Poverty In Canada Essay

Geoffrey Canada’s program for solving the problem of poverty as been seen to be helpful to the young members of the society. But, within every program there are strengths and weaknesses. Geoffrey focuses on three main ideas to help the children in poverty. First, a business focused model for children’s educational studies. Second, starting children of with a “baby college” at a young age. Third, having contamination seen as a positive aspect for children. The business focused model was the main focus on how to improve the test score within Promise Academy. The business focus model was a way to help students increase test scores within a short period of time before the students had their testing to determine their improvement through the
school. Druckenmiller was an important reason why the school decide to go through a business model because they were the financial support for the school (Whatever it Takes, pg. 135). Student that were very far behind in learning would come to school three mornings a week, 7 to 7:45am and the ones a little more advance would come to school on Saturday 9 to 11 am (Whatever it Takes, pg. 137). One of the benefits what that it allowed students the chance to change the direction of how their education and the effect it would have on their lives. On the downside, the extra time in class was starting to have negative effects on the children. Many students were having trouble coming into early classes because they were too tired and some student started showing sign of not improving due the level of stress that was put on them.
The Baby College was one of the ways that Canada wanted to help children from zero to three years old. He feels that starting education for children at kindergarten was too late and wanted to change this. He was able to get into contact with Berry Brazelton, a child psychologist, the create a curriculum for new parents (Whatever it Takes, pg. 58). One of the positive aspects of the program was that it allowed parent to have a second chance when it came to parenting. Some felt what they learned from their own parents needed to be change but they did not have means to know how to make these changes because they knew the children were at a disadvantage in life due to their location in Harlem (Whatever it Takes, pg.79). One of the weakness of the program was that the government did not help pay for the expenses. Baby College spends around 1.2 million dollars a year to sponsors the program and each graduating parent will cost $3,000. Making sure that the money in the budget is there for the Baby College is very important or else the program is unable to last (Whatever it Takes, pg. 94).
Another aspect of Canada’s program is through his idea of Contamination.
Contamination is used as a way for speaking about the effects streets on a housing project, neighborhood, or a child and using this in a way to have children want to do well in school. One of the strength of focusing on contamination is it create a sense of belonging and values that are devoted to the block when the influence of education becomes important, it will in turn allow for better lives for those in ghettos. One of the downsides of contamination is that you must be able to change the minds of those parents living in the “streets” before the children learn that education is not important. (Whatever it Takes, pg.
125).
Overall, within Canada’s program to solve Harlem’s poverty through education has some positive effects on the community.
What I would recommend is keeping the Baby College as a high priority within Harlem. By having this program, it may decrease the amount of student that were falling behind in school. I would then adjust the business model of education. Instead of having the children come into school early, I would only have Saturday classes for those who needed help. It would also for children to be less stress and focus on activities outside of the classroom. Finally, I would try to intervene contamination as soon as possible. By doing that as soon as possible it would prevent children for seeing the streets as a better option than wanting to further their
education.