My Personal Pedagogy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

My Personal Pedagogy - Essay Example This essay shall demonstrate how my personal philosophy and pedagogy works together to define the kind of teacher that I am and strive to be. It will discuss four aspects of my pedagogy namely assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation as underpinned by my values of being a lifelong learner, being reflective, valuing positive, respectful and harmonious relationships and listening with an open heart and mind (as seen in Appendix 1).Edwards & Nuttal’s (2005) contention is that pedagogy is more than just understanding children and the curriculum and how they fit together to suit children’s learning. It goes beyond that. I agree with them that pedagogy also involves understanding the children’s contexts, personal experiences outside the academic sphere and factors around the wider community (Edwards & Nuttal, 2005). Such a viewpoint elevates the educator as an â€Å"active interpreter†(Edwards & Nuttal, 2005) of the context of children’s learni ng and not a mere interpreter of a prescribed curriculum. As an active interpreter, I believe assessment of children is the keen observation of how children learn, grow and develop and interpret these observations in accordance to the expected developmental milestones for their particular stage of development. It is all about my knowing more about children through noticing and recognizing their learning preferences and disposition for learning (Claxton & Carr, 2004). I try to see how curious, they are and how persistent and open they are in learning what they want. I try to see how curious, they are and how persistent and open they are in learning what they want. My assessment of children is guided by what I know about how they should be behaving, thinking, feeling, interacting, communicating, etc. at their particular age level (Fleer, 2006).I know that even if there are patterns of development, they are still unique individuals who possess their own individual personalities and abi lities. When I do observe them, I gather information about them so I can further improve outcomes for them with the planning that I will do for and with them. My reflection in Appendix 2 shows how I have observed children’s interests to further their learning while it also enhances my own learning. As a teacher, I have engaged in never-ending observation as a way to â€Å"obtain information†, (Quality in Action, 1998, p. 86). This is part of my value of learning. I always strive to be a keen observer as I look into their interactions, choice of resources, use of language (see in Appendix 3). In that reflection, it shows the change in how I believed learning should be, as I used to think it was more academic learning that should be pursued. But working in a real early childhood centre has made me realize that learning is more about child-centred initiations such as engaging in play, arts, sports, etc. to pursue their own interests so they fulfil their hunger for learnin g rather than from a teacher-directed activity, although I am not saying children will not learn from that too. Also in the assessment example in Kei Tua ote Pae (MoE, 2004), I agree what the social-cultural theory (Vygotsky, 1978 ) recommends - an assessment method which gives children the power to set their own goals, assess their own achievements and become responsible for their own learning. This is exhibited in the portfolio of their works which give voice to children’s thinking and abilities (Ministry of Education, 2004, 2005) (see in appendix 4 ). My value for positive, respectful and harmonious relationships also pushes me to observe the children with their families so I am able to see the dynamics of their relationship. Part of my assessment includes that I get to know about the children’s whanau and ask about what goes on in their families in such a way that I maintain a respectable distance so I do not probe too personally (as see in Appendix 5). I agree wit h Rinaldi (2001) contention that making child’

World History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

World History - Essay Example In the 21st century, women now make up 44% of the work force compared to women barely working outside of the home at all in the medieval period (Waite 2002). During Medieval times, Stuard (1993) points out that it was the male that had almost all of the legal say so over the rights of his family, land ownership, and further, even holding a position of dominance in marriage as well. However, many of the social customs of that time era were developed by the roles of women (Stuard 1993). Nevertheless, history does show that men carried the majority of the weight in the basic aspects of life during the medieval period. Furthermore, class and stature played a crucial role in what legal restrictions were placed on an entire family in the medieval period also (Stuard 1993). This of course has changed in the 21st century even though there can still be found different classes of people spread throughout the world. Even so, there is not the heavy emphasis on this as there once was. The many is sues of equality, family values, and economic concerns for the family as a whole, are what are predominant in today's period. To confirm this point it is found that the idea of social work is most profound to guarantee that family's have some level of equality in society.

