in 1975 a school teacher who lived and taught in one of Chicago's most distressed areas became disenchanted with public education convinced that the failure of children to learn was the result of bureaucratic red tape and apathetic teachers she rebelled and challenged the system that teacher is Marva Collins and this is her story you K I want everyday D here now remember anybody tries to take it away from you you just give it up you understand yes sir come on Daddy I'll be late Eric do you have your lunch money yes ma'am I have to stay after I have a teacher's conference listen here remember keep your temper I can't not if I think my students are going to get the short end Mara you can't fight the whole system sugar one a bet you should have cereal in your mouth sweetheart not smart remarks mhm bye-bye just what do you think we're doing over there now and you but were I Brutus and Brutus Anthony there were an Anthony would ruffle up your spirits and put a tongue in every wound of seizure that should move the stones of Rome to rise and mutiny very good very very good so now we know that Anthony's oration of Caesar was a good example of what Eddie if our words can sway the messes and what happens when words sway you that way we don't think for ourselves are you going to be like the masses are you going to allow words to hypnotize you you're going to do what can you see what I will oh long you children want to go outside fine me I have a lot of teaching to do and I'm going to go right on doing it okay where were we people people people you got to get our federal reports in on time the deadline was last Thursday I got and three of those are incomplete Mr Duffy is there anything we can do about the false alarms that keep interrupting the classes false alarms are not on the agenda you'll have to wait on that one but we had another one today that is the sixth one this week last week we had eight of them can't we do something about those false alarms Mrs Collins we're supposed to be talking about registers and federal reports now the deadline was last week and some of you still haven't turned them in tomorrow mine will be in tomorrow Mr Duffy there are always forms to be filled out someplace they are Eternal it is the loss of teaching time that concerns me you're the assistant principal talk to the district can't they do something about lessening our paperwork the district those numb skulls lose one more IQ point and up you'll be talking to a plant that is not funny just say you'll do the stupid report so we can get out of here yeah give him some busy work and fill in the reports during class class time is for teaching why bother they won't learn they won't learn it's we don't bother I've scheduled a field trip for next Wednesday the zoo but the children have already got to the zoo the children Love Field Trips I think you love field trips Miss Den it's easier than teaching why the children don't even know which zoo they visited in case you haven't noticed Mrs Collins we are in a ghetto these children don't want to learn the ghetto is not the enemy Miss Denny I suppose you mean we are indifference is I've had it up to here with your plaed udes Mrs Collins I for one don't get my kicks out of playing dress up and strutting through this school quoting the classics I dress the way I do miss Denny because I happen to believe that my children deserve a positive image L age please the agenda the agenda thank you the next item the boys bathroom in the South Hall okay from now on during regular class time the boys bathroom will be locked don't even bother to issue PA passes in the sou right I still happen to have this fall salon on my floor that keeps going off Mr Duffy Mrs Collins don't you have anything better to do than worry about that damn firebell really yes I do teaching but between irrelevant Zoo chicks and false alarms we are losing the battle you are robbing us of class time Mr Duffy why don't you send your agenda on a field trip and let us teach come on H up P I've asked you not to put your fingerprints on the window especially with glue on Mom Cindy's looking at me again tell her stop looking at me I'm not looking at him I'm looking through him Cindy please stop looking through your brother and by the way go downstairs and get me the clothes out of the machine sweetheart oh hi Dad hey M Ro's house on Sunday Paddy now you know that Sunday's family day besides I thought we were going to go to the park on Sunday and fly these Rockets hi Ma oh yeah I kind of forgot D oh yeah I kind of forgot D get everything oh yeah so um how's the teacher meeting go I can't face another term Clarence I just can't I still want to quit well suar you going to do what you going to do you want to teach some place else do it no I want to open my own school open your own school yes boy you think you worn out now at least that way I'll be able to give some of the children in the area the education they deserve yeah suar but you just be giving up one set of problem for a whole set of bigger ones Clarence there'll always be problems just going to school for some of these children is a problem so where you going to have your school how you going to pay for it please don't try to stop me with details I will find a place and I will find the money suar P tell me something does the word impossible have any meaning for you all no jump on you boy hey boy you better be cool a minute just a minute please what is your name Martin now Martin I know you can find a lot better things to do with your arms and your legs now go to your class are you all right sweetheart yes are you sure yes all right my children follow me please why do you bother Mrs Collins the kid's nothing but trouble and he's a dummy 9 years old he can't even spell his name now that's not funny children you do not laugh at things like that come on inside we didn't do it of course not whoever did it has a key do you want me to get Mr Duffy no sweetheart that's not necessary please go take your seats children I want a few of you to help me pick up some of this excuse me please excuse me well this kind of reminds me of Hercules do you children remember the Greek Miss Hercules had 12 Labors to perform one of them was a bigger mess to new do you remember what he had to do yeah what did he have to do St all G and Stables can you say that G and St all right I want to hear some things please sit down children sit down thank you so much for helping me all right darling thank you so much all right Deddy how about you going first why do people keep ripping up our class your children you children have been doing wonderfully well and I guess I've been sharing my pride with the wrong people at the wrong time some people get jealous but we will never let others stop us from what learning right so let's have your theme listen Peach whoever messed up my desk wants to upset us