I have always enjoyed movies growing up and still do as an adult. Here are my top ten teacher movies. All of them stick out to me for different reasons, so it isn’t really in any particular order. Movies make great gifts, presents for graduating teachers, or just for your own enjoyment. If you can think of any other good teacher movies please leave them in the comments below so we can all benefit.
1. Mr. Holland’s Opus
This movie is about a talented musician and composer. He accepts a teaching position with hopes of more free time. Mr. Holland uses rock and roll to make classical music more meaningful to his students. He is consumed at the school and this causes problems in his personal life. Then, budget cuts start to put a strain on the music program and his position.
I really like this movie for multiple reasons. The primary reason is that his students remember his sacrifices and time he invested into them. Sometimes teaching feels like a thankless profession, so it is nice to see his students’ appreciation for him.
Trailer-https://youtu.be/CB1-ASsrNQI
2. Dangerous Minds
Dangerous minds is about a discharged female Marine that gets a teaching job at a high school. She shows up to begin teaching and finds a classroom filled with tough teenagers. Most of the students are from rough and underprivileged backgrounds. Many are involved in gangs and drugs. The students are disengaged and refusing to do anything. She returns the next day with a new outfit and new teaching strategies to change things up.
The lesson I take personally from this movie is when things aren’t meeting your expectations try something different. I like that she had the courage to try new strategies to change what she was doing to address the students’ needs. Sometimes it is hard and intimidating to try something new.
Trailer-https://youtu.be/gA-5nLQCmW8
3. To Sir, with love
Mr. Thackeray is an immigrant to Britain and applies for an engineering job. He also applies for a teaching job in a tough part of London. Mr. Thackeray is offered the teaching position and accepts. He learns the staff and pupils have mostly been rejected from other schools. He decides to change his approach for the tough group of students. He tells the students that he will from now on treat them as adults.
This movie reminds me to have high expectations for my students and they will rise to the challenge. It is never too late to have high expectations or for students to change. The movie is also interesting to watch because of the time period it is based in.
Trailer-https://youtu.be/yruJf79dudQ
4. Spare Parts
Fredi Cameron interviews for a vacant substitute position at a high school. The principal has many questions about Cameron, but eventually hires him because of his Doctorate and engineer credentials. He is assigned to an engineering club. One of the students is looking to build a remotely operated underwater robot and wants to enter it into a competition. Cameron starts to get more involved and realizes that they have a lack of funds. The team starts looking for spare parts and asking for donations so they can compete.
I love this movie because it has humor throughout and reminds me to be creative with problems that I face. The students have so much to overcome just to get to the competition. They are so creative in solving all of the problems thrown at them. Their solutions and perseverance will inspire you.
Trailer- https://youtu.be/GXOLwIIHuCs
5. Stand and Deliver
Stand and Deliver is about a math teacher at a high school in Los Angeles. There are a lot of social problems and crime in the area. Mr. Escalante seeks to change the school’s culture to help the students view education as important. Escalante starts with the students taking summer classes in mathematics. The other faculty are skeptical and feel that the students are not capable of any advanced math. The students struggle, but Escalante works hard to teach and encourage them.
There are so many lessons and ideas that you can take from this movie. I love this movie because it reminds me to go the extra mile. Teaching is such a hard profession, but the extra time and investment into students does pay off. This film is a great example of that idea.
Trailer- https://youtu.be/sG-Cxs8eYkI
6. Dead Poets Society
John Keating a English teacher has some unorthodox teaching methods. He teaches at an elite all male prep school. Jumping on desks and lessons complete with humor catch the students off guard. He introduces them to the Latin phase carpe diem which means “seize the day.” His methods and overall demeanor are questioned by the staff, and gain negative attention from headmaster. Keating helps various students develop, learn, and grow. The students become more independently minded and start challenging some of the policies at the school.
One lesson I have taken from this movie is to be different and break the mold. It is so easy to follow the example and footsteps of other teachers, and in many cases that is understandable. However, as a teacher, being different and being yourself for your students is very important.
Trailer- https://youtu.be/4lj185DaZ_o
7. Freedom Writers
In this movie Erin Gruwell has accepted a job teaching English for at-risk students at a High School. Racial tensions are high in the area and Erin walks into difficult situations. Erin initially struggles with the her students that don’t respect or relate to her. In class one day she sees a note of a racist drawing of a student and proceeds to tie it to the Holocaust. All of her students have no knowledge of the holocaust. She gradually begins to earn their trust throughout the year. She buys notebooks for them to use as diaries. They can write about anything they want and a lot of hard situations and stories come out of their writings.
This movie reminds me to build relationships with my students. It takes time and effort to build relationships and it isn’t easy. The time invested is well worth it as your classroom, students, and even academic performance of students gets better.
Trailer- https://youtu.be/JhXMJlm852A
8. October Sky
In October 1957, the Soviet Union launch Sputnik 1 and it reaches the town of Coalwood. Homer Hickam is amazed and sets out to build his own rocket. His family and peers are not very supportive. Homer’s father John just wants him to join him in the coal mines. Homer receives support and a rocket science book from his teacher Miss Riley, and his dream continues.
This film is more focused on the student than the teacher, but it reminds me of our great responsibility as teachers to foster and support dreams. Our students have all kinds of hardships to overcome, but with our help and support they can reach the stars.
Trailer-https://youtu.be/zxJQgYPXjN4
9. Lean on Me
This film is about Eastside High School that has been on the decline due to drugs, gangs, and crime. Most of students at the school are not passing the basic skills test, and the school is not safe for students or teachers because of the gang violence. The Mayor and Superintendent decide to hire elementary school principal Joe Clark as the new principal. Clark starts making changes for the safety of the school and even orders the doors of the school be chained and locked during school hours. He tries to make the school safe and then starts to encourage the faculty to teach again.
This is one of my favorite movies on the list. Many of the scenes remind me that education is a powerful tool. We, as teachers, have a job to make sure our students are getting the skills needed for their future. Education is the great equalizer and without it there is little hope.
Trailer- https://youtu.be/evA9nkdOhKU
10. Take the Lead
Pierre Dulain is a professional ballroom dance instructor. On his way home one night, he sees a young man damaging a car. The next day Pierre goes to a high school and requests a job from the principal to help the students. The principal isn’t exactly thrilled with his request and places him in charge of the detention class. Pierre lets the students know that he plans on teaching them ballroom dancing. The students are not interested and think he is a joke. He enters his students in the upcoming city wide ballroom dancing contest.
I love this movie because it seems like Mr. Dulain has an impossible task in front of him and still succeeds. It reminds me that even when the odds are against you, you can still succeed. This is an important message for students and teachers.
Trailer- https://youtu.be/yxIf7U73hb8
These movies are awesome and all offer something unique and different. If you can think of any more good teacher movies please leave them in the comments.
Other teacher movies you may be interested in:
The Great Debaters, Music of the Heart, The Principal, Hard Lessons, A Hard Lesson
Happy Watching!
Thank you for Continually Learning with us!
Kyle and Sarah
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