Marva-Collins-Obituary

Marva Collins

1936 - 2015 (Age 78)

About

AGE
78

Obituary

Marva Collins, the Chicago education pioneer who won praise for her innovative teaching approach at the West Side school she launched in 1975, died Wednesday of natural causes, according to the Chicago Tribune. She was 78.

Her son Patrick Collins announced the death. He said she had been a patient in hospice care in Beaufort County, South Carolina.

Marva Collins started up the Westside Preparatory School in Chicago’s impoverished Garfield Park neighborhood. She used the Socratic method of instruction, asking questions and encouraging the students to discuss them at length in a lively but disciplined manner. The school succeeded educationally and commercially. She received the National Humanities Medial in 2004.

Collins also wrote manuals and books detailing her teaching methods.

Cicely Tyson portrayed Collins’ life in a 1981 television biopic titled, “The Marva Collins Story,” which also starred Morgan Freeman.

The former Chicago Public Schools teacher was born in Monroeville, Alabama, and graduated from Clark College in Atlanta, Georgia. The college has since been named Clark Atlanta University.

Collins is also survived by another son, Eric; a sister, Cynthia Sutton; and her mother, Bessie Mae Johnson.

Her husband of 26 years, Clarence, preceded her in death in 1995. She also was preceded in death by her daughter, Cynthia Collins.

Guest Book

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I came across Marva Collins story on YouTube. Wow what a strong, beautiful & inspirational woman she was. She had a God given purpose & duty to educate the children in her neighborhood. She just wanted to teach and not be subjected to fire alarms going off or her classroom being trashed because the children in her class wanted to learn. Her family must be so proud or what she achieved. May Marva Collins soul rest in peace until Jesus comes back to the earth to take his people home...

I always wanted to learn to teach at Westside Prep. I started teaching in 2016--that is when I found out about Mrs. Collins passing. I still study her methods, youtube videos and books. When I have a discipline problem I can't solve, I use her methods--and they STILL work. I would not be the teacher I am without the legacy she left. I stand for most of the day and show students how to be successful. I can say she is still with me in the classroom. And I am grateful.

I look at Marva Collins story as an adult and I needed some inspiration and Mrs Collins didn't have internet to get her messages across I'm at a point in my life that I'm so unhappy and I feel like I'm drowning and I can't seem to find a life line but I saw Mrs Collins and her family did and I want to do so much to help the community. But I have People like Marva Collins who did it so I can do it .

Marva Collin's labor of love for educating children will forever live in the hearts of teachers everywhere... You are gone but not forgotten


I shall never forget the awesome experience visiting Westside Prep School with administrators and other teachers from Clarendon County School District One, (Scott's Branch High School) Summerton, S C. Home of Briggs v. Elliott, birthplace of Brown v. Board of Education, Topeka, Kansas. Marva Collins was an educator from the depth of her HEART. She performed her task with LOVE and DIGNITY.

Truly, the Diana Ross of Education and educator unlike any other to date. It is my greatest and sincerest hope to honor your legacy by continuing and introducing your standards of excellence to a new generation of students in the District of Columbia. Your belief system and love for student development has struck a cord in me that will reverberate forever. Thank you for being you...

Simple thanks for the legacy you left!!

I just watched the movie The Marva Collins Story as well and I to look up her life. What an amazing person not letting anything stop her. I work for a School District and I know the importance of Educating our young people of all colors. I wish we had more teachers like her that care about the students. I would love to see where her students are now that started in her first class.

I just watched the movie The Marva Collins Story and wanted to look up her life. It saddened me to see she passed, as I am writing this in 2019, and just discovered her brilliance. The world is a greater place for all of the children who were lucky enough to be her student and entered or should I say re-entered the world to give of their talents. Blessings to Ms. Collins for her dedication and love.