it's up to us to decide whether we're going to let them or not quitting or running to Mr Duffy or even crying isn't going to change a thing critting did not build a seious tower nor did it write the Magna car children you must remember that when you enter the workforce nobody's going to care that they broke into your teacher's room or whether or not you had sheets to sleep on when you were little or whether you grew up in the ghetto the only thing your boss is going to care about is what whether you can or can't that's right so who is the most important child in this world I am and what is the most important time now now and I don't want you to waste either one of them so that's everything it was the best of times it was the worst of times it was the time of War and Peace The Nutcracker sweep and toast store and DOI wo Patrick look at it oh there he is didn't come out come look at that oh man that's look at come on let's go come Patrick let's go chase it what I've made up my mind Clarence I'm not going back what you're really saying is you're serious about starting that school aren't oh we can do it Clarance I know we can after all what's a school of teaching some students right and books and desks and blackboards and what about a classroom oh we can just move out the tenants upstairs and those two back rooms will break down the wall between them classroom that's all I need babe it's not that simple everything would have to be rewired reframed and you know we move those tenants out our income will be cut down even more my retirement fund is almost $5,000 p and I'll get donations I'll write to big companies I'll ask them for desk papers whatever else you need all right all right all right fine what about students who's going to donate them the neighborhood oh father you know these people can't afford tuition well they pay parochial schools and I know whatever they do I can do better and you'd really draw out your retirement money yes I would means that much to you well I guess you better turn in your keys then file for your permit thank you in excuse me excuse me can you help me please did you take a number what can I do for you I'd like to open a private elementary school and I'd like to apply for a license you don't need one no County orate License is required you mean anyone can start a school without a permit credentials or anything that's about the size of it unless of course you want recognition no thanks I already know who I am no I mean you don't have to have a license but you do want the state to know who you are when you apply for recognition a team will visit you and they will check your school for health safety and curriculum once you have their same you got free milk free books he who eats my bread does my will I beg your pardon you see if I accepted government handouts I'd have to listen to them and I don't want anyone telling me how to teach suit yourself but there are a lot of parents that won't put their kids in the school unless it's recognized oh just a minute please I'm a little confused uh let me get this straight for me to get recognition I would have to fill out all of these forms but if I just wanted a license to start my school I wouldn't have to do anything amazing isn't it what if I were crazy or demented or illiterate if you're illiterate you're lucky no Farms to fill out Cy put your jacket on hi Daddy hi Dad hi Dad hi Daddy hey hey how did you do H retirement money will be gone before school opens I'm glad I took that extra work for the hospital yeah but we're going to need more than that to keep us on top what about your letter writing campaign 439 I've written every major corporation in Chicago did you get any replies well one company sent us a check for $5 another sent us a bunch of old paper they were going to throw out anyway oh that's big of them bigger than 437 others ready G yeah here we go we Christen the what is it Westside Preparatory School we Christen the Westside Preparatory School H it come on hurry up we're going to get caught no we're not hurry up here hey you kids get out of there come on let's go hurry you Mo you can do it better gracious what happened here somebody rob a bookstore hi Baby Noah school they're getting rid of him and Cindy and I heard about it five loads before we got caught Nails who would think Nails would cost so much well by the way Cindy Patty pay attention your mom and I were talking we really can't afford tuition so how would the two of you like to go to school upstairs fantastic hey all right what about me dad well you a little old for your mama's School son so you just have to keep going to St Joseph's all right guess what aun Cynthia call she's coming to visit us stay right there honey let him go let him go I broke my back H in that window in you want him to break every window in the house what do you do with kids like this go somebody ought to do what Su him take away his bicycle honey let him go he doesn't have a thing to lose sweetheart we don't have money to fix broken windows you break our windows and we're going to be cold now you know what it's like to be cold don't you don't you and you don't want me and my family to be cool do you no no I didn't think so come on now you going to help me clean up this mess yes and didn't I break up a scule you were in at school yeah but hey we not be knowing this your house teacher we just sort of chucking rocks and everything my dad flew one of them is he a pilot not a pilot exactly he wore a gun that's made on the chopper in Vietnam and that's practically the pilot cuz no one be flying without him my dad's going to get me a model like that when I grw up I'm going to be apolog just like him one day they're going to have kids and I hope they don't put that tools back either Mrs Jones I'm Mara College what do you want I used to be a teacher at Martin school has he been in some kind of trouble no no I'm starting a school a place to teach children what they aren't getting from public schools I ain't going to no school Martin teachers don't think your son is too bright I think they're wrong I think he's a real winner then why can't he read and write may I come in read right who wants to well you want to be a fly don't you Peach if you don't learn to read and write the closest you'll ever get to a plane is looking up at it in the sky she's right Martin his school says he he needs to be in a learning disability class has it helped him any no but I really don't know what else to do ever since his daddy left that boy been a sixpack of lightning give me a chance we don't have much money pay what you can well I do like what you say we'll see but even if I said yes you still have to get him there no I think if Martin wants to be a flyer if he really wants to be a winner he'll come by himself come okay come on baby oh not no what happened to that stained glass window gang busted 