The History of Nuclear Power Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

The History of Nuclear Power - Research Paper Example As a general rule, most of these crucial factors actually denote natural phenomena, whether discovered by sheer chance or due to meticulous research, possessing enormous potential for both destruction and creation; while others appear a genuinely human invention. Notwithstanding their origin, however, the way these factors have been mastered and harnessed to humanity’s advantage reflects the very human nature to test, to observe, and to dream (US Department of Energy/US DOE/, n.d.). Having played their crucial part in the development of Egypt’s ancient societies – the Old, Middle and New Kingdoms – the Nile River annual floods could be considered, beyond any doubt, one of the above-mentioned core phenomena; while the institution of slavery in ancient Rome brought about that little-known settlement on the River Tiber to be transformed into the hub of the then world. Without the driving force of spice trade in medieval times, there might have not come about the Age of Discovery, and neither would the Industrial Revolution without the steam engine. In turn, the commercial drilling for petroleum, which had started at some point in the mid-nineteenth century, not only drove the world into the modernity, but also became the mainspring of present-day geopolitics of the world. The late 1890s, however, witnessed the discovery of a natural phenomenon, which have been given the name ‘radioactivity’ by Marie and Pierre Curie, and later defined by Ernest Rutherford as a spontaneous event emitting alpha or beta particles from the atomic nuclei, and creating a different element (World Nuclear Association /WNA/, 2010). The consequent exploration of this phenomenon had involved many scientists from different countries across the world – from Niels Bohr, Frederick Soddy, James Chadwick, and Enrico Fermi, to Otto Frisch, etc. – and produced major breakthroughs, including the discovery of radionuclides and neutron, as well as the experimental conformation of Albert Einstein’s concept of mass-energy equivalence (WNA, 2010). Exploration of the Atom The idea that invisible particles constitute all matter in the universe is being first developed by ancient Greek philosophers (US DOE, n.d.). The name of those particles – atoms – comes from one of the meanings of the Greek word (atomos), or indivisible (US DOE, n.d.; Liddell and Scott, 1940). This idea reigned supreme at least until the late eighteenth century, but it was not earlier than the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries when the concept had been revised by scientific experiments (US DOE, n.d.). Following the discovery of Uranium in 1789 by the German chemist Martin Klaproth, who named it after the recently discovered planet Uranus (Herschel and Hoskin, 2003; WNA, 2010), there was a gap of nearly 100 years during which nothing in this field of science was to get excited about. In November 1895, Professor Wilhelm Conrad Ro ntgen of the Wurzburg University had unintentionally produced â€Å"a hitherto unknown form of radiant energy that was invisible, could cause fluorescence, and passed through objects opaque to light†, which he named x-rays (Novelline, 2004); six years later Wilhelm Rontgen was awarded the first Nobel Prize in physics for the discovery of ionizing

The Devils Highway Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The Devils Highway - Essay Example Most of these emigrants get to the US through illegally crossing the border. Crossing over the Mexican border has not always been illegal though. During the 19th Century and the beginning of the 20th century, Mexicans were allowed to cross by the American government as they provided labor which grew the economy. In fact, they were so essential that the government would entice them with some allowances, to top up their salaries. The 1920s depression however saw an end to this and a barrier was constructed across the border to stop the crossing over. Nowadays, Mexicans wanting to access a better life in the US, have to illegally cross the border and survive the ruthless border patrol, unimaginable transportation conditions and not forgetting the one of harshest deserts in the world (Borjas 58). The Devil’s Highway Journalist Luis Alberto Urrea shares with us such an occasion in his book, The Devil’s Highway. The book describes the horrifying ordeals of some 26 Mexicans in their journey across the border. The group manages to cross over, only to find themselves in the Sonora Desert, or as others call it, the devils highway. In the aftermath, 14 of the emigrants die, making the highest group of deaths while crossing the border in history. Many of the deaths result from exposure to the extreme desert heat while those who survive are near death themselves. Urrea also details of all the mechanisms that facilitate the border crossing in the region, from the coyotes to the vigilante border patrols (Urrea 78). The story can be described as nothing less of an international tragedy. It is a very vivid description of the horrors that Mexican immigrants undergo as they are smuggled into Arizona. In comparison to other writers of his age, Urrea is very daring from the way he vividly and fearlessly tells it