A young boy sits in the back of the classroom, he is in the 6th grade, but he can’t read the words in the book that is front of him. As the other children read silently, he tears bits of paper that he found in his desk, and he holds his head close to the book. He wonders what he’ll do when the teacher asks for the written assignment, which accompanies the reading. He doesn’t have a pencil or pen. He doesn’t have the correct paper, and he doesn’t have the skills that he needs to complete the assignment. The boy hopes that this teacher will be nice. As the other students read, he tries to cough to mask the sound coming from his rumbling stomach.
Why Are Children
Homeless?
This young boy, like thousands of others in the United
States, is homeless. These children live in motels, shelters, vehicles, or they
are shuffled to relatives’ homes. They may live in abandoned homes, buildings,
or on the street. The rising number of homeless children has been attributed to
poor economic conditions and foreclosures, but there are countless scenarios
and stories that explain why we have children who do not have stable homes.
Sometimes the children have fled with a parent who left an abusive
relationship. Children who have a caregiver who abuses drugs could find
themselves homeless for periods of time. Oftentimes they are separated from their
parents and siblings, and it is common that they miss several days from school.
When they do go to school, they might be hungry, have poor hygiene, and lack
appropriate clothing.
The Secret Life
It is not unusual for these children to fall behind in school.
It is difficult to concentrate when you are hungry, tired, frustrated, and
worried. Children might also have difficulties forming friendships with other
children. The homeless children are never quite sure how long they will be in a
certain place, and when they do make friends, they find themselves uprooted
once again. Many homeless children live in a perpetual state of secrecy. Their
parents are afraid that if authorities find out that they are homeless, the
family will be separated. So, the children
are forced to keep this secret while they are in school. They do not open up to
teachers or other children. I think that this is one of the reasons why
authorities state that the number of homeless children in America is underreported. Information and referral software can help us keep track
homeless children who move from place to place.
Closing the Gap
Sometimes homeless children find it too difficult to keep up
in school, and they drop out. These children might also find it difficult to
relate to other children their age. They feel as though they live on the
fringes of society at an early age. When they struggle to stay in school, gaps
in education can make it difficult for the children to earn the skills that
they need to support themselves. Some children imagine college as an
out-of-reach fantasy. Patience, acceptance, encouragement, and extra support
from teachers can assist homeless students when they are in school, but the
children still need a stable and comfortable home environment, so they can
focus on their studies.
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