9-year-old that window was clarence's pride and joy to hey look two H this time what Christmas T of beef here why is mother always sending us all this Frozen beef s here because you live in a ghetto and she thinks you're all starving to death we're was food now AIA did you know that all by ourselves the schoolhouse now with emphasis on the all by ourselves but wait till you see the classroom Cynthia it is wonderful I am so excited I'm going to have a hard time explaining myself to mama she sent me up here to talk you out of all this if Mama's in Chicago she'd be out on the streets rounding up students well I guess it's just as well as she is not here why are you doing this I want to teach so transferred to another school you don't have to stay in this neighborhood this neighborhood used to be a very nice place and after 15 years I still care about it but to give up a a well-paying job your retirement money your tenants you're putting all that on the line for a school that can't Hope to support itself Marva you have three of your own children to educate Cindy and Patty will go to school here and you know I wouldn't show change them what about Eric he wants to be a doctor how do you hope to finance that you'll find a way this school is going to work Cynthia don't ask me how I just know it it's going to work leave me alone don't understand he was coming right home now just stop it will you please from work you know I'm afraid you'll miss your flight oh no no no it'll be okay we have a few more minutes hey that's St car the one with the desk on top of it oh there you got some desk what in the world is well I know he did buy any gu we can't afford to buy Daddy I'm sorry I'm late what happened God work gave me a tip liquidation sale my dare liquidation sale what kind of store selling students discs wasn't a store was a boy school went out of business I hope that's not an omen got them for $2 a piece two but it was now and never they wanted them gone come on come on what about us no time there's not enough room sweetheart come here m you know this week went by too fast fast maybe I know what are you doing it's it's for the school for Mom and me something I can't do there oh really I can be just as stubborn as you you know rest K come here baby don't you worry about thing you know you got all the guts you need kiss mama for me baby and have a good trip back byee bye how much money do we have left after we pay for the new books we ordered about $40 how many students you got counting Patty and Cindy five any paying well just so you know if we're going to break even about 2/3 of these desks here have to have paying customers oh we'll make it Clarence I just know we will oh by the way Bob Clemens call wants me to remodel his basement well I hope you told him you couldn't you've been working too hard honey sugar can use the money well from here on out we living on plastic what's it open it to my precious husband the moving force of my dream my love and my thanks MAA P.S this is good for 25 free half hour back rubs come I thought I'd put a buzzer up here thank you you keep your seat I'll get it I'm going that way anyway I'm going to celebrate I'm going to do something I have not done in a long long time I'm going to fall asleep in front of the TV Clarence yeah babe thank you together Miss Collins yes I'm uh Leela bowan your husband let me in can I help you is this the school Miss Johnson's daughter Roan's going to go to yes I uh came about my little girl Tina she's 10 she's been going to the fifth grade over at St Mary's but I was hoping maybe you would take her my husband and me we didn't even know it was nothing wrong till the last day of school I mean uh Chester and I could see that she wasn't learning so fast but we figured the school knew what it was doing then all of a sudden they tell us Tina can't even read and they're going to have to hold her back please sit down Miss Collins when they told told that she was failing it was like something went out of her she don't hardly talk no more and what she does all she can say is momy am I dumb or am I and she's so nervous real nervous like and said I took her to a psychiatrist he said it was trauma he said that school really messed up there it's $200 and when it's used up you let me know no I can't take your money yet honey why don't we just try it for a few days and maybe if it no my child can't take no maybe if she starts she stays please I hear you're a good teacher real kind and gentle please miss CS all right all right have a here tomorrow morning at 8:00 thank you I can find my way out thank you Miss Collins all about thank you again thank you ch $200 you gave that woman $200 to send our baby to this this is just a broken down old house where the playgrounds where in the classrooms at least at the other school she had to she wasn't learning nothing what are we supposed to do send her back there put in a public school when you think about it we don't have no choice good morning children I am Mrs Collins welcome to success success it is the opposite of failure it is from a language called Latin it means to achieve to get riches Fame happiness it means climbing the highest mountain on Earth or seeing the pyramids it means Learning to Fly going to the Moon handsome boys do not chew guns or becoming president of the United States you children were born to win and I'm going to show you how class will start at 9:00 lunch 12:30 it will last only 20 minutes you will come here clean and well groomed if you don't there's plenty of soap and water right downstairs there'll be no baby work no sepot run books so you won't be bored but it will be hard you will read a difficult book twice a month you memorize a poem every week and you write a theme every single day there will be mathematics vocabulary history say what I ain't doing all that job who needs it I don't got to learn nothing it's all right M if you do not wish to learn if you do not want an education all you have to look forward to in life is poverty and Welfare you see children the system has people conal welfare is just another word for slavery for instance did you ever know a child on welfare to go to Hawaii to eat in fine restaurants live in nice houses that's the first thing I hope you learn that there are no free rides that you pay a price for everything so if you want to live a decent life you'll just have to work for it I ain't doing none of that that stuff I am not doing any of that stuff B any of that stuff say it I am not doing I am not doing any of that stuff any of that stuff you have that right it's a free country model if you do not wish to learn you have the right to fail now listen I love you I love you you're a bright boy you're a handsome boy but you do not have the right to disturb the other children's right to learn now if you wish to fail you may do so quietly stop