Blog 5- Homelessness and Poverty

    



Perseverance, Resilience and Struggle of Homeless and Poverty Stricken Students







[untitled image of homeless child].(2023). https://www.salon.com/2016/06/19/criminalizing_poverty_homeless_in_harlem_complain_of_nypd_harassment/












“Since 2008, the number of homeless students identified by public schools each year has increased by more than 100%, from approximately 680,000 to 1,384,000 students in 2019”   (Cai, 2020)



This week’s module readings and documentary was very heartbreaking to learn about. I think for a lot of people we hear about homelessness and poverty on the news but do not realize that people in the same community as us could be struggling. Throughout this module there were two themes that I felt really stuck out to me, Perseverance/Resilience and Suffering. These young teenagers are incredibly brave for being able to survive and live on their own without the support of parents and family. I know how important it is to have family around especially during difficult times and I can not imagine what these kids go through on a daily basis. I am a big Disney fan and one song that immediately came to mind was “ I Can Go the Distance” which is a very motivating and uplifting song about continuing to push through and overcome obstacles to achieve your dreams. This is what these children are trying to do everyday. Specifically the following lyrics, " I will search the world, I will face its harms, I don't care how far, I can go the distance"(Bolton, 1997). I feel that these specific lyrics embody the two themes suffering and perseverance/resilience. By facing the challenges and pushing through the tough times like not having a home and enough money to support themselves in order to achieve their dreams or goals they might have. 


Through the documentary, I was really about to get an idea of what these kids go through, how they live and survive, etc. It is incredible to me how resilient they are and how mature they are for their ages. So many of them are abandoned by their parents and just left with no money, food or place to live. I can not imagine how extremely difficult that is for such young kids. In the documentary one of the kids, Roque, was taken in by one of his teachers when she began to realize that he did not have a place to live. Although I might not be able to actually take a student into my house and help them as much as I can, I hope that if I have students that are going through a similar situation, that I am able to maybe provide them with school supplies, make sure they have enough clothes, maybe do their hair when they come to school, etc. There are so many things we can do as educators to help our students even a little bit. 


Other kids in the documentary such as Anthony and Karley who have been disowned by family or have no family and have been left to fend for themselves are some of the most resilient people. I think a lot of people would give up very easily if they suddenly became homeless and had no money but these two kids have come up with ways to provide for themselves and get places to live without giving up. These kids have faced so many struggles in such a short period of time and have been so resilient by continuing their education, working to be able to afford college and their own apartments. I found this extremely inspirational. 


There are so many children that deal with homelessness and poverty throughout our country and have had their educational needs not met due to this. With the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act, school-aged children who are homeless have the right to a free appropriate public education (McKinney-Vento Homeless Education, 2021). With this act students can immediately attend a school they have previously attended or a local school. We are very fortunate to have this act in our country to ensure that more youth no matter their circumstances has the opportunity to be educated. 


In the classroom is important for me as a future educator to be vigilant for clues of poverty, homelessness and struggling in my students. In many cases, "Homeless families are often invisible in the communities where they live" (Rix, 2023). Some signs are bad hygiene, absent frequently, lack of participation in activities held by the school and not being prepared for class (having supplies, having homework done, etc. (Tips for Teachers, 2021) By being able to identify these signs of struggle in students, it can lead me to get them help and resources to help them and their families. 

It is also important as an educator to incorporate all different types of books, videos, pictures, etc. in the classroom and in lessons. A book that I have found called Fifty Cents and a Dream: Young Booker T. Washington. This book is a very interesting book that describes the hardships of a young Booker T Washington following emancipation from slavery. Washington worked extremely hard with the very little he had at the start (50 cents) to work his way up and become an extremely famous educator and historical figure. This is a great book that embodies the two themes that I thought stood out for this module. It is also a great book to read to students especially when there might be a student struggling in the classroom. 


It is very heartbreaking to know that their are children out in the world that are not able to have a home, enough money to get food or water and also are not being educated. As a future educator I hope to make an impact on children who are facing these struggles. This module has definitely opened my eyes to how difficult some students lives can be and how well they can hide their lives outside of school.







References:



De Mare, A., Kelly, K., & Taber, K. (Producers), & De Mare, A., & Kelly, K. (Directors). (2014). The homestretch [Streaming video]. United States: Bullfrog Films.

I Can Go the Distance. (1997). On Hercules. 

Mc-Kinney Vento Homeless Education. (2021). New York State Education Department. http://www.nysed.gov/essa/mckinney-vento-homeless-education
Links to an external site.

Rix, K. (2023, April 28). How Schools Serve Homeless Students.







Comments

  1. Caitlyn KennedyOctober 23, 2023 at 2:22 PM

    Hey Kailey!
    I loved reading through your blog this week and seeing how similar our viewpoints were. Resilience, heartbreak, and strength were intense, common themes throughout this week’s content, and it highlighted the importance of schools being safe spaces for all students. So many educators in the documentary stepped up to support struggling students, and it emphasized just how important our role is in our future students’ lives. Part of your work that stuck out to me was when you mentioned being able to recognize the signs of poverty and homelessness in your classroom. While this is extremely important in order to best assist future students, I’m curious how you would preserve the dignity of these students when the situation arises. Students may feel embarrassed of their home life, hygiene, etc.. Do you have certain tactics to converse with this student about their situation? How would you appropriately and privately support these students? This was a great post with a lot of content! I look forward to hearing your responses.
    - Caitlyn Kennedy

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