Customer Reviews

Ordinary Children, Extraordinary Teachers

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Ordinary Children, Extraordinary Teachers has inspired me to be a better parent and teacher to my two children. Marva first let the children know that she cared about them and that she would not let them fail even when the other schools have washed their hands of the child. It was as if I were a student in Marva's class. I was so encourage to first, complete the book, I could not put it down, as I read I would practice the techniques on my children, for example my six grade son was still struggling with his multiplcations facts, he had a test to complete 100 problems in 4 min. I call my son a scholar and had him practice over and over the same test. each practice test he got better and better, he passed the test and felt really proud.he is bringing his C's to B's and his B's to A's. I learned you have to meet the child where he is. Thank you Marva for your care, concern, inspiration and motivation. and keep teaching and writing.

My first year of teaching in South Central Los Angeles I was frustrated, isolated, and thought about quitting constantly.
Then I picked up this book.
It changed the way I viewed my students, curriculum, and my role as an educator.
Now, five years later, I'm studying to become a principal to effect change in some small way, like Marva Collins did.

It is clear that Marva Collins is very passionate about teaching, and this book is inspiring in that sense. However, it has too many cliches and many of the points made are made several times, from one chapter to the next. It provides the reader with an increasingly irritating sense of deja vu. It is rather poorly written - some sentences make no sense and the grammar is incorrect in others. It is not an easy book to get through, but can provide the reader with an inspiration for spectacular teaching.

To anyone that is searching for an answer to our current educational crisis, you have found it! Marva Collins is a woman who has been chosen by GOD to help children learn. She makes no excuses for them, she just teaches them. This book embodies everything I am aspiring to be as an educator. The message in this book is simple. If you love children enough to nurture them as if they were your own, you will help them become life long learners. This book should become a required reading for anyone that is preparing themsleves for the life long journey of learning, and teaching. If the president can see that Marva's Way is great so can everyone else. Buy it! It is a blessing for the educators soul.

I am a dedicated teacher who loves to read. This book appeals to me as a teacher, but loses me as a reader. The same points are made over and over again in the first section of the book; I found myself increasingly irritated by the editing errors that abound on each page. The same quotations are repeated several times, sometimes in the span of a few pages. It reads like a collection of notes scribbled too fast.

As Ms. Collins might say to one of her students, "Nice try, but why don't we try proofreading this to make it better?"

Once again, Marva Collins is very inspiring. This would be great to share with a faculty needing some inspiration.

I would recommend this book to all teachers it is very motivating. Ms. Collin is beacon of light to all who teach!

As a preschool teacher, I was required to read this book. Marva Collins has a great message - "Love the children! Find the positive things about them - and TEACH them - no matter what!" However, there is way too much of her saying, "Everyone is teaching the wrong way" and not nearly enough of her telling us HOW to do it the RIGHT way. Also, she repeats herself SEVERAL times. She states the fact that Abraham Lincoln did not learn to read until he was 14 over six times. It becomes laughable! I struggled to get through it. While her message IS beautiful, it could have been conveyed in a much more precise and informational manner. Sorry Marva. I'm sure you accomplished a lot as an educator, but your writing skills are not very good.