The Learning Problems of Homeless Students (Essay Sample)

The uphill task of a teacher has generally become more stiff as there are more students from diverse background and societies. For instance, the growth in number of homeless students in the country has grown at an alarming rate thus requiring teachers to equip themselves with new strategies and techniques that would cater for these students with special social needs. To make sure these students reach their maximum potential there should be serious considerations ranging from classroom teacher methods, learning environment and their general social lives.
As a class room teacher dealing with homeless students I would work as much as possible to ensure that a student home and social life does not affect his or her academic performance. As much general as it seems it would require me as a teacher to make sure this kind of student is as comfortable as he can be in a classroom. Homeless students would in most cases score poorly than their housed students, thus requiring more attention individually. Knowing each student personally would be a big boost for me as a teacher as these students may have diverse challenges ranging from hunger, sexual abuse or health issues. Developing a student-teacher bond is always vital in solving all social issues that can cause a student fail to perform to his or her best as encouraged by Murphy & Tobin (2011). As a I teacher cannot do all these things alone without involving all stakeholders including parents or guardians who are crucial in the social lives of these students. Guiding, counseling, motivations are some of the things that a teacher can do to ensure these homeless students achieve to their academic, social and emotional expectations regardless of their demanding environments outside the school.
There is an urgent need deal with this issue of homeless student who generally perform below their expectations or potential as they psychologically unstable to only focus and concentrate on their academics as described by Holtzman (2013). Several strategies should be put in place to ensure smooth, effective and consistent learning to these students. One of the four strategies should be setting realistic and achievable goals for these type of students. This does not mean lowering academic expectations for them but understanding their social situation and accepting its influence on their performances. The second strategy to deal with this issue would be providing family and social support to these students. Most of these students suffer from hunger and health issues and it would be ideal and wise to eliminate all these social problems that may affect the performance of these kids whether presently or in the future. This strategy would also include and involve the involvement of parents or guardians, where they are counseled on how to improve their lives and that of their children. The third strategy would be the involvement of the teachers and their empowerment. Most of the time, these studen...