Success! The Marva Collins Approach (1981)

Summary

Marva Collins, a dedicated Chicago school teacher, founded Westside Preparatory School to provide quality education for children at risk of failure. Her unique teaching methods emphasize self-esteem, phonics, and individualized attention. Collins' approach integrates basic skills with positive reinforcement, discipline, and high expectations, helping students excel beyond their grade levels. Her story demonstrates the impact of love, hard work, and a belief in every child's potential, transforming struggling students into confident, capable learners who believe in their ability to succeed.

Takeaways

• 😀 Marva Collins believes in instilling a mindset of success and self-belief in her students, emphasizing that failure is not an option.
• 📚 Dissatisfied with the local education system, Marva started her own school, Westside Preparatory School, in 1975 to provide better education for children.
• 🏠 The school initially operated out of Marva's home in Chicago and later expanded to a larger building with more staff and students.
• 🧠 Marva’s teaching philosophy focuses on giving children the freedom to have their own thoughts while providing love and confidence.
• 👩‍🏫 Teachers at Westside Prep do not have desks and walk around all day to actively engage and serve the students, promoting a positive and supportive environment.
• 🔤 A key teaching tool at Westside Prep is phonics, which helps students understand and use the basic sounds of the English language for reading and writing.
• 💪 Marva believes in developing success without competition by fostering self-esteem and recognizing the uniqueness of each child.
• 🕰 Marva dedicates extra time each day for individual attention to students who need it, emphasizing the importance of personalized teaching.
• 🏫 Marva's curriculum focuses on the basics: reading, math, and composition, and integrates various subjects within a single lesson to provide a holistic learning experience.
• ❤️ Marva uses unique approaches to discipline, focusing on understanding and addressing the root causes of behavior problems, and always finding something positive to say about each child.

Q & A

Who is Marva Collins?

Marva Collins is a Chicago City school teacher who started her own school, Westside Preparatory School, due to dissatisfaction with her own children's education and the general state of education in her area.

What motivated Marva Collins to start her own school?

Marva Collins was motivated to start her own school because she felt there were too many children being recruited for failure and too many excuses being used for not educating children properly.

What is unique about the teaching methods at Westside Preparatory School?

The teaching methods at Westside Preparatory School are unique because they focus on individualized attention, phonics, high expectations, and a positive attitude towards each child's potential. Teachers walk around and serve the children instead of sitting at desks.

How does Marva Collins address discipline problems in her school?

Marva Collins addresses discipline problems by showing genuine concern for the students, standing beside them and talking directly to them, and finding positive ways to redirect their behavior. She emphasizes that acting out is a signal that something is wrong.

What role does phonics play in Marva Collins' teaching approach?

Phonics plays a major role in Marva Collins' teaching approach. It helps students learn the basic sounds of the English language, which they use for spelling, reading, and writing. This method ensures that students can read and spell any word they encounter.

How does Marva Collins view the role of teachers in the classroom?

Marva Collins views the role of teachers as facilitators who serve the children and help them discover their unique potential. She believes teachers should not try to conform children to their own expectations but should instead support children in having their own thoughts and ideas.

What does Marva Collins believe about the potential of her students?

Marva Collins believes that each child is unique and has the potential to succeed. She emphasizes that students should develop their own self-esteem and that teachers should believe in their students' abilities.

Why does Marva Collins include a variety of reading materials in her curriculum?

Marva Collins includes a variety of reading materials to expose children to different sources of knowledge and to prevent them from being limited by standard classroom textbooks. She believes that teachers should explore other means of teaching beyond what is given in the classroom.

How does Marva Collins integrate different subjects into her lessons?

Marva Collins integrates different subjects into her lessons by teaching story concepts, spelling, phonics, and composition within a single lesson. This interconnected approach helps children see the relationships between different areas of learning.

What is Marva Collins' approach to teaching children who are behind in their education?

Marva Collins' approach to teaching children who are behind is to give them individualized attention, believe in their potential, and work diligently to bring them up to grade level. She emphasizes that it is the responsibility of educators to ensure that all students succeed.