from all sides of the story with brutal honesty, even through the eyes of the border patrol officers. For example, in spite of their Wild West and ruthless na ture, one cannot help but empathize with the situations of the border patrol officers. Urrea also tells this tale with horrifying descriptions, but at the same time, shows compassion to these victims. The story is thrilling and fascinating while being tragic and horrifying at the same time. It is heartbreaking to learn of how some poor Mexicans fall prey to the promises of smugglers in the pursuit of some greener pastures, only to end up dead or in near-death. Some do not even make it to the other side as the coyotes betray them to die in the desert while they part with the money. Even those who complete the journey cannot be termed as lucky as they meet with a society that does not approve of their arrival, and a government that constantly seeks to flush them out and expel them. How the migration matters to us The issue of Mexican migration affects us all as the youth and citizens of America. As much as it pains to admit it, illegal emigrants bring more harm than benefit to the cou ntry, the biggest being the crossing over of drugs. In 2004, for example, 90% of the cocaine sold in America was smuggled by illegal emigrants through the US-Mexico border. Also, many of those caught attempting to cross over have been found in possession of such drugs, which they were meant to sell in the US. Another disadvantage of the emigrants is the increase of crime associated with them. Many of those who manage to cross over have criminal pasts from their country origin. These individuals enter the US then join or start up some criminal gangs like the

Assignment #7 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Assignment #7 - Essay Example Under the given circumstances, it is torment for him as he finds it very difficult to take in the very idea of people in apparently advantageous situation laughing at their ill-fated counterparts. It seemed quite unfair and illogical to the naive little boy who had very fine sensibilities. Social acceptability was the major element that determined the manner in which a particular person was treated by others. In the perception of Acuna, the migrants were not acceptable as they were hardly clean. They lived out side the town keeping to the dirt roads and dust. They were compelled by their situation to remain aloof thus. Their poverty and displacement took away their sense of self-esteem and they knew they were being treated like implements. 2. The growers kept the migrant families apart because they wanted the families to fight against each other for jobs. By taking advantage of the desperate situation of the poor workers, the grower community tried to extract the maximum from each. One another tactic they resorted to was the practice of assigning the best crops to the fastest workers in the hope of generating professional rivalry among them, which would invariably result in enhanced quality of work. Acuna was very naive and ignorant of the mysterious ways of the world. Therefore, he did not realize the hideous aspect of the acts of his employers who deliberately attempted segregation among the families of the migrant community. 3. The social acceptance that came with the job is what prompted Acuna to take up the position of foreman. Besides the monetary benefits, his eagerness to make his parents proud of him counted significant in this move. 4. Acuna joined the Marines at the age of seventeen. It was immediately after he had his disillusionment as a foreman. He quit the job because the company refused to hike his wages though they increased the pay of those below him.

Compulsory education Essay Example for Free

Compulsory education Essay The K-12 education system is the public education system that most people are familiar with today. Comprised of 13 grades, kindergarten through 12th, it refers to the public school system in all of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and parts of Europe as well. It is difficult to pinpoint the exact history of education, as it has been occurring in some form for centuries in all parts of the world. Today, K-12 education represents the compulsory education required of all children in the US. Though this type of education can be attained from either publicly or privately funded institutions, children who have reached compulsory school age (ranging from age six to eight, depending on the state) are required by law to attend school. Compulsory education in the United States began over 150 years ago when Horace Mann established a statewide system of education in Massachusetts, which became the first state to pass school attendance laws in 1852. By 1918, children were required by law to receive an education in all states. Kindergarten was actually developed prior to compulsory education. Though it is not compulsory in all states, children are required to start school in most states at the age of six. If the child is too young to start kindergarten the year he turns five, kindergarten may technically be required since he will be turning six that school year. The word kindergarten is of German origin and means â€Å"children’s garden.