GCCH commissioned the writing of Homelessness: A
Teacher’s Guide as part of a learning unit
designed to teach high school students. The unit grew
out of a collaborative project with Mother of Mercy
High School students and the Homeless Coalition in 2003
and our connections to several other secondary schools
in Cincinnati who wanted to teach about homelessness.
The target audience for this unit on homelessness is
secondary level students in courses such as modern American
history, government and civics, political science, economics,
social justice, and religion. Because the lessons are
standards-based, correlated to Ohio Social Studies Standards
and those of the National Council for the Social Studies,
the lessons can easily be used in classes to meet various
curriculum requirements, even though “homelessness”
may not be standard content. Yet the timeliness of this
unit could not be more fitting.
This unit is being introduced to schools at a time when
homelessness continues to rise in America, as it has
for the past 20-25 years. The subject has been the source
of heated debate in the last few years in Cincinnati,
as citizens and government and private agencies struggle
over how to cope with the growing numbers of homeless
individuals appearing on our streets. Many regard homelessness
as one of the most pressing societal problems facing
the United States, yet it remains a subject mired in
myth and stereotype, with the homeless themselves invisible
to or ignored by the majority. By educating young people
with this unit, GCCH hopes to change attitudes, strengthen
resolve, and inspire action.
Download a preview of the GCCH Teacher's Guide to
Homelessness:
Teacher's Guide
Overview (pdf)
Preview includes Table of Contents, Overview of
Packet, and Introduction
Homelessness: A Teacher’s Guide is available
with the GCCH’s Education Packet, and features
these items:
- Voices Unheard, a 38-minute DVD about homelessness in Cincinnati
- Through Our
Eyes, a 79-page book written by students
at Mother of Mercy High School about their personal
encounters with local homeless people; published in
2003
- Homeless in Cincinnati,
an 82-page statistical report on homelessness in Cincinnati,
published in 2001
- Subscription to Streetvibes, a monthly newspaper published by GCCH for the homeless
community
- Classroom visit by a member of the Speaker's
Bureau
- Teacher’s guide with five lessons and supplemental
materials
To learn more about the Education Packet, visit this
page or contact the Education Coordinator at 513-421-7803 ext. 14.
The following materials are available separately, or
as a complete educational package. GCCH staff is ready
to assist educators with resources, ideas, and updates
along the way.
- Voice of the
Homeless Speaker's Bureau is made up of
homeless and formerly homeless individuals who are
available to share their experiences. Hearing from
someone who has been homeless has proven to be a powerful
teaching tool. $50.00 for one-hour presentation.
- Streetvibes is a monthly newspaper published by GCCH that
features local and global articles about homelessness,
as well as photos and poetry by people experiencing
homelessness. $1.00 per copy, plus shipping.
- Voices Unheard is a 38-minute
documentary about homelessness in Cincinnati. This
moving film contains interviews with homeless
advocates and many of Cincinnati's homeless. Only
$25.00 for the DVD.
- Through Our Eyes: Reflections on Homelessness is a book
written by Mother of Mercy high school students about
the homeless and formerly homeless individuals they
met at GCCH. The book includes interviews and reflections
on the experience and is an excellent peer-education
tool. $10.00 per copy, plus shipping.
- Homeless in Cincinnati is a comprehensive, 82-page study of Cincinnati's
homeless. The study contains surprising facts and
statistics that will help your students question
many of the stereotypes that they may have already
learned about homeless people. Free, or downloadable
at our Publications page.
The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless’
Education Packet is designed to help secondary-level
teachers educate their students about the complex issue
of homelessness. This package includes a visit from
the Speaker’s Bureau, a copy of Voices Unheard,
a copy of the Homeless in Cincinnati study, a
subscription to Streetvibes,
and up to 25 copies of Through Our Eyes. The
education package also includes the items below.
- The Teacher's Guide is a comprehensive guide
to teaching the subject of homelessness in secondary
level classes. The guide covers five general topics:
who is homeless, the causes of homelessness, civil
rights and homelessness, and solutions to homelessness.
Within it you will find many lessons and activities
to choose from, along with suggestions for using the
above-mentioned materials during the unit.
- Experiential learning activities can be found throughout
the teacher's guide. Suggested goals, materials, settings,
and variations are included along with instructions
for each of these activities. We also have over 45
member agencies with which we can arrange volunteer
opportunities for your students.
- Exclusive updates, such as local and national news
articles, will help keep your education program current.
These will be available on our website, and will be
accessible only to participating schools.
To order GCCH’s Education Packet, contact
the Education Coordinator at 513-421-7803 ext. 14.
You can also send a request to our address at 117 East
12th Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. Be sure to include
the proper contact information, including the contact
person’s name, school’s name, address, phone
number, fax, and email address. |
