Homelessness as Difficult Knowledge in Early Childhood Education

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 13
  In Poster Session: Supporting Young Children's Learning and Development

Abstract

Homelessness should not be viewed as an “out there” social issue anymore, which is irrelevant to children’s lives in the U.S. Drawing on the notion of difficult knowledge (Britzman, 1998; Pitt & Brizman, 2003), this study examines how children and teachers encounter with homelessness in curriculum and pedagogy through the lens of what a teacher candidate experienced in her field placement. This study illustrates how homelessness has been viewed as a difficult and inappropriate topic in early childhood education. Introducing the current states of homelessness in early childhood education, this study provides several implications on how homelessness can be approached to/with children in order to better understand different children’s lives.

Author

• Jinhee Kim, Kennesaw State University