interrupting and stop tapping that pencil pick it up pick it up thank you all right children let's get to work reading in one month's time you'll be able to read any word you can say you will do it with a special word key if you wanted to get into a house without a key you would have to break the doors down or force your way into it but the key it's easier right right right Mrs Collins right Mrs cins with a special word key we no longer have to guess at words or struggle to get inside of them you see these alphabet cards they are our greatest friends because they will help us to learn the sounds that each letter makes roxan would you recite the offerit for us come on sweetheart I know some of of course you do come on give it a try a b c d let's see that pretty face come on e f g k q come on sweet good try ran good try good try all right Tina how much of it do you know why don't we look pretty this morning our little green bows H come on how much do you know please I can't I I'd be too dumb I am sweetheart IB is idiomatic slang and we never say cat not in this school so if I ever hear you talk like that again it's 30 lashes with a wet noodle come on darling come on to teacher me I know the alphabet all right Martin maybe Tina would like to write it instead would you like to write a Tina while Martin says it Martin go ahead B cower d e f g very good h i j very good K slow Martin d That's wrong not wrong Martin we do not say wrong that's very good Tina it's a good try it's not quite right but together we'll make it right we'll Pro fre it children when we make a mistake see this stupid junk Martin would you like me to sit down and show you how well I can behave while you come up here and teach when we make a mistake children we do not erase it because we'll only make the same mistake again what we do is proofread it by putting a circle around it that way we remember the letter and the sound very good Tina very good look at that happy face you've made me very happy just by try you know something Tina you will never fail again I promise you because I won't let you that's very very good call that education Tina in the fifth grade that woman teaching her to ABC she'll hear you I don't care if she hear me look at it it is not right Miss Colin's explain that when I picked Tina up she says Tina's been too wounded to be corrected much she has to take it slow win Tina's confidence just like that other school hold my hand help her make mistakes till she fail all together I won't have it Lea I won't it's been one day just to give the woman a chance I want you to get your money back take that girl and put her in a parochial school and I want you to do it tomorrow that's what you want then you do it but don't go taking back none of my money that smile on my baby's face is the first one I've seen in months and at $200 I think that's a real bargain What did the ants do work and the Grasshoppers play the ants butl first things first roxand Tina and Martin please go to the board and spell the word first first the rest of you work on your math look at the alphabet charge children what is the sound that the angry cat makes angry cat angry cat I roar line Roar line flat tire flat tire you're riding too small pet that's because you're afraid I'll see your mistakes remember children if you cannot make a mistake you cannot make anything ticking clock ticking clock ticking clock loud loudo l a u d o it is Latin for I praise you see p you got it right you got it right you have just proven that if you know the rules you never have to guess at anything you are just getting so smart lamb H I'm going to have to put you on my payroll I'm bored you said we wouldn't be bored you don't look bored to me Martin you look angry but that's all right everybody gots angry sometime for instance sometimes sweetheart I get so angry the children not knowing how to read and write I could just cry hi I love you sweetheart I love you so much that all I want for you in this life is that you learn to read and write and then you'll never ever have to be bored again of course not if you'd rather go back to that other school where you just color and have potty recesses like a baby that's all right with me it's a free country I won't hold you Cindy get that for me honey yes ma'am all right let's get back to esa's fa what was the moral I mean what do you think the Ant and the Grasshoppers triy to tell us work work work morning good morning your mom home who are you I'm from the fire department I'm an inspector so is she home well why do you want to know well because somebody told her she's operating a school here and I want to make sure it's safe who who what who said my mommy was operating a school just somebody in the neighborhood so is she is she which at home or operating a school either both you'll have to ask her I will if you'll go get her can't why not she's at school and in the end Jude died right in the sight of Christ Minister and he can hear the bells of the school where he always wanted to go but never could and Arabella didn't make it and was real sad that's a beautiful story beautiful wasn't that a beautiful story children Mrs now that's a book that I've not read may I borrow from you Cindy yes bab you see children I'm still learning what is the lesson to be learned from Thomas Hardy's book what do you think he's trying to tell us in you the Obscure well in that Society of England education was the N people who were from the right class who didn't have any money right now let's tell our new students Truman and Francine why it's so important to learn so we can think for ourselves for yourselves you see children I teach you because I love you but I never want to teach you my thoughts your thoughts must be your own of course Martin will never have any thoughts of own because he's too busy to think so when the man comes and offers him two10 for a $50 bill he'll never know whether he has a good deal or not I know that he'd have to give me 5 t for a 50 I'm no dummy then maybe you know that the good Lord gave us two ears and one mouth so we could listen twice as much as we talk I can listen and talk at the same time because eyes as fine as a shiny new DME that's beautiful Martin beautiful now for tomorrow I want you to look up the atmology of the word dime where and when it was minted and how much silver went into it that's your homework for tomorrow because I'm going to get more than a shiny new dimes worth of learning out of you Martin I feel so sorry for you baby you've probably been kicked all your life it's probably the only thing you really understand if that's the only way to get rid of all that an then you better kick me I'm big enough and I won't kick back go on get it out of your system kick me I will you know I know you will but I won't love you any less go on kick me mar and clean I promise that it shall be used not