† The concept was the brainchild of Friedrich Froebel, a self-educated philosophical teacher, who sought to develop a place of guided play for children to â€Å"bloom.† The first kindergarten established in England was in 1852, and the United States followed by establishing its first in 1856. Though education was required of all children in Massachusetts by that time and many other states were following suit, not all schools provided, nor required, kindergarten. Similarly, not all schools required a student to stay in school beyond a certain grade, as compulsory education initially applied only to elementary aged children. Many children were also permitted to miss portions of the  school year, especially farmers’ children who were needed at home for harvesting crops and preparing for the winter. The Education Act of 1918, or the Fisher Act, was an act of British Parliament that implemented changes in progressive education and helped form many aspects of the K-12 education system used today. The Fisher Act raised the age at which children could leave school to 14 and addressed education needs, such as health inspections and accommodations for special needs children. This act also led to the development of a committee that reported to and made recommendations to policy makers regarding education. In the United States, unlike England, public education was governed by each individual state. As early as 1791, seven states had specific provisions for education in their own individual constitutions and were formed partly on the basis of education without religious bias. Prior to the passing of compulsory school attendance laws, education was primarily localized and available only to the wealthy, and it often included religious teachings. Following the compulsory attendance laws, Catholics banned together in opposition of states mandating common schooling and created private Catholic schools. In 1925, the Supreme Court ruled that children could attend public or private schools for education. Over time, each individual state developed its own department of education to oversee the public education system. Compulsory attendance grew to include kindergarten and mandate attendance through the age of 16. Funding sources for public education also grew to include federal, state and local sources. Federal funding was overseen by the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare from 1953 to 1979, until it was divided and the US Department of Education was formed as a stand-alone entity. By the 1950s, compulsory education had become well established, but the K-12 education system was really still in its infancy. Schools were still primarily localized, but education was no longer available only to the wealthy. Even in the 1950s, however, segregation by race was still common practice in public schools in the US. Then came another landmark decision by  the Supreme Court. In 1954, in the US Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that racial segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. Though this decision was met with resistance and it took many years before legalized segregation was completely eliminated, especially in southern states, the federal courts eventually achieved success. This achievement was not without its repercussions, and many urban and inner city schools saw an exodus of wealthy and middle-class white families, who moved to suburban districts. In time, many urban districts were left only with poor families and it became difficult to attract and pay for quality teachers and education. Since the formation of the US Department of Education in 1979, the education system has been similar to what is found today, but has undergone a series of developments and amendments to accommodate the changing needs of education. Funding has always been a source of concern for public schools, especially in poor, urban districts, where the quality of education also came into question. As a result, federal funding is now directly related to school performance as determined by standardized testing under the current No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). NCLB was signed into law by President George W. Bush 3 January 2002. Under this law, standards of accountability were increased in an effort to improve performance and to give parents flexibility in choosing schools. NCLB requires states to administer assessments of basic skills to all students at certain grade levels and achieve the standards set forth by each state in order to receive federal funding. Specific and more rigorous goals were placed on reading achievements under this law and states also had to develop high school exit or graduation exams with specific measures of assessment in place as well. The intention was to hold schools to a higher  level of accountability, but was debated from its inception. Currently, the K-12 public education system provides a 12th grade education to eligible students for free. Families have the option of sending their children to private schools, but are then responsible for tuition. The future of education will undoubtedly experience change and social and economical challenges, just as it has in the past. Programs may soon expand to include pre-K compulsory attendance and could even expand to include options beyond the 12th grade, as these are concepts, in their earliest stages, currently being explored.

