Reconnection to Homelessness

While I was looking for new news on homelessness I came across this article http://www.wnyc.org/blogs/wnyc-news-blog/2011/nov/04/getting-shelter-bed-about-get-harder-homeless/. This article states that homeless single adults in New York City have to prove they have no place to go or they will not be allowed to stay in the shelters. I feel this was a poor decision by the city officials because they are denying shelter to those who may really need it. Another reason I feel it was a poor choice is because the winter is only a few weeks away and the temperature is already dropping well below 50 degrees most nights.

From my teaching experience I have not seen anything in the curriculum that is related to citizenship or any topic the students are interested in pursuing. This may be because I am in a third grade classroom and some of the students may not understand how to do a citizenship project. I also do not feel there is space for it because the school was deemed a level 4 school and has strict guidelines they must follow. But I feel it is something that should be added to curriculums because it anytime a student gets to investigate a topic of their choice they are going to be more involved and focused in their work. You could engage your students in class by presenting them with a list of topics and seeing which students have interest in each topic. Much like how the blog topics were presented with us in class. I would also allow students to provide their own topics if they had a topic in mind that I did not mention. I would engage my students in the topic by having them do a project on their topic. I would give them plenty of time to utilize the computer lab in the school as well.

I feel the school I am in is following the NCSS definition of social studies. Every morning the school recites the school pledge in which they say they will respect the differences of others and I will treat others the way I want to be treated. The school also educates the students on different ethnicities, people with special abilities, and other topics such as littering through their short-stories. I do think that getting involved with issues can help reach the goal of social studies because it shows students how to be a productive and active member of society. Getting involved also helps students become more and educated of these issues and topics. I do think this project has got me connected because it helped show me how different topics can be easily connected and taught/learned at the same time. For example, we will be looking at how unemployment and homelessness is related. This requires us to learn about both homelessness and unemployment at the same time.

-Brian