Whatever It Takes Summary

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Whatever It Takes is an inspiring true story about a man's effort to improve educational achievement in Harlem, New York. The book describes how good intentions, alone, are often not enough to solve the poverty issues with children in America. Geoffrey Canada’s story depicts the impact poverty plays on inner-city education, the creation of the Harlem Children’s Zone charter schools and the pragmatism that is essential to ambitious reform.

Canada exhibited behaviors that correlated with the theories, strategies, and dispositions learned in the course content. Canada advocated for underprivilege and low-income families. In 1994, Carnegie Corporation published a study that emphasized the importance of the first three years in cognitive development

The creation of the Harlem Children’s Zone supports Canada’s disposition. Moreover, he replicated strategies and systems that worked at other Charter schools such as; KIPP, that have been recognized for high test scores. Canada implemented SLANT and slogans to Promise Academy. He also hired additional staff (i.e. consultants) to implement ideas and best practices to improve programs. Canada provide additional tutoring in the morning for struggling learners in hopes to improve student test scores. Canada was weary of programs that assisted a few kids overcome obstacles and make it out the ghetto; his goal was to change the odds, and do it for all of Harlem’s kids (Tough, 2008). Furthermore, Canada created targeted programs implemented using what he invented as the “conveyor belt” strategy. The system was designed so that a family can enroll in Baby College before their baby is born and get that child started on a track that is equipped to carry him or her through college. CPSEL 6B-3 states that a leader “promotes public policies that ensure the equitable distribution of resources and support services for all students.” Canada realized that these policies were not provided to the families in Harlem, therefore, the educational opportunities were not equally distributed to all

This is an important idea because it is necessary for all stakeholders to comprehend that some students are exposed and experience real life, serious issues such as; poverty/homelessness, hunger, abuse, custody battles (CPSEL 6B-1). It is difficult for a child to be concerned about homework when they are consumed with frustration, fear, anxiety about when they will eat, where they will live or sleep for the night. It is challenging for students to focus on their test performance when they are emotionally consumed with thoughts of their parents who failed to come home the night before and they have not heard from them since they left for school the previous morning. If I were to implement this concept at my school, visitors would see collaboration with the community to provide the students and their families with possible resources to assist them in addressing their needs. Visitors would also see a triangular mentoring program where administration and staff would mentor the older students, and those students in return would mentor the younger students. This process will mirror Canada’s “conveyor belt” strategy. In addition, I will ensure that the school site has an after-school program set up for students that will allow student to complete homework assignments and receive additional tutoring on concepts that will need