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H elping our Teachers and Schools Support Students Experiencing Homelessness

H elping our Teachers and Schools Support Students Experiencing Homelessness. Jani Koester Madison Metropolitan School District Transition Education Program (TEP) TEP Resource Teacher.

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H elping our Teachers and Schools Support Students Experiencing Homelessness

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  1. Helping our Teachers and Schools Support Students Experiencing Homelessness Jani Koester Madison Metropolitan School District Transition Education Program (TEP) TEP Resource Teacher

  2. I have not met a student that has chosen to become homeless – even youth that have left home have done it for good reasons • Homelessness is a trauma but usually another trauma has caused homelessness • Don’t lower your expectations, scaffold how to met them – don’t modify– don’t dumb them down. • I would never want a teacher to feel that they could not teach or support a homeless student • I firmly believe that our student voices are the thing that changes hearts and minds My Beliefs…….

  3. Should Teachers be told that their student is experiencing homelessness? • Let Teachers know • that assignments may need adaptation • to check in • to give an extra smile a little extra attention • understand trauma has occurred • they may need support from colleagues • transportation may need attention • tutoring or after school activities may need connections

  4. Mobility and Homelessness Interventions • Attitude is Everything! • Make sure students feel welcome, wanted and safe! • Be Prepared all year for new students • Build Community in school and classroom • Family Centered Enrollment • Be Observant – you may be the first to notice • Keep expectations high - academic, attendance, behavior

  5. Mobility and HomelessnessInterventions • Homelessness is a Trauma – be trauma informed • Establish School wide practices • Use Best Practices in Classrooms • Develop Awareness in schools and community • Know the resources: in both school & community • Know your district policies

  6. Working with Classroom Teachers • Share what I do and Hear what they do • Help make connections to their students and families • Talk about trauma and being trauma informed • Explore and discuss their classroom • Build awareness both with them and for their classroom community • Explore resources and supports • Check Back in

  7. Look together at the classroom • Cultural competence • Welcoming • How do they help with students feeling wanted • Routines visible • Support systems for new students’ homework expectations • Transportation • School supports afterschool, tutoring, • Parent engagement • Schools involvement • Community connections • Local community services • Support staff support and connections • Explicit teaching opportunities

  8. Professional Development • McKinney Vento training for all staff • Meet individually with staff • Brainstorm about individual specific students • Understanding Mobility and Homelessness Class –6 week course • Phone consultation/technical support • Train POC in each building • Bi-monthly email newsletters to SW and POC • District wide leadership/conversations • Community awareness and collaboration

  9. TEP Program Specific • Provide library with variety of materials teachers can use to talk about mobility, change, homelessness • Facilitate classroom discussions on homelessness and mobility • Provide opportunities for homeless youth/parents to share their voices/stories • Service learning opportunities for TEP/ community sites

  10. Family Engagement • Families experiencing homelessness had many challenges school engagement is not their priority – that doesn’t mean that they are not supportive or not wanting opportunities to be engaged • Meet them where they are – mentally, physically, emotionally • Ask more than once, in fact ask over and over and over, continually provide opportunities of all kinds. • Be a Welcoming School • Provide Transportation & meals when needed

  11. Who We Are: Voices in Our community • Day Away Opportunity for students that have experienced homelessness to come together on UW campus • Spend time networking and writing • Create materials to use building community awareness and sell for donations for TEP • Book – 2 volumes • Tree of wishes • Media of students reading their writing and of the day

  12. Activities I use • Youth Activities • What Is Your Day Like? • How Vulnerable Are You? • Garbage Bag Activity • WWA-sharing youth voices • Adult activities • Mobility Shuffle • Mobility Tic Tac Toe • Unaccompanied Youth Quiz • Can be modified for either • Switch • Making Change • Poverty simulations

  13. SELF CARE • Build it into your practice Teachers must remember that they cannot possibly meet all the needs of a homeless child.

  14. Sharing and Questions .

  15. Contact Information • Jani Koester, Med, ME • Madison Metropolitan School District • Transition Education Program • 401 Maple Ave. • Madison, Wi 53703 • 608-204-2063 • jkoester@madison.k12.wi.us

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