In the past semester, I have grown fond of understanding and responding to the needs of homeless young children. In fact, I'm planning on basing the rest of my career partially on ensuring that early childhood education includes this subset of folks. The question of course is what caused this shift in my interests. Here goes:
1. My advisor. He's a huge advocate for this issue and makes it come alive for me due to his passion. If it had not been for him, I would not have even known about the extent to which young children are without permanent homes.
2. The NAEHYC. Otherwise known as the National Association for the Education of Homeless Youth & Children, this professional association offers a wealth of resources that tie directly into my field. They also allow for advocacy...which is the heart of any career.
3. My personal experiences. I spend about 3 hours each week at a homeless shelter. I do my best to help them and do my best to advocate for them on their behalf. I get a first hand account of both their struggles and the shattering of sterotypes about them.
More on this....
