Marva Collins

1. Marva Collins A’lexus McKee Shantoria Fields EDUC 104 Dr. Hightower-Davis

2. The Basics Birth Name : Marva Deloise Nettles Birth Date : August 31, 1936 Birth Place : Monroeville , Alabama Marva Collins was known as one of the most influential teachers and education activists of the 20th Century. Togain equal access to quality education for minorities , she started her own school in Chicago and founded a style of education known as the Collins Method.

3. Before The Fame • Marva Collins grew up in segregated Atmore , Alabama . • Her family instilled in her an awareness of the family’s historical excellence and helped develop her strong desire for learning , achievement and independence. • She graduated from Clark College in Atlanta, GA • She taught in her home town for 2 years and then substituted in Chicago for 14 . • While living in Chicago, she met her husband Clarence Collins . • The couple had 2 children , Cynthia and Patrick • Her feelings towards the type of education her two children were receiving in the prestigious private schools is what made her decide to open up her own school. • She took the $5,000 balance in her school pension fund and began her own school with her own children and 4 other kids from their neighborhood

4. Westside Preparatory School • Located in a Chicago inner-city area neighborhood , Garfield Park • Doors opened in 1975 with only 6 children to begin with • The school was available to any child who was failed by the school systems or diagnosed with a learning disability • In the first year , she taught disabled and problem children • Even one child who had been labeled by Chicago public school authorities as borderline retarted. • By the end of the first year every child scored at least 5 grades higher • This proved that the previous labels placed on these children were misguided • The CBS program, 60 Minutes, visited her school for the second time in 1996. • The little border line retarted girl, graduated in 1976 from college Summa Cum Laude. • It was documented on the 60 Minutes programs in 1996. • Marva's graduates have entered some of the nation's finest colleges and universities, such as Harvard, Yale, and Stanford, to mention just a few. And, they have become physicians, lawyers, engineers, educators, and entered other professions. http://ageofmontessori.org/film-3-the-marva-collins-story/06/

5. The Collins Method • The Collins Method was a Socratic Method of teaching. • The Socratic method teaches by using a series of questions and answers by which the logical stability of a definition, or a point of view, or the meaning of a concept, is tested. The Socratic method is based on logical analysis, consequently, it develops superb reasoning skills in students. • In the Socratic method the teacher controls the rate and flow of information. • This method encourages participation by all students, as it alleviates discipline problems, and eventually eliminates them entirely. • When students misbehave, it indicates that they have not developed the habit of 'right' reasoning. • As taught by Marva , her method centered on Phonics, Math, Reading, English and the classics. Apart of their reading lists were the teachings of Plato, Chaucer, Homer and Tolstoy. When asked how did she get children to understand The Canterbury Tales in Old English , she replied “ it never dawned on me that they couldn’t learn it. Kids don’t fail , Teachers fail , School systems fail. The people who teach children that they are failures , they are the problem.”

6. Other Achievements Marva and her school became a story. The made-for-television movie titled, The Marva Collins Story starred Cicely Tyson and Morgan Freeman first airing 1982, and is still presented on television today. In addition to her outstanding work with children , Marva has received some outstanding awards. She received … The Jefferson Award for Benefiting the Disadvantaged The Humanitarian Award for Excellence Legendary Women of the World Award Many honorary doctoral degrees from universities such as Amherst, Dartmouth, Notre Dame, and Clark University The prestigious National Humanities Medal from President Bush in 2004 She also appeared on Good Morning America , America, 20/20, Fox News, and a number of other programs.

7. The End of Westside Prep. In2008 , the doors closed due to the lack of resources of community support. By this time, enrollment had dropped form 130 to nearly 30. With thousands of her students already in the workforce and colleges around the country , Collins impact on the American School System and the lives she helped turn around continues.

8. For More information … Useful sites : http://www.biography.com/people/marva-collins-5894?page=1 http://www.marvacollins.com/biography.html http://www.marvacollins.com/philosophy.html To hear Collins herself … http://www.marvacollins.com/

9. Marva Collins Creed Society will draw a circle that shuts me out, but my superior thoughts will draw me in. I was born to win if I do not spend too much time trying to fail. I will ignore the tags and names given me by society since only I know what I have the ability to become. Failure is just as easy to combat as success is to obtain. Education is painful and not gained by playing games. Yet it is my privilege to destroy myself if that is what I choose to do. I have the right to fail, but I do not have the right to take other people with me. It is my right to care nothing about myself, but I must be willing to accept the consequences for that failure, and I must never think that those who have chosen to work, while I played, rested and slept, will share their bounties with me. My success and my education can be companions that no misfortune can depress, no crime can destroy, and no enemy can alienate. Without education, man is a slave, a savage wandering from here to there believing whatever he is told. Time and chance come to us all. I can be either hesitant or courageous. I can swiftly stand up and shout: "This is my time and my place. I will accept the challenge."

10. Don't try to fix the students, fix ourselves first. The good teacher makes the poor student good and the good student superior. When our students fail, we, as teachers, too, have failed. Now lets see how much you’ve all remembered !