The Little Shelter That Could: Literacy Resilience of Mothers and Children Facing Homelessness

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Bibliographic Details
Title: The Little Shelter That Could: Literacy Resilience of Mothers and Children Facing Homelessness
Language: English
Authors: Sadia Warsi
Source: Myers Education Press. 2026.
Availability: Myers Education Press. PO Box 424, Gorham, ME 04038. Tel: 207-520-2700; e-mail: publisher@myersedpress.com; Web site: https://www.myersedpress.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Book
Reports - Descriptive
Descriptors: Homeless People, Mothers, Children, Resilience (Psychology), Literacy, Books, Reading Skills, Housing, Emergency Shelters, Family Role, Crisis Management, Role of Education, Educational Environment, Coping, Barriers, One Parent Family, Homework, Stress Management, Parent Role
ISBN: 978-1-975509-59-0
Abstract: "The Little Shelter That Could: Literacy Resilience of Mothers and Children Facing Homelessness" tells the story of homelessness, life in a shelter, and the impact of these factors on children's lives and education. It is also a story of hope. Dr. Sadia Warsi discovered something remarkable during her research at Joseph's Shelter. Instead of educational disruption, she found literacy resilience. Families created sophisticated learning environments that challenged assumptions about capabilities during crisis. "The Little Shelter That Could" reveals extraordinary educational leadership, where children became teachers in hallway spaces and mothers transformed dormitories into literacy-rich environments. Through anonymized, reconstructed narrative case studies based on her research, this book documents how education served as both anchor during crisis and pathway to future possibilities. Rather than focusing on deficits, this work illuminates sophisticated educational knowledge families possess during vulnerable moments. Readers encounter stories of mothers who strategically selected books to accelerate their children's reading while in emergency housing, families who created "learning corners" that became the shelter's educational heart, and parents whose daily bus journeys maintained their children's school enrollment. Written for early childhood educators and teacher candidates, this book provides frameworks for recognizing family educational assets invisible to traditional assessments. Dr. Warsi challenges deficit-based approaches, offering asset-based strategies that build on what families already know. Drawing from extensive experience in special education and multicultural competency, Warsi provides trauma-informed approaches that honor family expertise while supporting growth. Twenty-five years after the initial study, these lessons remain urgently relevant, as housing instability affects an increasing number of families. "The Little Shelter That Could" offers hope, practical strategies, and a transformative vision for early childhood education that honors every family's educational assets.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Access URL: https://myersedpress.presswarehouse.com/browse/book/9781975509590/The-Little-Shelter-That-Could
Accession Number: ED678947
Database: ERIC
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