The Poverty Stricken People Of Canada Social Work Essay

The Poverty Stricken People Of Canada Social Work Essay One of the first microsystem causes of poverty would be if an individual came from an impoverished family. This is a predisposing factor that an individual is likely to become impoverished themselves, if their family of origin was poor as well. More than half the children in the United States living in poverty grew up to be impoverished, while 1 in 4 grew up to have a low socio-economic status and 1 in 3 in Canada (Corak, 2006). Also, according to the text Social Inequality: Patterns and Processes 4th ed., by Martin Mager, low parental income, may result in poorer quality education, continuing the cycle by making it difficult to find an adequate job due to lack of education. That lack of education becomes a perpetuating factor, which maintains the cycle (Mager, 2008). Another cause of poverty in some cases may be divorce or single parenthood. This would be a precipitating cause because together a couple on two incomes may be able to support a child, however, divided they may not have the income to provide as they did previously. According to a study done in Ottawa, children in single parent homes are more likely to become impoverished, especially when there was more than one child living in the home (Fleury, 2008). In many situations, one parent may have stayed at home to care for children and the household, while the other worked, meaning that parent would be dependent on the other parent. If a divorce takes place, the dependent parent no longer has the other parent to support them, and they may not have employment, making it very easy for them to fall into poverty. Yet another cause of poverty is addiction, which can be both a precipitating and a perpetuating cause. Addictions can often lead to loss of employment and misuse of finances which can bring on and perpetuate the issue of poverty. Lawrence M. Mead says although poverty is not an addiction, it is often caused by and causes addiction. Addiction has a definite trickle effect on poverty. If one has an addiction, for example, to a drug, it becomes the most important thing in their life, all their money goes to purchasing the drug, all their time is devoted to scoring and doing drugs, which means, they may not go to school or work, or their behaviour causes them to be dismissed, meaning they have no means for an income. The addicts income would go towards drugs, and not other needs, or they would not have an income at all, leaving them in poverty. Lastly, a cause of poverty is often debt and poor debt management. It is possible to live with some debt and not have to live in poverty, however if debt is not managed properly and becomes more than one is capable of dealing with, it can lead to poverty. Four million Americans would fall below the federal poverty line if the interest they pay on their credit cards and other consumer debts were subtracted from their incomes says a San Francisco Chronicle article. These people are called the debt poor (Abate, 2009). These people, although they may not look like the stereotypical poor, they technically do not have the means to obtain the necessities of life and, at some point are faced with bankruptcy and the loss of their home. Microsystem Consequences A microsystem consequence of poverty is low self-esteem. It is obvious children living in poverty have trouble buying the latest trends, their parents may not drive the nicest car or drive a car at all, maybe they do not have a washer and dryer and so sometimes they have to go without clean clothes for a period. Their parents cannot afford to put them in music lessons or sign them up for sports teams. Some children, who are resilient would not let this stop them from being confident, however, not all children understand that they are not on a level playing field, so to speak and believe that it is a weakness in themselves and not inequity within the system and feel that their personal worth is directly related to their financial worth. A child with the tools to succeed is more likely to succeed and if they succeed, they become more confident, making them more likely to take more risks, with a likelihood of succeeding again and increasing their confidence more. In some cases, children in poverty lack those tools, or have to work harder for them, meaning they do not succeed as often, decreasing their self-esteem (Eric J. Marsh, 2010). Bullying is another consequence of poverty that often goes along with low self-esteem. Children in poverty are often bullied. According to a study done in the UK, low-income children are often the target of bullying in wealthier areas, because of their socio-economic status (Branigan, 2007). One in 13 children in an international study of 35 countries and more than 162 000 children reported bullying due to their socio-economic status. The inequity among adolescents from low socio-economic backgrounds puts them at a greater risk for bullying. Teens that are from schools and living in countries where there is a bigger gap between socio-economic groups are at higher risk of being bullied. Poverty also has a huge impact on childrens physical development. One in ten Canadians is affected by food insecurity which has a correlation to poor health (Kirkpatrick, 2008). Without proper diet, children will lack the nutrients they need to develop optimally, and may even become over or under weight. Studies show children with a balanced diet are sick less often than children with poor nutrition (Kirkpatrick, 2008). Families may not be able to afford medical expenses or treatments that would prevent their child from illness or lessen the effects of an illness or injury, causing impairment. Also, parents in low-income homes may find it more difficult to afford necessary repairs in the household that would ensure their childs safety. Pregnant mothers living in poverty also pose a risk, if they are not able to afford