Top 10 Must-Watch teacher movies
If we go back to our school days, most of us would have an inspirational mentor, right? A teacher who must have made a difference in our lives with his existence and ways of teachings.
These teachers are the coaches in the match of life. The masters, who not only guide their students in the academic life but also the tactics to deal with practical life. There is no question that teachers are the ones who play a critical role in molding their students’ character and future. It is easy to determine the academic effectiveness of the student(s), by noticing the nature of the teacher(s) to whom they are assigned. If you want to become a teacher must read Teaching As A Hobby And As A Profession
In this digital millennium, where every other kid has access to the internet and technology anyway. It is an absurd idea to apply the old school techniques to motivate and channelize the students into effective learning. Not denying the fact that the teachers have their own ways to inspire their students. We can have some interesting ways to reach our goal, such as teacher movies.
Entertainment, in the form of movies, could also be an exciting and fascinating way to attract the student towards their mentors and their affection towards learning. And also, mentioning the fact, sometimes the motivators also need motivation. The teachers also don’t mind having some refreshing activities i.e. watching teacher movies, to get their energy to get back to their students.
Now the question arrives, what kind of movies do we need them to watch? So we have a list of “Must Watch teacher movies” given below, which can easily solve this problem.
Given below are the names as well as reviews of our top 10 most recommended teacher movies, watch them and let us know about your experience:
Dead Poets Society
Production Year: 1989
Starring: Robin Williams/Ethan Hawke
The Dead Poets Society is perhaps the most popular teacher movie of all time for students. A vision of an English teacher, it is full of metaphors, inspirational quotations, and allusions to literature. For this reason, I would recommend that each teacher show this film at least once in their class each year.
The film is the story of unorthodox English teacher John Keating, whose teaching of poetry inspires his students. The students are surprised by its unorthodox teaching. He has teared the boys up the syllabus on first-class and adopted his special methods of teaching. Even the teacher has asked the students to stand on their desks to show them how to look at life differently.
The movie has won Best Screen Play Academy Awards and other wins include Best Picture, Best Actor nominated by Robin Williams, Best Director by Peter Weir.
Freedom Writers
Production Year: 2007
Starring: Hilary Swank/Patrick Dempsey
This film is pretty positive, with interesting characters and morals. This is a true story about the young white teacher Erin Gruwell who is idealistic but strong-willed. The teacher faces trouble with her mixed Hispanic, black, Asian, and one white man freshman class.
Although the white guy just wants to go, students of other races are not interested in debating Homer at all, or even in proper grammar. And one day, as she scores a spot in their minds, Ms. Gruwell breaks through with a statement on racism. She makes them register their diaries by gaining the confidence of her student. They wrote in their diaries about their hard experiences of being raped, and watching their friend dying. Needless to say, once again violating all rules helps her to become an excellent teacher whom her students grow to love.
October sky
Production year: 1999
When everyone else is pointing them in one direction in a child’s life, a teacher can be the only one who helps them forge their own way. This is the case with Sky in October. A teenage Jake Gyllenhaal starts out in a close-minded, coal-mining town in the 1950s as an outcast teen with a passion for rocket launching. With his teacher’s encouragement, he pursues his passion for the state science fair, college, and eventually to NASA.
The Class
Production Year: 2008
Starring: Francois Begaudeau
It is a different kind as compared to other teacher movies: it all takes place inside the classroom, so we never see the students in other environments, including at home or in the street. It gives the film a documentary feel: we experience only one world, and there is not much visual variety. Based on a semi-biographical novel, written by the film’s teacher Francois Begaudeau, playing himself, the movie is very realistic.
The theme is highly low-key. Although it has the look of a low-budget documentary film, acting that just looks like ordinary people are themselves, the strength of this film is its restraint. No hero running in to save the girls, no major transformations. The film comes across a very specific one, and is fascinating for that reason to watch.
