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Whether a student performs well or not is normally up to them, but the right teacher can always make a difference. On many occasions, youngsters fail, not because of a lack of intelligence, but because they lack proper motivation or are simply distracted. When a good teacher is in available, students become more focused and do their best to thrive, whether it’s in classroom activities or extracurricular ones.
There are a few school-related movies that make audiences wish they had teachers similar to the ones seen on screen. These professionals work beyond their stipulated hours, make sacrifices whenever they don’t need to, and exercise plenty of patience to ensure everyone under their wing performs to the best of their abilities.
15 Dangerous Minds (1995)
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
A transition from the military to the classroom is a rare one and when former marine LouAnne Johnson (Michelle Pfeiffer) is offered a teaching position at a local high school in Dangerous Minds, even she is surprised. Nonetheless, she is glad about being able to make a living but when she meets her batch of students, she realizes things are going to be a lot harder than she expected. To her chagrin, they are all inattentive and unruly, but she vows to fix things.
Describing LouAnne’s methods as unconventional would be an understatement. She teaches them karate because she understands that they need to think she is cool first before they can warm up to her. She also starts by giving everyone an A grade and urging them to maintain it. Because of this method, students work to prevent failure rather than strive to succeed. On top of that, LouAnne serves as the de facto guidance counselor and manages to help the teenagers overcome out-of-class challenges like gang indoctrination and parental conflict.
14 Lean on Me (1989)
Warner Bros. Pictures
In the late ‘80s, Eastside High School as seen on Lean on Me is collapsing because of rampant crime and violence inside the institution’s grounds. Students can’t pass basic tests either so the former teacher, Joe Lois Clark (Morgan Freeman), is hired as the new principal to instill discipline. With the New Jersey state government threatening to place the school under receivership, Clark works hard to put things in order.
Morgan Freeman has always excelled in mentorship roles and the situation is no different here. His character Clark employs a combination of authoritarianism and micromanagement to make the students achieve their potential. The bad apples are quickly expelled while the lazy ones are nurtured to a point of industriousness. In the end, the school remains safe from receivership, and Clark closes the proceedings with the iconic “You can tell the State to go to hell” remark.
13 Akeela and the Bee (2006)
Amazon Studios
Keke Palmer has become more famous because of movies like Nope and Hustlers, but she has been acting since she was 10, making her one of the child stars who have fared well. One of her notable early roles is that of Akeela in Akeela and the Bee. In the film, the titular character is shown to be extremely talented in spelling, but she lacks the discipline required to succeed. Her mother thinks spelling is a waste of time too, so she urges her to focus on her studies.
Thankfully, fate pairs Akeela with the visiting English professor, Dr. Joshua Larebee (Laurence Fishburne) who teaches her all the dos and don’ts. As the two have more and more private sessions, Akeela’s keenness and determination improve, enabling her Scripps National Spelling Bee, triggering feelings of pride from the parent who initially didn’t believe in her.
12 Freedom Writers (2007)
Paramount Pictures
Erin from Freedom Writers is a selfless teacher who goes as far as to take on two additional part-time jobs to pay for books and extracurricular activities because the school has a limited budget. Her dedication to the job is awe-inspiring and so is her patience, which is always on display whenever the unruly students do the opposite of whatever they had been told.
RELATED: The Best Schools in Movies, Ranked
Above all achievements, Erin helps create peace in a school that had been plagued by racial tensions before she arrived. During her first days, the students are shown to have divided themselves into racial gangs like a penitentiary, but as time goes by her message of peace and tolerance kicks in. From taking the teenagers to Holocaust museums to showing them news articles, Erin keeps pushing until the problem is solved.
11 Precious (2009)
Prime Video
Precious is mostly a film about abuse since a huge chunk of the running time is dedicated to 16-year-old Claireece “Precious” Jones’ hostile relationship with her mother, who easily qualifies as one of the worst movie parents. It’s more like Carrie without the murder and telekinesis. Thankfully, the character’s woes come to an end when she is enrolled in an alternative school and meets the compassionate teacher, Ms. Blu Rain.
Within a short time, Precious goes from not being able to read and right to passing her exams. Blu also does way more than just teaching Precious. She temporarily offers her shelter when she falls out with her mother and helps her take care of her baby, who is the product of sexual assault. The movie garnered six nominations at the Oscars, proof of how flawless it is.
10 Dead Poets Society (1989)
Buena Vista Pictures
One of Robin Williams’ most impressive performances can be found in Dead Poets Society where he plays the English teacher, John Keating. Keating doesn’t agree with the idea of children living under the thumb of parents and teachers, so he encourages his students to be independent thinkers and always follow their hearts’ desires. At the same time, he molds them into incredible poets.
From encouraging his students to rip out unnecessary pages of books to advising them to have unique walking styles, Keating keeps shocking the audience with his methods. And in as much as Dead Poets Society is a drama film, Williams keeps adding a little comedic spice to the scenes, making everything more enjoyable. There’s a sad ending, but it adds great value to the movie.
9 Little Man Tate (1991)
Peacock
Great teachers spot talent instead of waiting for it to come to them and in Little Man Tate, Jane Grierson — who runs a school for gifted children — doesn’t hesitate to approach seven-year-old Fred’s mother when she hears the child is a genius. Though reluctant at first, the parent agrees, opening a new journey of improvement for Fred under Jane’s wing.
Since Fred is a genius, Jane’s task in Little Man Tate is mainly to hone his social skills. Fred is reclusive to the point no child attends his birthday, but even though this is seen as no problem because he is smart, Jane understands that networking is essential for growth and that Fred will need people at some point in life. She, therefore, encourages him slowly and by the end of the film, he gets to have a packed birthday party.
