Join Dr. Hannah Mesouani for a session on how to build empathy and unpack hidden biases during home visits for students at-promise. During this presentation, you will learn about attribution theory and empathy mapping to be an effective "guest on the job" when visiting student living spaces to offer support and conduct necessary interventions.
Who knows more about family homelessness than the parents who experience it? Homelessness is the cause of many school attendance issues, but it goes unrecognized in many instances. Officials tend to not understand the nitty-gritty reality of what families experience while homeless. The 3 Melissas’ Practical Guide to Surviving Family Homelessness, a new book, is a unique collection of wisdom from 3 mothers named Melissa (including one from IL) filled with their unfettered advice to millions of other moms, dads, and caregivers without a place to live. These hard-won observations and suggestions, compiled into an unprecedented survival guide for families experiencing homelessness in the US each year, offers tips and takes on common issues bedeviling stressed parents. This guide also informs those working with homeless families, giving a more enlightened understanding of the mostly invisible and growing crisis of family homelessness. The presentation will cover highlights from this new book and explore ways this tool can enhance local services for families experiencing homelessness.
Parent perspective on how best to support students experiencing homelessness. Hear from parents who have experienced homelessness and their suggestions for how schools can best assist families experiencing housing instability and help students thrive.