Helping our Teachers and Schools Support

Students Experiencing Homelessness

Jani Koester Madison Metropolitan

School District Transition Education

Program (TEP)TEP Resource Teacher

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…….

Should Teachers be told that their student is experiencing homelessness? Let Teachers know

that assignments may need adaptationto check into give an extra smile a little extra

attentionunderstand trauma has occurredthey may need support from colleaguestransportation may need attentiontutoring or after school activities may

need connections

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

Mobility and Homelessness Interventions 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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SELF CARE Build it into your practice

Teachers must remember that they cannot possibly meet all the needs of a homeless child.

Sharing and Questions

.

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