adequate prenatal care. Poverty has an impact on mental health, as well. Children from low socio-economic backgrounds were more than twice as likely to suffer from anxiety and depression as their counterparts from better socio-economic statuses (Mark Lemstra, 2008). Children from low-income families, not only have the normal stress a child would have, many impoverished children are aware of their families hardships and have developed anxiety about bills and debts and food security, and feelings of hopelessness about their situations and lack positive feelings of self-worth. Besides affecting physical and mental health, social development is also a consequence of poverty. Poverty has an impact on the development of social skills in children. Children living in poverty often have poorer language skills and less developed coping skills, which in turn impacts the quality of their relationships with peers (Lisa Fiorentino, 2004). Children living in poverty also have less opportunity for social interaction due to the fact they are not able to afford to be part of extra-curricular groups that help develop social skills and encourage peer relationships. Without the money to afford the same social opportunities children in low-income homes are not able to develop social skills as easily, so poverty is a definite impact on social development. Cognitive impairment has also been cited as a consequence of poverty. According to research, children who are malnourished will suffer cognitive deficiencies and children living in poverty are more likely to be malnourished than those who are middle class or affluent. Also, children who are poor are less equipped to explore their environment meaning they are not receiving the same mental stimulation or their environment is less stimulating (Brown, 1996). Parents are also less able to afford to put their children in activities or purchase things like books and computers that would help stimulated cognitive development. Thus, there are various reasons why poverty has an influence on cognitive development including malnutrition, and lack of opportunity for mental stimulation. Another unfortunate consequence of poverty is abuse and neglect. According to research from the NSPCC: women from poor childhood homes were twice as likely to have suffered abuse or neglect (77 per cent versus 38 per cent), and the association was even more striking with multiple forms of abuse, with a three-fold increase: 45 per cent of those from poor childhood homes had experienced more than one form of abuse compared with 15 per cent who had experienced no poverty. (NSPCC, 2008) Poverty can put a lot of stress and strain on families making parents more susceptible to becoming perpetrators and children more vulnerable and likely to be victimized. Lack of resources also makes it more difficult to provide children with their basic needs, which does not always constitute an allegation of neglect, however, if the parent is using child welfare tax and child support for personal use and not to provide for the child it is neglect. Poverty can also impact ones personal values and beliefs. Childrens values and beliefs are affected by their socio-economic status. From personal experience, being very poor growing up, I had a certain paradigm. I believed that wealthy people were the enemy and that they did not value me because I was poor. I also did not value education very much because I did not believe I would have the opportunity to go to college or university, because my parents could not afford to help me pay for it. I learned not to value money and do with less. Family was important to me, since I spent so much time at home, due to the fact I could not afford to be in any lessons or on sports teams. It is obvious a child from a poor home compared to a family from a wealthy home would have a very different outlook on life. Mesosystem Causes Lack of resources is a precipitating cause of poverty. There is a lack of affordable housing and lack of services available to combat poverty and to assist those in poverty, especially for new immigrants coming to Canada. There are not enough services available to help new Canadians adjust, to help them upgrade education, to find jobs and affordable homes and to learn the language so they can succeed at their job and at school. In some more rural areas there is no ESL program offered. Also, the complicated forms and waitlists mean people in need of poverty relief may not get help for months (Canadian Council on Social Development, 2010). Loss of employment is a precipitating cause of poverty, as well. Loss of a job sometimes not only means loss of financial support from an employer, it also means loss of insurance. Meaning medical and dental care, house repair, car repair are not covered, so families do without or are put further in debt by having to pay for medical or repair bills. If a family has no income it is difficult to provide necessities for ones family, and if the low-income cut-off is more than 50% of income is spent on necessities, than anyone who is unemployed or whose spouse is unemployed will likely fit that criteria (Statistics Canada, 2010). Mesosystem consequences A microsystem consequence of poverty was child abuse and neglect, so it is evident then, that on a mesosystem level there is a consequence which affects Childrens Aid Societies. CAS woks with families to help get them on track and get support that they may not otherwise be able to afford for their child. According to OACAS, many of the children using their services are living in poverty (Laurie Monseebaaten, 2008). Poverty is a blanket problem which is the cause and consequence of many of the things CAS deals with on a regular basis, often times to deal with these other problems they provide families with services that deal with poverty. Another big consequence of poverty is that it affects the childs school experience. In some cases children go to school in a poorer