thrown away not yesterday is already a dream today is before me there is nothing that I cannot do I will never let others tell me tell me what I cannot do we can do the impossible we will change tomorrow by making today different I am not a local child I am a citizen of the world that's very good children very good Cindy will you read us your composition dear lady MC Beth I would like to know why you were such a stigant lady I'm surprised you had any friends if you had any our files show that you applied but we can't find the application great that's just great you can fill out another application and then in a month or it took me 3 days to fill out those forms and at the rate you process them my children will be College age well if you want the free milk and books I do not want your free books and milk I want to survive I want my school full of students unfortunately that means giving a few skeptical parents and endorsement from a system I don't even want to have anything to do with recognition is a service we don't have to give it to you you know recognition I don't need your recognition I can get my own what is the hardest achievement test the schools give California achievement National Stanford or the Metropolitan achievement maybe let's throw in the SR I'll have them all test my children you have minority students Mrs Collins those examinations will only hurt your case they're Prejudice by as much as 15% you analyze statistics you play tennis with red tape me I will have my children tested and then I will have the scores public that's one tough brao you bet I am mister but let me tell you something it's it's a tough world out there and until you start telling the children that until I see schools teaching the way they used to or until I find a parent who tells me he likes your ways better than he does mine this tough broad will keep right on teaching even if I have to do it on the step City Hall instead of worrying about us they ought to clean their own house for a change look at this this morning's newspaper Shakespeare was a famous writer of the 1890s student essays that reporter did a survey on Suburban high school children and what they know about Shakespeare the global global the global theater is a three-sided octagon I'll write him a letter macaroni and cheese not again Patty you should than the good Lord we have the widom of what to buy anything at all which reminds me the Visa bill came had to go get your brother and shake it your Daddy has to get back to work well you still didn't answer my question about the application I told them what to do with their application that's when I said I'd have our children tested Cindy yes ma'am we have no napkins here yes ma'am well then what then I left that's all all dealing with those bureaucrats Patty get on your glasses don't tell me that you've lost them again did you children what do we have to do to make you realize what things cost and you mumbling and grumbling about macaroni well you've just lost 10 Stak dinners child Cindy sit down children for the 100th time your daddy and I cannot Finance your carelessness I know what we can make up for it all I can stop going to St Joseph no you will not now we all have a job to do in this house mine is to find the money yours is to get an education understood may I be excused I'm not very hungry you seen my soldering iron we were using in Patty's room fence kept coming off the spaceship his spaceship is plastic spaceship was plastic can't tell that boy anything so why don't you tell me why you want to leave school some kids coming down on me that's all coming down down on you you starting to feel black I always feel black oh you know what I mean nah at a school like that isn't cool to be Prejudice so what's the problem just picking on me you can walk around that can't you it's not so easy that one of them well I don't think leaving school is the answer I don't want you to be one of those people that jumps up and run when things don't work you know if I don't run I got to fight and I know how you and Mom are about fighting but you know sometimes you have to make decisions to don't please everybody not even mom and dad you know want to me what am I supposed to do it's a matter of your self-respect I guess you have to stand up for yourself just don't want you out there fighting for the wrong reasons don't fight because you're angry or you don't like somebody if you if you got to fight you're going to fight just make sure you're fighting for something important is my self-respect important enough to me it is I think there's any Supple left I think I'm hungry how about a kiss come on I know where they keep the leftovers no rest the baby stop it stop do it for mommy no you want to make mommy happy no like I told you on the phone Mrs Colin you have to be gentle with her but she'll mine you'll see you're mine won't you honey no you'll stay here with Mrs Collins today and tonight we'll go have hamburgers and Shake okay car no please don't bargain with a child Mrs Lester mom we has an IQ of 75 she's just a little girl do you want her in the school yes but I don't no then you'll have to give me control that's the only way I'll operate just trust me Clarissa listen to me no I said listen to me now you can cry all you want but in the end you'll still have to mind me Marisa listen so why don't you save those tears and me some grief and just behave right off okay because you're going to be fine baby now what can I do for you I'm officer marich from the fire department I've been trying to catch up with you all winter could have called we're in the book a field visits are better even if it does take six of them that way when I'm being avoided say no more just one question are you or are you not operating a school in this building good morning M CS I brought the chalk you said we need it good morning Mrs Collins thank you Roan good morning children good morning what if I told you that we're a big family likes to ride on walls you think you go away I hate you well that's too bad Clarissa because I love you you and I shouldn't be fighting each other the sooner the anger goes the more room there is for love the more room there is for knowledge and then thr you maybe I just have to keep polishing and polishing and polishing till the real Clarissa comes shining through okay children I have something to tell you you're going to have to take some tests don't worry about it there for some people who wonder whether or not you're learning anything here I told those people they didn't have a test hard enough nor big enough to show what you children have learned here right right Mrs Collins okay how about some them Eddie shall I stand sure duty honor and Country when I was reading about Socrates death I really like this quote I a citizen not of Athens or of Greece but of the world so here is my quote I'm not a