Mr. Breisch Pilots Course on Homelessness

Like many senior electives, Jack Breisch`s Homelessness class evolved from a personal passion. Mr. Breisch, as his students call him, credits his experience as a long-time volunteer at Trinity Cathedral in downtown Cleveland and a man named Ernest for negating his stereotype of homeless people and inspiring him to continue his work on their behalf. Ernest, a homeless man in his mid-seventies and frequent visitor at Trinity, would engage Breisch in in-depth discussions about literature, music, and art and seemed to know even more about Shakespeare than the seasoned English teacher who had befriended him. The relationship proved to be life-changing for both men: Breisch discovered a passion for working with the homeless, many of whom, he came to realize, have incredibly rich histories and brilliant minds that discredit our stereotyped image; and Ernest discovered a friend and soul-mate in Breisch, who succeeded in his mission to find Ernest a permanent home. Mr. Breisch enjoys sharing stories like this with his students, but he hopes they will discover their own personally transforming stories during this course of study, which explores homelessness through a variety of lenses and with a particular focus on Cleveland. Guiding questions include: What do we know or think we know about homelessness? What do we need to know? What stereotypes do we need to reconsider or refute? Research, service learning, writing, and presentation are all essential elements of the course, which features on its reading list The Soloist by Steve Lopez, The Glass Castle, by Jeanette Walls, Miles From Nowhere, by Nami Mun, as well as selected essays, stories, and on-line materials. In the genre of "creative non-fiction," students write formal responses to readings, research, and on-site work, experimenting as they see fit with narrative style, point of view, voice, form, and format. Student writings are submitted on a shared drive to enable the class to "workshop" selections and to promote interactive dialogue and discussion. As one of the pilot programs of Hawken`s newly acquired urban extension campus at University Circle, the class emphasizes service learning, an instructional strategy designed to enhance learning through the building of meaningful, symbiotic relationships. To facilitate this experiential aspect of the course, Breisch has established connections with six service agencies in or near downtown Cleveland and has assigned teams of 2-3 students to each of those agencies. Students plan to spend two sessions each month at their designated agency with the goal of strengthening existing programs or helping to establish new ones. Agencies include The New Life Community, a transitional housing facility for families; The Men`s Shelter at 2100 Lakeside, the largest men`s shelter in Cleveland; North Point Transitional Housing, which provides housing and life-training for men; Care Alliance, a health and medical facility for the homeless and disadvantaged; Magnolia Clubhouse in University Circle, a facility for mentally disabled people; and Calvary Lutheran Hunger Center in East Cleveland, a service organization initiated and administered by a former homeless man. As part of the experiential learning segment, students are charged with identifying a problem that is specifically related to the work of their agency. During the final weeks of the course, the teams of students will work toward a response or solution to that problem. At the end of the course, each team will deliver a presentation about their service work to peers, interested teachers, and friends. Breisch`s goal is to enable students to put a face on homelessness and thereby become inspired to elevate awareness and implement change - the kind of life-altering change he has witnessed through his own work at Trinity Cathedral. Though the class is only in its third week, his vision is already taking shape and gaining momentu