neighbourhood and so their peers are poor, but quite often poor children go to schools where there is socio-economic inequality. This, in some cases affects them more as it makes the children more reluctant to accept help financially to pay for field trips or sports teams. They lose out on learning opportunities because of their poverty. They also have a more difficult time succeeding in school because they may not have access to computers or books necessary to help them learn and complete school work, and because they may have jobs outside of school to help them combat the poverty, leaving them less time for their school work (Sands, 2007). Poverty is a big barrier to health care, even in Canada. Although initial healthcare is free. The cost of medication, eye care and dental care is still too expensive for some people to afford. For example, there is a treatment for AIDS however, it is too expensive for individuals to buy, but the pharmaceutical companies will not distribute it for free or at a lesser cost because they do not wish to lose profit (UNFPA, 2009). Because dental care, eye care and medication are for the most part, not every day needs, most people living in poverty go without it. Another consequence of poverty is that churches are involved in poverty relief around the world. Religious groups are the number one source of charitable funds donated in Canada and advocates for the poor according to the World Council of Churches (World Council of Churches, 2011). Churches are very involved locally and internationally with the fight against poverty, they work on all levels of prevention, primary, secondary and tertiary. They support the development of micro businesses for women in Indian as a primary prevention, they work with Canadian Food Grains Bank to distribute food as a secondary prevention and they work in soup kitchens and assist people locally who come into get support as a tertiary prevention. (McLennan, 2011). A consequence of poverty is the inability to afford to put children into extracurricular activities and segregation in extracurricular activities. This has consequences in itself, but in general, the high cost of music and dance lessons and sports teams means that children are not able to participate, or are segregated to specific activities that are more affordable. Recently, there has been offered a tax break for parents of children on sports teams, which has alleviated some of the stress put on parents to allow their children to participate, however, some parents still struggle to put their children in activities, some of which are difficult to get to if parents do not have reliable transportation. Having children in extracurricular activities is also a primary preventative measure for preventing children from getting involved in crime, so parents in poverty who cannot afford to put their children in sports or pay for some kind of art lessons may also have to suffer another consequence of poverty, which is having their children involved in crime. Crime is another consequence of poverty for a number of reasons. Families may steal food to supplement what little they have, children and youth may steal things they want that they cannot afford, parents and children may get involved with dealing drugs or fraud to supplement their income. A study done in the U.S. also shows that the law is more lenient to affluent offenders giving them little or no jail time compared to poorer offenders (Reiman, 1995). Another consequence of poverty is that families are segregated to specific neighbourhoods and attend specific schools depending on their income. Rarely when low-income housing is built is it just one house in a relatively affluent neighbourhood, most low income housing is built in blocks; townhouses or apartments and there is often more than one in a neighbourhood. Thus, that particular neighbourhood is stigmatized as being the poor neighbourhood. Peers are all from similar socio-economic backgrounds, schools in the neighbourhood are often overwhelmingly populated by low-income children (Fleury, 2008). Exosystem Causes A perpetuating cause of poverty is lack of government funding for poverty relief. For people already living in poverty if they cannot get sufficient assistance to help them out of poverty, it means they remain there longer. Any social assistance one may receive is barely enough to live on so these people are still only making ends meet. Without the opportunity to save some money people will continue living paycheque to paycheque and if there is an emergency it may put more financial strain on them, because they did not have enough to live on to begin with and they are put into debt. Another perpetuating cause of poverty among immigrants in Canada is the transportation loans. Refugee families come to Canada, hoping for a better life, the Canadian government is kind enough to loan them money for travel expenses, which are very costly. However, they are expected to pay this loan back within a very brief window of time, keeping in mind that what little money they came with has been put towards finding a place to live and they may not even have a job yet (Canadian Council for Refugees, 2010). Unfortunately, this is of little concern to the government, so these people must struggle both with being able to support themselves in a new country and with paying back debt, perpetuating their poverty. Next, the cost of living in Canada has a great impact on poverty and is a precipitating consequence. This is a cause more often attributed to developed countries. The average cost of rent in Toronto is between $775 and $895 for a 1 bedroom apartment, the cost of groceries for a month is approximately $100 a month and the cost of telephone services is about $23 a month (Fast Facts, 2006). With just those expenses, the cost of living for a month can be more than $1000, however, a person employed full-time (40 hrs/wk) at minimum wage ($10.25) makes less than twice that, meaning