Ensuring that all Americans enjoy equal access to education is a vision that the US strives to accomplish. Encouraging progress is being made in the pursuit of this vision. However, serious challenges are being encountered and there are certain groups that remain disadvantaged. The homeless are among those who face serious challenges as they pursue education. In addition to lacking decent shelter, these individuals also grapple with stigma and limited educational opportunities. Fortunately, there are remedies that can be implemented to alleviate the suffering of the homeless and eliminate the barriers that hamper access to quality education.
Advantages and Disadvantages
Homelessness is often associated with need and desperation. While it is true that homelessness is largely a negative phenomenon, it presents some advantages that enhance education. Resilience, commitment and hardwork are among the advantages of homelessness. It has been observed that homeless students tend to be more committed to their studies and are able to better withstand the challenges and demands of education (Cavazos et al., 2010). The resilience and industriousness that homeless students exhibit is despite the many hardships that they grapple with. Teachers can leverage the resilient spirits of these students to promote learning and retention.
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As noted earlier, homelessness is mostly a negative reality. Therefore, most of its impacts on education are adverse. Inadequate access to education is among the disadvantages endured by the homeless (Grant et al., 2013). For the homeless, acquiring an education is not necessarily a priority given the numerous hardships that they face. It is therefore not surprising that many homeless students are unable to obtain the quality education they need to secure their futures. Poor physical and mental health is other disadvantages which make it incredibly difficult for homeless students to focus on their studies. Dill (2015) conducted an observational study with the objective of establishing the experiences of homeless students and determining how these experiences affect the academic performance of the students. She noted that most of the homeless students deal with such problems as overcrowding and panic attacks which hamper their quest for education. Additionally, Dill noted that these students also grapple with hunger, sleep deprivation, hygiene issues and most of their health needs go unmet (Dill, 2015). Combined, these negative outcomes of homelessness have an adverse effect on the academic performance and the general wellbeing of the students.
It is the desire of every teacher to see all their students graduate. For teachers of homeless students, it is nearly impossible to ensure 100% student retention. The retention rates for these students have historically been disappointingly low (Gupton, 2017). When one considers the many challenges that homelessness causes, they are able to understand why students without shelter face a greater risk of dropping out of school. In the following section, some of the interventions that can be implemented to address the low retention and graduation rates, and other adverse impacts of homelessness are outlined.
Remedies
A number of interventions have been identified as holding the key to eliminating the hurdles that homeless students face. Decent housing is among these interventions (Cunningham & MacDonald, 2012). By providing the students with housing, the US will make tremendous progress in improving their performance. For example, when provided with safe shelter, a student does not need to worry about their safety or wellbeing and is therefore able to dedicate all their energies to their studies. Shelter will also solve the problem of inadequate access. By combining housing programs with education initiatives, it is possible to improve access. There is a need for the different levels of government to partner with such stakeholders as educators to invest in housing initiatives.
Mental health services are another intervention that promises to address the issues that serve as hindrance to accessing quality education (Park et al., 2012). As noted earlier, homeless students experience such issues as panic attacks which frustrate their efforts to excel in their academic endeavors. Furthermore, out of school, they are exposed to various hazards that may hamper their mental health. For example, it was already noted that the students lack access to adequate nutrition and are sleep deprived. These experiences can have adverse impacts on mental health. The medical community needs to be part of the effort to alleviate the suffering of the homeless students. By joining forces with other stakeholders, they can extend the desperately needed services which will secure the mental wellness of the students. Teachers should also be part of this effort. They need to exploit the resilience of the homeless students to build momentum and ensure that the implementation of the mental health initiatives is successful.
Implications for Teaching
This assignment has exposed me to the hardships that define the lives of homeless students. I intend to leverage the insights that I have gathered to become a more effective educator. The insights will enable me to become more sensitive to the unique needs of homeless students. Another effect that the lessons gained will have is that they will inspire me to build partnerships with other stakeholders so as to improve the experiences of the homeless students in my class. Moreover, using the lessons learnt, I intend to align my teaching style to reflect the diverse composition of my class. I will ensure that the approaches that I adopt accommodate the needs of all my students, including the homeless.
In conclusion, the American society has a mandate to educate all of its citizens. It should give particular focus to the homeless who endure a wide range of hardships. It has been noted that homeless students encounter problems which affect their performance in school. In addition to poor performance, these students also report poor mental and physical health outcomes, inadequate nutrition, and living in overcrowded conditions. All stakeholders have a role to play in lessening the burden of homeless students. Through such interventions as housing programs, the United States can make progress in improving the lives of homeless. It should not confine its interventions to this group. Members of the military, sexual minorities, ethnic and racial minorities and those with mental illnesses also deserve attention. By taking concerted steps, the country can successfully eradicate inequalities in education.
References
Cavazos, J., Johnson, M. B., Fielding, C., Cavazos, A. G., Castro, V., & Vela, L. (2010). A qualitative study of resilient Latina/o college students. Journal of Latinos and Education, 9 (3), 172-188.
Cunningham, M., & MacDonald, G. (2012). Housing as a platform for improving education outcomes among low-income children. Urban Institute. Retrieved February 16, 2019 from https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/25331/412554-Housing-as-a-Platform-for-Improving-Education-Outcomes-among-Low-Income-Children.PDF
Dill, V. (2015). Homeless-and doubled up. Educational Leadership, 72 (6).
Grant, R., Gracy, D., Goldsmith, G., Shapiro, A., & Redlener, I. E. (2013). Twenty-five years of child and family homelessness: where are we now? American Journal of Public Health, 103 (suppl 2), e1-e10.
Gupton, J. T. (2017). Campus of opportunity: a qualitative analysis of homeless students in community college. Community College Review. Retrieved February 16, 2019 from https://www2.calstate.edu/impact-of-the-csu/student-success/basic-needs-initiative/Documents/gupton-2017-hy-community-college.pdf
Park, J. M., Metraux, S., Culhane, D. P., & Mandell, D. S. (2012). Homelessness and children’s use of mental health services: a population-based study. Children & Youth Services Review, 34 (1), 261-5.