Chicago child or a child of this school I'm a universal child of the world and my duty is to pass on my knowledge to others just as Socrates taught Plato and Plato taught Aristotle and he taught Al the greatan crian that's friends for very good very good Eddie my son had a teacher like you you know he's a straight A student and he can't do half what I just saw I like your style Mrs Collins you like it well enough to forget this inspection business I wish I could you see what you're doing up there is terrific only you shouldn't be doing it up in that room that room is all we have all the children have this neighborhood doesn't even have a Trent officer seems to me someone's actually trying to educate class rooms need sealing sprinklers fire exits any here's a list of the changes that have to be made but uh I'll tell you what I won't file my report for a while at least that way you have a little time thank you I really appreciate that hi Peach hi Mrs Collins you Mom here um honey go to your room Leave Me and Mrs Collins alone for a while I got your letter wanted to talk about it mind if I sit down suit yourself thank you I guess you want to know why Eddie won't be coming to your school no more well if there's a problem let's work it out Eddie really likes you and I know that you've done wonders with him and I'm real thankful but well I just think he needs to try a good Public School get a new experience and he did real good when he was there before but Mrs bamb I was his teacher is it the money it's it's not it's like I said I just think he needs a change that's all does it have anything to do with me and you're sure it's not the money ain't that what I said Mrs bow please I think you're making a big mistake another school can't give Eddie the care I will nor the time nor the attention not please don't take him away from me you just keep right on pushing don't you don't take him from me she says well I've got a word for you that child in there ain't yours he's mine and I don't want you taking him away from me I'm I'm not it's either you or that school that's all he talks about that's all he thinks about it's not normal since you felt this way why didn't you say something earlier the way I see it is it's not those kids you care about just that stuff that you're teaching them that's not true you sure you pumped those little Minds real Speedy like do you care how fast you go ever stop and think that you might be going just too F that child in there he don't want to play no more he don't want to watch TV all he wants to do is read read and study for them other parents that might be fine but me Miss Collins I don't care if you can't speak no fancy languages I don't care if he knows Shakespeare all I want my boy to do is learn how to read and write and be happy and get along with people but I want the same thing but you I don't know what you're trying to prove and the way you push it's it's like you're experimenting or something well I've got a word for you my child ain't no labra hey so hard to go Mrs bambal is taking Eddie out of school says she doesn't like the way I teach I'm experimenting with her child maybe she's right sh think you making a little too much out of this don't you Clarence yeah if Mrs BAU is right I wonder how many other mothers feel that way wonder if I am pushing the children too hard maybe I want too much for them come on I don't know I don't know hey you realize that in 16 years we've been married I have never seen you in the classroom but it doesn't matter I still know you're the best there is how come how do you know you remember our first date what happened just before we went into the restaurant there was this little child was trying to strike a match little boy and you went over to talk to him it was like the two of you stepped into a world where grown-ups don't even exist I remember you told him about the Great Chicago Fire 177,000 buildings burned to the ground you said where you talked I could smell the smoke then you told him about Mrs olivus Cy Cy didn't put the lantern in the way Peach wasn't the cow's fault well that child's eyes were as big as melons and and he just handed you the matches you know you might have saved Chicago from another major Fire Point is Su when I saw you with that child I knew anybody would know and I said to myself right then and there I'm going to get that one I am going to be well I tell you picnic that I remember what one where I bored four children yes I was pretty Stuck on You by then I didn't know whether you like children or not so I just B with you I take it I passed your little test you surely did matter of fact you had me a little worried there for a minute mhm you pay more attention to those children than you did to me probably just trying to make it nervous and jealous honey well you did pretty well believe me you did all right say listen I still got a couple of those free backrubs now how about you and me sharing one I know you can make a better Fe in that P well Rose you are way ahead of everybody of this lesson see you very good say pretty little girls don't walk around with na polish chip like that I want to see you like that tomorrow 2+ one now isn't that a smart Angel see I knew you could do it this is just the kind of question those exam people are going to give you what do you do first thank you speak up cupcake and look at me and don't sit all hunched over baby sit up straight and speak like you believe what you're saying children it's like going into the First National Bank and saying get a million dollars like that will you say it again baby CL said take your finger out your mouth I want to see that pretty mouth say it again Tina and say it like the good Lord commissioned you to talk for figure out the commission now see that even sounds better doesn't that sound better children take a bow Tina I forgot this one came today how's it going oh we'll find a way honey soon school will be out and I'll find another job sugar you're talking about doing temporary measures and what we're dealing with here's a major flood we just got to get back to reality the reality is that Westside prep school is doing what we built it to do Clarence it's teaching Listen by this time next year we M there's not going to be a next year are you saying we should quit Clarence we've come so far oh honey it's going to work please believe me I don't know how I know but it will work Clarence sugar I believe in what you're doing I mean you know that but we just can't afford it look at this this bill has to be paid in 10 days $400 we haven't got 400 cents it's not just a school anymore we're going to lose a car the house everything sha everything no you have told you have that's the fuel bill $400 Mr Collins and I have a whole bundle of those bills downstairs papers books keeping my family fed and clothed while we get the school off the