A Gathering Place for Information
The Tobin Lab at Louisiana State University is a collaborative space for ideas, research, and action on homelessness, education, housing, and justice. Our three main purposes are to highlight research we are conducting (or have conducted) ourselves; to provide links to other high-quality work on the needs of homeless children and youth in school; and to provide educators with strategies to meet the needs of this vulnerable population.
Upcoming Events
October: Dr. Tobin will travel to Germany to give a talk to PhD students at Heidelberg University and collaborate with former visiting scholar to the Tobin Lab, Matthias Fischer.
November: The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth Conference 2023 is coming to New Orleans in November! Dr. Tobin and soon-to-be Dr. Gros will be presenting about their book to district liaisons from all across the country.
LOCATION
107 Peabody Hall
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
CONTACT
ktobin@lsu.edu
Fall 2022 Visiting Scholar Highlight:
Matthias Fischer, Heidelberg University, Germany
At the beginning of the fall 2022 semester, we were delighted to host Matthias Fischer, a PhD student from University of Education Heidelberg, Germany. Matthias’s research interests include the didactics of science and education for homeless students as well as street-connected children and youth both in the Global North and South. Matthias earned a B.Sc. in mathematics and physics (University of Bayreuth, 2015) as well as an M.Ed. in these two subjects (University of Regensburg, 2019). Matthias has taught in a school in Cebu City, Philippines, which was specifically founded for former street-connected children and youth, and currently teaches physics at the University of Education Heidelberg. He is working on his dissertation, “Science Education in German Street Schools and its Potential to Fulfill the Sustainable Development Goal ‘Quality Education,’” and he has published about physics education for street youth. While at LSU, Matthias gave a guest lecture about what lessons the US can learn from his studies of the academic needs of homeless youth in Germany. He and Dr. Tobin are now collaborating on a manuscript about academic self-efficacy in German street youth. Stay tuned!
Homelessness is Complex and Multifaceted
In young children
Young children experiencing homelessness are 3x more likely than their domiciled peers to suffer from developmental delays. Click here to learn more about the challenges they face.
Families
Most people are surprised to learn that nearly 40% of the unhoused population in the US is comprised of families, usually female-headed, with young children. Read more about their experiences here.
At school
Passed in 1987, the McKinney-Vento Act mandates a host of supports and services for unhoused children at school. Click here to learn about this history of this law as well barriers to its full implementation.
Collegiate homelessness
Having gotten into college is not always the magic answer for youth. Even elite college athletes are not immune from the challenges of homelessness. Read more here about the challenges and the way colleges and universities can support these students.
unaccompanied youth
Some young people are unhoused without their families, either because they were asked to leave or ran away from unsafe homes. LGBTQ+ and parenting youth are overrepresented in this population. Click here to learn more.
Adults
Although our focus is on children and youth experiencing homelessness, some background on issues facing the adult population is vital to understanding the problem writ large. Systems produce homelessness, and the same systems that affect children harm the adults they love.