Stand and Deliver
Production Year: 1988
Starring: Edward James Olmos
Stand and Deliver is the true story of a math teacher, Mr. Escalante, who one day at a time takes on a bunch of mathematical failures and turns them into math geniuses. Jaimie Escalante doesn’t look very hard: he’s half bald and wears baggy pants but he knows how to get through his class to the teenagers.
He uses math problems for which they connect (i.e., how many women does Juan have?) and gives his students humorous jabs. One cool cat is this teacher. He uses humor and charisma rather than law and order to force his way into their heads and ultimately their hearts.
This teacher movie is an inspiring one, as Mr. Escalante is just a normal man, who happens to be a very cool teacher. He takes complicated content and breaks it down in a way that is accessible to learners. Never give up, Mr. Escalante tries to pound away until they have it. And when the students begin to “get it,” their lives shift.
Lean On Me
Production Year: 1989
Starring: Morgan Freeman
Lean On Me, is also one of the best inspiring teacher movies. The film is about Joe Louis Clark’s story, New Jersey’s head of high school in the inner city. The challenge that he faced was that the New Jersey state government is at risk of taking over this business. The students can’t even pass the Basic Minimum Skills Test. Clark is making improvements to the school, once known for drugs and crimson.
Thanks to the incredible bravery Joe Clark displays, the movie is so touching. He uses tough love and sets the bar higher. Through establishing discipline, he’s eager to make them believe in themselves. He is still standing up to the bad guys, the drug dealers, making him a real hero, but having sympathy for the more disadvantaged students.
Karate Kid
Production Year: 2010
Starring: Jaden Smith, Jackie Chan
It is not one of the typical teacher movies. There is no formal classroom: the teacher’s home is studying, and the pupil teaches karate, rather than reading, writing, or math. But do not make a mistake: this is definitely a teacher’s film, and it definitely inspires!
Mr. Chan also has his own demons and Dre comes to his mentor’s home in one upsetting scene to find his beloved car totally destroyed. Jaden reaches out to him and we find that the beloved teacher still has lessons to remember. Both find healing through their teacher-student relationship, and discover their inner confidence.
Good Will Hunting
Production Year: 1999
Starring: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Robin Williams
This American drama film, Good Will Hunting, is about an unrecognized genius. Will Hunting, 20, a South Boston laborer, is a self-educated intellect. A dropout from high school works at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a gatekeeper, and spends time with his colleagues. The math professor Gerald Lambeau discovers Will’s talent and pushes him into counseling and math lessons.
The film has been nominated for 9 Academy Awards and has won two awards-Best Original Screenplay for Affleck and Damon and Best Supporting Actor for Williams.
Psychological insight, outstanding acting, and excellent quality make this an enthusiastic and exciting experience.
Precious
Production Year: 2009
Starring: Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’Nique,
For anyone who hasn’t seen this film, I suggest you watch it. Nonetheless, if you have children, make sure they are either in a sleepover, or fast asleep in a distant bed, because Precious is full of disturbing scenes and foul language. Gabourey Sidibe stars as Claireece Precious Jones, a big girl who thinks she’s stupid and worthless because a cruel, abusive mother tells her that every day.
Precious finds its hope and redeeming through the force of knowledge. In the beginning, almost illiterate, she begins to go to school on an alternative program called, “Each One Teach One,” and begins to learn. The teacher, Ms. Rain, played by Paula Patton, teaches young women quietly and consistently, they begin to awaken their minds and hearts. The girls find relief by reading and writing.
This is a different kind of teacher film but it still fits the category. Powerful production, with utter authentic performance that puts you right on the stage.
Chalk
Production year: 2006
This mockumentary offers a dry but poignant portrayal of teaching in Christopher Guest style. The film follows a group of Harrison High fictional teachers, showing the challenges they encounter comically without making teachers the joke’s ass. Some painfully familiar classroom encounters are sure to be recognizable.