significantly more than half of their income goes towards necessities of life. Finally, a perpetuating cause for poverty among children is the discrepancy in the Low-Income Cut-off with regards to what necessities are. It observes the need for clothing, shelter and food; however, it does not take into account a childs need for social and emotional development and scholastic success, which may come from appropriate childcare, participation in extracurricular activities and the purchase of school supplies. Without these things it is much more difficult to succeed in school and life, meaning less stable employment, which in turn results in continuing the cycle of poverty. Exosystem Consequences One of the consequences of poverty is how people view those on social assistance. There is the common stigma that people on social assistance are abusing the system and that they are just lazy and do not wish to get a job, however that is not always the case. In some cases, the recipient of social assistant is someone who was a dependant and did not work or could not work and for a variety of reasons had to leave that dependant situation and needed financial support, but was not able to find a job immediately (Pulkingham, 2011). The portrayal of poverty in media is a consequence has a consequence on how poverty is viewed. The media has created this stereotype of the poor adolescent. They are always from the wrong side of the tracks, engage in immoral behaviour, get into a lot of fights and never excel in school or they are portrayed as dirty street children. For example, in the movie Slums of Beverly Hills, the characters are a poor family who must constantly move to avoid paying rent; the young female is not interested in school and is very promiscuous (Jenkins, 1998). Evidently, this inaccurate portrayal of poverty does not help with a childs self-esteem or to reduce bullying or encourage impoverished youth that they are capable of achieving great things. Another myth that has become the consequence of how people view poverty is the myth that people who use soup kitchens and food banks are homeless or jobless, when in reality many of the people accessing these facilities are working poor, who have jobs, and perhaps a home. They may be able to pay their rent, but their income is not sufficient enough to afford adequate food. Close to 7 million workers earn less than $ 20 000 per annum and 40% of impoverished children live in families where at least one parent is employed full-time year round. Parents have children to care for and sometimes that means they need to supplement their meals with food from a food bank or meals from a soup kitchen to make sure their children are fed (Poor No More, 2009). Next, a consequence of how people view poverty is the myth that poor children are less intelligent and not as successful as wealthier children. Although there is evidence that poorer children are more likely to struggle in school and that they will continue the cycle of poverty and that poverty is a risk factor for lower IQ, this is not always the case. Really, this depends on resilience. The more resilient and determined a child is, the more likely they will overcome their circumstances and excel in school and in life (Lisa Fiorentino, 2004). Although they may not have the same resources as a wealthy child, as long as they have a good support system and the determination to succeed no matter what obstacles are placed in front of them, they will break free from that stereotype. Yet another myth that exists is that poor people are always looking for handouts. This is actually very inaccurate; often families remain in poverty because they are too proud to ask for assistance which could be a perpetuating cause of poverty as well. Also, though they are poor they are far from helpless. Many people would be happy to offer their skills or work in return for support and would feel more fulfilled doing so (Poor No More, 2009). Some acknowledgement and treatment as an equal is often what the poor are looking for, not just spare change. The final myth that exists in our society is that poverty only happens in Africa, this. The overwhelming amount of support and publicity the poverty stricken continent receives is inspiring, however, servicing the local poor does not seem nearly as important to people. When we look at the private aid going overseas to relieve poverty and the amount of sponsorship and adoption of children in developing nations, it is significantly more that what is received locally. Fifteen per cent of Canadian children are living in poverty; that is approximately 100 thousand children (Fleury, 2008). 100 thousand children who need help, but are overlooked for children in developing countries. Poverty does happen in Canada. Macrosystem Causes A precipitating cause of poverty that has been highly publicized in recent years is the economy. Canada, along with nearly the entire rest of the world has felt the impact of an economic depression which has inflated prices, caused job loss and created a huge influx of people into social assistance. As previously discussed, cost of living, job loss and lack of resources are causes of poverty; an economic depression is the cause of all three, making poverty an issue on a supranational scale. Third world governments are obligated to compete with each other and with more dominant, developed nations. To attract investors, impoverished countries attempt to provide cheaper resources, goods and labour. This has only increased poverty (Shah, 2011). So, the economy has been an international cause of poverty. Additionally, war is a precipitating cause of poverty. War causes immense destruction and costs millions of dollars. There is destruction to systems such as social services and health care and resources are diluted and redirected from poverty relief to maintaining the war, as well as physical damage to buildings and belongings. This consequently results in poverty