Against the Unchallenged Discourse of Homelessness: Examining the Views of Early Childhood Preservice Teachers

Abstract

This study investigated views about children experiencing homelessness held by preservice teachers in an early childhood education program. Thirteen early childhood preservice teachers were actively involved in class discussion, reading, doing class assignments, and visiting homeless shelters as community-based field experience. They were asked to participate in focus groups, and some of them also participated in individual interviews. The analysis showed that the preservice teachers viewed homelessness in a way parallel to public discourse, which neglects and stigmatizes children experiencing homelessness. They believed that those children and families would be abnormal and held stereotypes attached to the spaces they occupied. By connecting these preservice teachers' views to the dominant discourse of homelessness in U.S. society, this study addresses how early childhood educators can support preservice teachers to prepare children experiencing homelessness in their future classrooms.

Notes

¹In this article, I avoid using the term “the homeless.” Instead, I use “children experiencing homelessness and their families.” The term “the homeless” implies a permanent social status. However, homelessness can happen to anyone and can be overcome.

²All names of people and places are pseudonyms.