8 Stand and Deliver (1988)
Warner Bros.
In Stand and Deliver, Maths teacher Jaime Escalante’s work is so good that everyone starts accusing his students of cheating in exams. Racism is slightly in play since his class mostly consists of Latino students who were doing poorly before he arrived, but Escalante swallows the discrimination like the gentleman he is.
Throughout the movie, Escalante is shown to be both a skilled mathematician and a great motivator. He paints pictures of all the bad scenarios that await his students in adulthood if they don’t succeed in their academics. His passion is admirable too, and at one point, he even escapes from the hospital to go teach his class. Eventually, he overcomes claims of cheating by having his students retake their exams and pass.
7 Queen of Katwe (2016)
Disney
Adapted from a similarly title book by Tim Crothers, Queen of Katwe follows 10-year-old Phiona as she struggles to get by in the Katwe slums of Uganda. Life is tough until she meets the soccer coach and chess teacher, Robert Katende. She urges him to help her learn the game and through his guidance, she gets to compete in the world championships.
In the film, Robert appears to know what’s best for children, even more than their parents. He is stubborn and defiant, insisting on taking the chess players to the national championships even when the local community is against it. He doesn’t believe in giving up either, so when Katwe thinks of quitting after a loss, he gives her a dressing down and urges him to keep going. Ultimately, she manages to pull her family out of poverty.
6 School of Rock (2003)
Paramount Pictures
School of Rock is a laugh fest, and the teacher Dewey Finn (Jack Black) doesn’t exactly have the best interest when he takes up a gig as a substitute teacher. Having been fired from his rock band, Dewey’s primary aim is to get money to pay his rent so that his girlfriend won’t kick him out. To do that, he forms a band full of students to enroll them for Battle of the Bands, where there is huge prize money.
Though Dewey starts by only thinking about himself, his relationship with the students turns out to be a heartwarming one. Thanks to his charming and understanding nature, most of the youngsters quickly improve in all areas of their lives. Eventually, even the parents warm up to him, making him the most popular person in the school.
5 Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995)
MUBI
Mr. Holland’s Opus tackles the Arts vs. Science debate through the story of Glenn Holland. The composer quits his job and starts teaching at a local high school to be closer to his wife. There, he sets up a successful music program but constantly faces opposition from the management that is more interested in funding science-related ventures.
Through Holland, Mr. Holland’s Opus’ also inspects topics such as work-life balance and parenthood. The teacher is adored by his students, but he is constantly sad about the fact that his deaf son will never grow to appreciate his work. On top of that, his marriage crumbles because he puts in extra hours for the students. The movie ultimately ends on a sad note, yet audiences are left appreciating all the sacrifices he made.
4 The Great Debaters (2007)
Harpo Productions
Based on an American Legacy Magazine article written by Tony Scherman, The Great Debaters follows Professor Melvin B. Tolson (Denzel Washington) as guides students at Wiley College to the national debate championships where they defeat the record-setters, Havard. Tolson’s work is astounding because he builds everything from the ground up. When he first arrives, there is no debate team in the college, but he encourages his students to form one before teaching them the basics and tricks.
Undoubtedly one of Denzel Washington’s most underrated films, The Great Debaters is also great because it tackles racial injustice. It’s set at a time when Black people weren’t even permitted to be members of the debate society. Because of this, Tolson’s students get stripped of their tile. It’s a sad ending to an otherwise inspirational movie. Nonetheless, the school writes its name in the history books thanks to Tolson’s work.
3 To Sir, With Love (1967)
Columbia Pictures
For the immigrant Mark Thackeray (Sydney Poitier), teaching is a last resort. He initially wanted to be an engineer but having failed to get a job for 18 months, he settles for work at a high school in London. It turns out that the students there are mostly ‘rejects’ from other schools, so his work becomes a lot harder than expected.
Instead of laying down the law, Thackery vows to treat the students like adults. He lets them talk about any topics they wish and allows them to study on their terms. This wins him respect and to the management’s surprise, their performance improves. In addition to that, To Sir, With Love has a perfect ending that involves Thackeray tearing up an engineering job offer that he has received.
2 Educating Rita (1983)
Rank Film Distributors
Educating Rita is the kind of movie where both the student and the teacher owe a lot to each other. Bored with life, the 26-year-old hair stylist Rita chooses to go back to college where she is tutored by the alcoholic professor Dr. Bryant (Michael Caine). Rita’s passion for her studies helps Bryant bring out the best of his skills hence the two get to have a wholesome friendship where they complement each other.
RELATED: The Best Back-to-School Movies, Ranked
Dr. Bryant is, therefore, not an inspirational teacher because he turns average students into academic superstars but because he experiences personal growth. The early version of him that audiences are introduced to is despicable but by the third act, he has morphed into the kind of professor everyone would wish to have.
1 Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1939)
MGM
Based on James Hilton’s novella of the same name, Goodbye, Mr. Chips is told via flashbacks (kinda like The Irishman). In the introductory scene, the teacher Mr. Chipping is shown taking a nap before audiences are taken on a journey through his career. He starts as a tough teacher but grows more considerate with time, thanks to encouragement from his wife. When he finally grows old and gets pressured to retire, the students stand by him, insisting he ought to stay till he is 100 years old.
Goodbye, Mr. Chips also offers more than just the usual tutoring and mentoring sessions. There is a lot that Mr. Chipping has to deal with in the film, including losing several students and colleagues to World War I. He never gets to have children of his own either because his wife died during childhood. A part of him thus feels like he is missing something, but he remains strong. On his deathbed, he responds to gossip about him never having been a parent, saying, “You’re wrong. I have! Thousands of them!”
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