normally come and that is

just either because they are working during the day and they don’t have a means to get to the school or they are at home taking care of the other kids. I do make sure that I am sending home weekly communication and would say that some are good about communicating back and some are not. I would like to think sometimes they have bigger things to worry about.” -“Mary”

Findings Con’t Choices

Home support is key “I think that home support is a key thing and

that you see that the parents are just struggling to get by. It could be the parents had no choice or the parents just aren’t giving the kids the attention.” – “Jane”

Don’t hold parent’s choices against the child “Parents of homeless kids seem to focus more

on their own problems which is probably understandable and the kids seem to fall to the wayside because school’s important, but not that important” – “Jane”

Findings Con’t Choices

Be aware many parents have made difficult choices and are doing the best they can so their children have a good educational opportunity “I don’t necessarily think that the parents

intend to not be supportive, it’s just that they are so busy with everything else they have, whether it is just trying to find a job or trying to find a home or trying to be the parent, that sometimes school just comes last.” – “Helen”

Findings Con’t Perceptions

Preconceived ideas may present the opposite “He was very bright, which surprised me,

because I thought, you know, a lot of times you want to think that they are not academically there. But he was also very bright. His big thing for me was that he was very worldly.” –”Mary”

Keep in mind the child may be embarrassed by their situation and may not have an opportunity to act like a kid.

Be open minded and not let stereotypes guide their idea of a homeless child.

Findings Con’t Relationship Development

Promote a positive learning experience for the child

Put in the time necessary to develop a relationship

Take the time, build the relationship, develop the trust and understanding for the student and family

Findings Con’t Relationship Development

“I like it to be a trusting place where kids can come to feel safe… kids come in and other children need to accept children for who they are and where they are as far as learning. You know a lot of these kids come from situations where this is their only safe place to be and you don’t know what they are going home to, so I want them to feel secure and safe.” – “Jane”

Findings Con’t Supports

Extra instructional materials Services for remediation/extra hour or

two of consistency Free Breakfast and Lunch programs Field trips to support learning culturally Outreach programs invited into the

school Human need items (clothes, coats, food) Counseling and health supports In-services for educators

•These children have many needs beyond a typical student•Teachers need to be aware of background circumstances and knowledge of the difficulties and choices the family is facing•Need to be aware of their preconceived perceptions; Have an open mind•Treat each situation individually

Conclusions

•Develop relationships, build trust, safety, and security within the classroom•Additional supports are always needed

Conclusions

Williamsburg – James City County

Demographics

Population: 14, 068

20.3% living below the poverty level

14.5% unemployment

Population: 67,009

7% living below the poverty level

7% unemployment

City of Williamsburg James City County

Available Resources Avalon Shelter Transitional housing program Faith Based Community

Supports the United Way Community Resource Center

GWOM Shelter program

WJCC Public Schools Population: 11,030 (2011-2012) 15 schools – 9 Elementary, 3 middle,

3 High Homeless identification trends:

2005/2006 – 86 2006/2007 – 109 2007/2008 – 223 2008/2009 – 106 2009/2010 – 217 2010/2011 – 353 2011/2012 - 428

Available Resources Project HOPE School Social Work staff Erase the Needs Center

Division Wide Interventions Awareness and Education program

Training program for all school staff/employees Strategies appropriate to the group, i.e. teachers,

administrators, registrars, bus drivers, custodians Resource and Guidance manual – Connecting

the Pieces: Access, Stability, Success Outreach materials specific to school division

Division Wide Interventions, Con’t Homeless Education Coordinator

Case management services for high risk preschool students and families

Needs assessment of preschool staff - results provided to staff and used to guide activities

Available for onsite consultation for staff and administration

Provide continued training on M-V and strategies for classrooms and interacting with families

Link with school age programs

Stonehouse Elementary School Located in James City County Population: 652 26.84% free or reduced lunch

21.01% free 5.83% reduced

Stonehouse Interventions School Social Worker providing trainings and

sharing with teachers Transportation vouchers provided by the PTA SCA members volunteering in the community Sea Star Power Pack program

Staff donations Interactions with different community groups and

individuals Raising awareness with local churches,

organizations, Boy/Girl Scouts, and within the school

A meaningful way for students to help

Thank YouKim PicklesPrincipal,

Stonehouse Elementary School

WJCC Public Schoolspicklesk@wjcc.k12.v

a.us757-566-4300

Stephanie LeekSchool Social

WorkerWJCC Public

Schoolsleeks@wjcc.k12.va.

us757-634-9325