Libraries, Churches, and Schools: The Literate Lives of Mothers and Children in a Homeless Shelter

Abstract

This article addresses the question, "How do mothers and children in a homeless shelter interact with literacy?" We drew on the theoretical framework of social literacy practices in which cultural context is foregrounded. Data for this qualitative study included participant observation in one homeless shelter and interviews with one shelter's residents and other stakeholders, including teachers, administrators, shelter staff at various shelters, and homelessness experts across Los Angeles County, California. While examining the literacy practices of women and children living in one transitional shelter, we identified three institutions that were part of their lives (a) the public library, in which choice was a major factor; (b) the church, which focused on reading the Bible; and (c) schools, where literacy was tied to evaluative outcomes. Although families were overwhelmingly positive about their participation in each of these institutions and all three were referred to as places for learning, children's talk about reading and writing in school focused on procedures such as daily routines and testing. This may reflect the current mandated curriculum as well as the cost of frequent moves, which necessitate that children learn how to succeed in each new school. This study captures the *As a team the authors wrote collaboratively and have equal authorship. 222Urban Education 45 (2) influence of different institutions on the literacy practices of families in crisis and suggests ways to further support reading and writing for children living without homes.

“The Things They Carried”: Unpacking trauma scripts inside a community writing workshop

“…I consider how these writers navigated from self-prescribed anecdotes of childhood trauma to emergent narratives of strengths and identity with the literary sensibilities of quest, arc, voice, and persona (MacCurdy, 2007). Implicitly, this exploration clues in on literacy and cultural knowledge, and practices that adult writers of trauma narratives share, enact, and exchange with one another (MacGillivray, Ardell, & Curwen, 2010;Rose, 2004Rose, , 2009 in the process of writing with literary lenses (Caruth, 1996;Hesse, 2009;MacCurdy, 2007). I also discuss the shifting identities that Wilson and Rudy enact, from initial to final drafts (Gornick, 2001;Newkirk, 1997;Wortham, 2001).…”

The possibilities of public literacy spaces

“…Indeed, the socio-economic class and privilege divide is embarrassingly obvious where it concerns homeless adult education. Double standards aside, narratives of charity are particularly salient in the academy where perceptions of homelessness significantly contrast the actual lived experiences of people living in these circumstances MacGillivray, et al, 2010;Miller, 2014). Widening this gap is the fact that past and current research continue to insinuate "lack in the poor" and "the savior and the needy" dichotomy of the middle and poorer classes.…”

“…Overall, it seems that most researchers who are interested in the literacy practices of homeless persons concentrate their attention on the lives of children (and implicitly, of their families), but not necessarily on individual adult men and women. Rare are studies like MacGillivray, et al (2010) and Jacobs (2014) who consider the literate lives of adults-in their cases, namely parents. MacGillivray, et al (2010), for example, discuss the literate lives of mothers and children in homeless shelters, the literacy sponsorships of libraries, churches, and schools, and the (sometimes contrasting) influences of different institutions on the literacy practices of families in crisis.…”

“…Rare are studies like MacGillivray, et al (2010) and Jacobs (2014) who consider the literate lives of adults-in their cases, namely parents. MacGillivray, et al (2010), for example, discuss the literate lives of mothers and children in homeless shelters, the literacy sponsorships of libraries, churches, and schools, and the (sometimes contrasting) influences of different institutions on the literacy practices of families in crisis. Certainly issues of sponsorship are crucial in facilitating, legitimizing, and valuing literacy practices, and this cannot be truer for persons who live on the margins.…”

“…These sorts of reflections and essays aren't exactly what most of us have in mind, again, when we think of writers from a homeless shelter MacGillivray, Ardell, & Curwen, 2010).…”