Summary of Success! The Marva Collins Approach (1981)

00:00:00 - 00:25:00

The Marva Collins Approach to education is discussed in this video, showcasing Collins' success in establishing her own school, Westside Preparatory School, emphasizing the importance of individual attention and dedication from teachers. The curriculum focuses on the basics of reading, math, and composition, with a strong emphasis on phonics. Collins believes in the importance of discipline, instilling a sense of pride and confidence in students, and treating them as individuals with unique strengths and talents. Her approach to teaching involves finding positive ways to communicate with students and encouraging them to lift themselves up in the world. Overall, her success is attributed to dedication, positive thinking, hard work, and love.

• 00:00:00 In this section, we learn about Marva Collins, a Chicago City schoolteacher who was dissatisfied with the education system and decided to start her own school, Westside Preparatory School. The school initially operated out of her home and then later expanded into a former bank building with a staff of teachers who used Marva's teaching methods. One of Marva's key beliefs was that success could be achieved without competition by giving children her love and confidence while also allowing them to have their own thoughts. She emphasized the importance of positive reinforcement and finding something positive to say about a child every morning. Marva believes that any teacher can achieve the same results as her by developing a positive attitude and being open to suggestions while striving to be better.
• 00:05:00 In this section of the video about the Marva Collins Approach, the importance of individual attention and dedication to teaching is emphasized. Marva spends the first hour of each day giving one-on-one attention to a student who needs it, earning her the reputation of being a very hardworking and dedicated teacher. The approach at Westside Prep involves teaching phonics, where children learn all the individual sounds of the English language, enabling them to not only read but also spell any word. The children also learn the spelling patterns as well as the basic skills of writing compositions. Marva Collins' approach emphasizes the need for teachers to master the basics of teaching skills and put them together correctly to achieve superior results.
• 00:10:00 In this section, we see Marva Collins using her approach to teaching, including phonics and a mix of different skill levels in the same class. The curriculum is heavily focused on phonics, but also teaches story concepts, spelling, multiplication tables and composition. The goal is to have children reading back Christmas and learning important life lessons through stories such as Aesop’s fables and the English folk tales. Collins' curriculum aims to teach children academic and moral values in a holistic manner, creating a miniature society within the school.
• 00:15:00 In this section, Marva Collins is seen teaching her students at Westside Preparatory School and discussing her unique approach to education. The school focuses on the basics of reading, math, and composition, without any frills or athletics. Collins believes that teachers should not limit themselves to standard classroom textbooks and should explore other means of teaching. She also emphasizes the importance of discipline and offers her own unique approach to dealing with discipline problems. Collins believes that children should be taught to love learning and to become lifters instead of leaners in the world. She encourages her students to determine their own future and to be the best that they can be.
• 00:20:00 In this section, Marva Collins talks about her unique approach to discipline and her belief in the importance of understanding the root cause of a student's misbehavior. She emphasizes the need to address these issues with kindness and positivity, even when dealing with challenging students. Collins also speaks about the importance of instilling a sense of pride and confidence in students, regardless of their background, and treating all students as individuals with unique strengths and talents. She believes that by doing so, students are better equipped to handle challenges and achieve success.
• 00:25:00 In this section, educator Marva Collins emphasizes the importance of showing concern and working closely with children who demonstrate discipline problems, saying that they may just need to be taught how to behave properly. She encourages students to embrace their unique qualities and reminds teachers that they should never assume they know everything about education, but instead should continue to learn so that they can help their students grow. The success of Westside preparatory school is attributed to dedication, positive thinking, hard work, and love. The goal of educators should be to make poor students good and good students secure, leaving no excuses in between.