Alternative Schooling Styles : Marva Collins

"Returning to Excellence in Education"

This style is very similar to the Classical and Great Books styles. It is teacher-directed and students learn much of the same material. It promotes traditional concepts of duty, respect, and self-discipline.

It is different because it discourages competition between students and encourages each to help his classmates so that none fall behind. It is not just for the brightest students, either: it shares the beauty and benefits of a classical liberal arts education with everyone.

Its biggest distinguishing characteristic, however, may be its requirements of and demands upon the teacher. Not just anyone can use this style. The teacher must care deeply about each child, his progress, and his unique needs and abilities. It requires strict discipline by the teacher over herself so that she may instruct each child calmly and patiently, using lots of love and encouragement, being consistently firm but gentle. The teacher's example also helps the students develop leadership and self-discipline.

The curriculum contains traditional subjects and methods. Students learn language, math, science, and history the good old-fashioned way: memorization and mastery through a logical progression of subject material. Students go through intensive phonics instruction and spelling exercises. They read "best" or "classic" books. They memorize and recite poems, speeches, and passages, as well as famous phrases in foreign languages (such as Latin or French). Students make oral and written reports about what they have read and discuss the material with the class, under the guidance of the teacher. As in a classical education, the teacher encourages the students to discover connections between subjects, events, and ideas.

Foreign language study is encouraged for those so inclined, but not required. Consequently, little or no time is allotted for it.

This style is appropriate for grades K-12 and is designed for use in a classroom. It requires a fair amount of teacher training, both of the material covered and of the methods used. Teachers do not need to be scholars but a classical background is helpful. Training is obtained by working with the style's developer, Marva Collins.

Resources and Curricula
Marva Collins' Way -- by Marva Collins and Civia Tamarkin, Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, New York, NY 10014, 1990

Quotes
"Time and again, Marva Collins has issued this bold challenge: 'Give me any class in any city. Give me the lowest-achieving students, those who have done poorly. Tell me nothing about those students, not even what they're studying, and I can go into that classroom and connect with those students.'
"The results achieved by Marva Collins's students are even more dramatic than her challenge. Since she began her school ... every one of that grammar school's graduates is today either attending some outstanding prep school on full academic scholarship, or has gone on to an outstanding college or university.
...
"What Marva Collins thrusts into the minds of her students is that whomever they are, and wherever they live, they can achieve quite literally whatever they can dream -- no matter what anyone else may say to the contrary." -- Alex Haley