ground that one's due next week and I don't know how we going to pay but as sure as there's a God in heaven as sure as the sun's going to shine so help me huh we'll find a way meanwhile I want $400 worth of learning out of you today all right who's going to recite their phone for keep it going by Frank else St if you strike a TH or Rose keep it going if it hell or if it snow keep it going can't no use to sitting wine when the fish ain't on your line bait your hook and keep it trying keep it going when the weather kills your crop keep it going those his work to reach the top keep it going expose your out of every dime get getting broke ain't any cry tell the world you're feeling cry keep it going if by R your Kipling if you can keep your head all about you are losing theirs and blaming it on you if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you but make allowance for their doubting too if you can dream and not make dreams your master if you can think and not make thoughts your aim if you can meet with Triumph and disaster and treat those two Impostors just the same if you can force your heart and nerve and S you to serve your turn long after they are gone and so hold on when there's nothing in you except the will that says to them hold on if you can feel the unforgiving minute with 60 seconds worth of distance from yours is the Earth and everything that's in it and which is more you'll be a man my son hello hello and how would you like to be remembered Rose I want to be the first black woman on Mars first black woman on Mars and you Steven what would you like the history books to say about you that I was a champion jocky and I took all my winnies and built Stables so that the people around can have horses very good roxan would you bring me that book on stop Mrs Collins there's a man in the hall if you're a bill collector you get it when I get it if you're from the county of the state take me to call it I'm Z Smith from the Sun Times you wrote me a while back sent me some some student papers I'm so sorry how do you do lady those were some papers thank you it's taken me a little longer than I would have liked but I wanted to find out what it was all about to school Mr Smith playing with some Martin fun games won't save your blood when you're flying over the China Seas children settle down children settle down we have a guest Mr Z Smith from the Sun Times he heard how smart you children are and he's here to see for himself look around for a while have a seat if you like so where were we ah Socrates Socrates said he was a citizen of the world Rose said today that she would like to be the first woman on Mars that would make her citizen of the universe zut what does that mean very good in what German German Brian pay attention you won't know where that man is 10 years from now his name won't be on your paycheck he was strong he had to do all these things he had to kill the lion and clean the Ain Stables or Ain stables and do 12 things cuz Hara said so oh what a beautiful story Clarissa and you read that book all by yourself Peach oh I am so proud of you see I knew you could do it do you know the next time what I want you to do I want you to read Treasure Island by Robert Lewis Stevenson now that's a big a book but do you know how we read big books the same way we eat an elephant right one bite at a time oh I feel proud of you all right everybody out come on out and let this tired lady get off of her feet Bron that was an excellent report you gave to Truman I want you to bring in your poem tomorrow goodbye baby all right pick up all the pencils and the books off the floor children may Cindy and I have some cookies Mom can I go with them all right you baby come on byebye D no more chewing up in your mouth I don't want to see it moving like a cow tomorrow that was an excellent they actually don't want to leave what's the secret love hard work and a very strong pair of man but there's more to it than that there must be why won't people just accept the fact that good oldfashioned teaching works I mean it works with poor kids rich kids black white purple anything think doesn't matter well is this some sort of program uh do you get Federal money come here moment P give a man a fish and what he'll eat for a day teach him to fish H he'll eat forever who said that Marcus Aus you are just getting so smart I'm going to have to make you teacher that's why I don't accept federal funds they've been pouring Federal funds into this neighborhood for years hasn't changed in my estimation federal funds is not the solution it's part of the disease and you're the antidote no no not me but I'll tell you this everything works when teaching works it's as easy as that and as hard the students they're terrific you must have handpicked them most of the children I never met until their first day and of the 15 13 were failing or were in learning disabil classes but why am I trying to convince you they're going to have to take a test then maybe you can see for yourself you will use this answer sheet for all the tests you are about to take you must use a soft Le pencil to mark your answer sheet do not use a ballpoint pen or a hard pencil if the point on your pencil breaks just raise your hand and I'll give you a new one now at the top of the left hand side of the answer want to take that test why not I'm scared I fail honey you're not going to fail I don't want to pass either if I pass I'll have to leave here Tina I'm not going to let you go until you're ready but when you're ready you're going to have to go that's what this school is all about learning to stand on your all is but I'm scared but everybody gets scared I get scared too you know what I do when I get scared I think of something that Victor Hugo said he said c have courage for the great Sorrows of life and patience for the small ones and when you have finished your daily task go to sleep and have peace knowing that God is awake I sure hope he was right oh he's right he's right lead pencil to mark your answer sheet you will have 20 minutes to complete this section of the exam we've worked very hard studying for these tests and they're going to show a lot of people how smart you really are but that's not what's really important what's really important is that who's the most important child in the world me me and what is the most important time now now go to it ready begin hello yes oh miss I am sorry I really don't have time for telephone games what get the paper quick yes well I'm sorry thank you um Saturday yes sure what page 62 thank you thank you Eric Paddy come quick our school is in the newspaper and then Z Smith from the newspaper call said they had so many telephone calls they wanted do a follow-up story boy I'd like to see those bureaucrats try to give us a hard time now and the phone's been ringing off the hood there people want to send