Homelessness in the elementary school classroom: social and emotional consequences

Abstract

This study examined elementary school teachers’ experiences working with homeless students. Specifically, we focused on the psychosocial impacts of homelessness on students and their teachers. Qualitative, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 28 teachers who worked at designated public schools for family homeless shelters. A prominent theme that emerged from teachers’ accounts was how the instability tied to homelessness affected students’ behavioral, social, and emotional adjustment in the classroom (e.g. externalizing problems, difficulty developing peer relationships, and withdrawn behavior). Teachers’ own social and emotional competencies (e.g. fostering positive teacher–student relationships, and perspective taking) influenced the manner in which they responded to their students’ needs. Findings suggest that critical components may be lacking articulation in the McKinney-Vento Act’s Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program such as guidelines for teacher responsibilities, supports for teachers, and an emphasis not only on children’s academic but also social and emotional needs.

Keywords:

• homeless children
• teachers
• social and emotional development
• elementary school
• educational policy

Acknowledgements

This work originated from the first author’s dissertation, and we thank committee members Sandra Graham, Connie Kasari, and Bonnie Zima.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. All teacher and schools names are pseudonyms used to protect the identity of the participants.

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported in part by the following fellowships: Norma and Seymour Feshbach Doctoral Dissertation Award, UCLA Dissertation Year Fellowship, and Jack Kent Cooke Dissertation Fellowship. Opinions reflect those of the authors and not necessarily those of the funding agencies.