money oh money just a few most of them want to know about enrollment and you know what else the woman who's having mom do the teaching seminar called up she wants to give me $500 and she said if all goes well she'll help me book others isn't that terrific you know it's going to take an awful lot of those simp semar to empty out that dish oh children tell your daddy to be quiet should like loond Antonio how much money 3,000 duckets 3,000 duckets and your book says that that's Steven $25,000 but the price of gold has gone up did anyone check the price of gold last night random $131 and7 an ounce $317 per ounce Brenda will you go to the board and figure out how many dollars that would be today and the theme children what is the theme Prejudice reverse Prejudice reverse Prejudice explain that Patty see shlock was Prejudice we never begin a sentence with say go ahead yes ma'am shlock was prejudice against people who were prejudice against him do any of you want to be like charlot no I heard about this dude once during a ride he tried to burn down this slum King's house only the wind changed and the new house got burned down in stad I think the same thing happened to shot excellent analogy excellent Martin excellent Tran your turn Peach I'd like you to go to the board and spell the word analogy analogy that's coming along very nicely Brenda very good rose please will you show us where Venice is on the map per class what is that in Italian perfect and that's exactly what your spelling is that is perfect very very good very very good rose Venice there it is shows you did your geography homework last night didn't you thank you very good very good all right Brenda Brenda has a total for us Brenda what is the total how many dollars with 3,000 duckets equal today $3,253 and 10 louder add infinitum without ending let's give Brenda a hand okay dollars and duckets The Merchant of Venice is a story affected by trade merchandising and the merchant that's the one who makes it all happen for instance Famous Amos he's a merchant of what cookies and my daddy was a merchant of Alabama and believe me when I tell you we never went hungry for anything in our house I have $30 the price of gold is gone up I to get me some then maybe I'll I'll be rich that is called speculating Brenda but the price of gold can also go down so if you're going to speculate be sure it's money you can afford to lose where do you go to speculate Mrs Collins well here in Chicago you go to the American TI exchange now after we finish our research and we know what we're looking for we'll pay them a visit y children like ladies and gentlemen visiting why do they have to have so many people because they're all interested in buying and selling that's what it's all about buying and selling remember merchandise and Merchant of Venice that's what it's all about do they really have the money down there no they don't keep munning here what do the people in the yellow do the ones in the yellow called Runners and they take orders from outside brokers what do the people in the red do the red are brokas that work here at the mertile exchange what are people in the green do the green are out trade clerks now they settle the fights the fights that go on between Brokers they referee that's right yes on 6 here everybody aw you know what these are test go I have never been so happy or proud in my life I have written each one of your letter because you're all tested like Superstar okay Patty yeah Rose M woohoo uh Clarissa Cindy Trin bless you Angel Roan no it's got to be deliver Day After Tomorrow $35 I can get it for half that dumb bars what if we pick it up hold on Daddy next Wednesday can you you bet we can princess you bet we can that's not a bad price but I have to call you back this is going to be p jaos j o c o s e it is an adjective it is a word which comes from Nat meaning a Gest or joke it can also mean humorous or wi Mrs is col how do you spell flip it flip it what's going on here it's we having a party for you he day whatever for we want to thank you for caring and to celebrate our test scor these kids are nuts about you Mr scholar may I have may I have some you know when Tina first came here I well I was on for it yes yes I know children this cake is absolutely delicious but you know I don't like to spending money on things like this well don't worry Tina got the best price for it you should have seen her a shy little thing on the phone negotiating like she was buying a big Corporation or something well now you're looking at a 10-year-old that's reading at an 11th grade level yes sir nobody pulls a w over my baby's eyes notm oh but you know kid the bakery where we got the cake I had to drive 20 some odd miles to get there you know what I would have drove 20,000 Mrs Colin this is for me with help from Charles Dickens Our distinguished guest the ornament of our room may you never leave us but to better yourself and may your success Among Us be such as to render bettering yourself impossible so may thy face be by us when we close our life indeed so may we when realities are melting from us like the Shadows which we now dismiss still find the near us pointing upward thank you well we've got to get back to work we have Promises to Keep miles to go before we sleep miles to go before sleep very good very good the younger children will work on their math and the older children on Einstein's theory or relativity I don't know too much about it myself so we have to learn it together Clarissa are you a genius no is your Daddy a millionaire no well open the book all right we're going to have a spelling who's going to spell irony for me irony i r o n y at the end of the first year every one of marva's learning disabled students tested at least five grade levels higher very good Tina Boland is a straight A student at a local high school when she enters college she plans to pursue a career in teaching Eddie Bauer's mother became disillusioned with the public school her son attended when she brought him back to Westside Preparatory the one room school was unfortunately too overcrowded to accept him by the middle of her second year Clarissa Lester previously considered to be had won an Illinois State Young Writers conference award her mother is now a teacher at Westside Preparatory Martin Luther Jones was recently offered a full scholarship to college he still not sure what he wants to be a pilot or a judge the success of of Marva Collins Dre Nationwide attention when President Reagan invited her to serve as Secretary of Education she respectfully declined choosing to stay a teacher in the fall of 1981 Westside preparatory school with an enrollment of 200 students and a waiting list of 800 moved into its own building the continuation of Marva Collin's dream would be a high school and ultimately a college in this neighborhood to which he is so dedicated the