Teacher Appreciation Day: School/Teacher-Related Movie or Series
May 8, 2018 has been designated National Teacher Appreciation Day in the US. As an educator myself, I have chosen the following movies and series, from various genres, featuring teachers and/or school environments.
Which of these is your personal favorite?
After voting, you may discuss here.
Special thanks to Dan Dassow, Jen & Rubyfruit76 for their assistance with and contributions to this list.
Which of these is your personal favorite?
After voting, you may discuss here.
Special thanks to Dan Dassow, Jen & Rubyfruit76 for their assistance with and contributions to this list.
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- DirectorTony KayeStarsAdrien BrodyChristina HendricksMarcia Gay HardenA substitute teacher who drifts from classroom to classroom finds a connection to the students and teachers during his latest assignment.
- DirectorPeter WeirStarsRobin WilliamsRobert Sean LeonardEthan HawkeMaverick teacher John Keating returns in 1959 to the prestigious New England boys' boarding school where he was once a star student, using poetry to embolden his pupils to new heights of self-expression.
- DirectorJames ClavellStarsSidney PoitierJudy GeesonChristian RobertsIdealistic engineer-trainee and his experiences in teaching a group of rambunctious white high school students from the slums of London's East End.
- DirectorJohn N. SmithStarsMichelle PfeifferGeorge DzundzaCourtney B. VanceLouAnne, a retired US marine, becomes a teacher in a Californian high school. But her mostly Latino and black students from an impoverished and racially segregated locality do not easily embrace her.
- DirectorWes CravenStarsMeryl StreepCloris LeachmanHenry DinhoferAfter Roberta Guaspari separates from her husband, she receives encouragement from her mother to take up a job of a music teacher at the Central Park East School in East Harlem.
- DirectorRichard LaGraveneseStarsHilary SwankImelda StauntonPatrick DempseyA young teacher inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves and pursue education beyond high school.
- DirectorRyan FleckStarsRyan GoslingAnthony MackieShareeka EppsAn inner-city junior high school teacher with a drug habit forms an unlikely friendship with one of his students after she discovers his secret.
- DirectorBoaz YakinStarsDenzel WashingtonWill PattonWood HarrisIn 1971 Virginia high school football was everything to the people of Alexandria. But when the school board was forced to integrate an all-black school with an all-white one, the very foundation of football's tradition was put to the test.
- DirectorRichard LinklaterStarsJack BlackMike WhiteJoan CusackAfter being kicked out of his rock band, Dewey Finn becomes a substitute teacher of an uptight elementary private school, only to try and turn his class into a rock band.
- DirectorJoe JohnstonStarsJake GyllenhaalChris CooperLaura DernThe true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry against his father's wishes.
- DirectorDaniel BarnzStarsViola DavisMaggie GyllenhaalHolly HunterTwo determined mothers, one a teacher, look to transform their children's failing inner city school. Facing a powerful and entrenched bureaucracy, they risk everything to make a difference in the education and future of their children.
- DirectorHerbert RossStarsPeter O'ToolePetula ClarkMichael RedgraveA shy, withdrawn English schoolteacher falls for a flashy showgirl.
- DirectorStephen HerekStarsRichard DreyfussGlenne HeadlyJay ThomasA frustrated composer finds fulfillment as a high school music teacher.
- DirectorRamón MenéndezStarsEdward James OlmosEstelle HarrisMark PhelanThe story of Jaime Escalante, a high school teacher who successfully inspired his dropout-prone students to learn calculus.
- DirectorJohn StockwellStarsJeff DanielsJena MalonePaul SorvinoEleven students conspire with their teacher to cheat on an academic competition.
- CreatorTim LoaneStarsUrsula Holden GillLloyd McGuireGillian BevanComedy drama that follows the exploits of school staff both inside and out of the classroom.
- CreatorMichael JacobsApril KellyStarsBen SavageRider StrongWilliam DanielsAn adolescent with two siblings tests his various theories about life as he endures the trials of growing up alongside a good friend.
- CreatorRoberto Aguirre-SacasaStarsLili ReinhartCamila MendesCole SprouseWhile navigating the troubled waters of romance, school and family, Archie and his gang become entangled in dark Riverdale mysteries.
- CreatorSera GambleJohn McNamaraStarsStella MaeveHale ApplemanArjun GuptaAfter being recruited to a secretive academy, a group of students discovers that the magic they read about as children is very real--and more dangerous than they ever imagined.
- CreatorIan BrennanBrad FalchukRyan MurphyStarsLea MicheleJane LynchMatthew MorrisonA group of ambitious misfits try to escape the harsh realities of high school by joining a glee club headed by a passionate Spanish teacher.
- CreatorDavid E. KelleyStarsLoretta DevineAnthony HealdFyvush FinkelThe lives of 10 faculty members at a high school in Boston weave in and out of dealing with trouble-makers, having a personal life, and keeping sanity.
- CreatorDan HarmonStarsJoel McHaleDanny PudiDonald GloverA suspended lawyer is forced to enroll in a community college with an eccentric staff and student body.
- CreatorGabe KaplanAlan SacksPeter MeyersonStarsGabe KaplanRon PalilloJohn TravoltaA compassionate teacher returns to his inner city high school of his youth to teach a new generation of trouble making kids.
- CreatorGlenn EichlerSusie LewisStarsTracy GrandstaffWendy HoopesJulian RebolledoA smart and cynical girl goes through teenage life as a proud outsider in a world of mainly idiotic adolescents and condescending adults.
- DirectorAndy TennantStarsJodie FosterChow Yun-FatBai LingThe story of the romance between the King of Siam and widowed British schoolteacher, Anna Leonowens, during the 1860s.
- DirectorJames BridgesStarsTimothy BottomsLindsay WagnerJohn HousemanA first-year law student at Harvard Law School struggles with balancing his coursework and a woman, unaware that she has a connection that affects their relationship.
- DirectorMick JacksonStarsClaire DanesJulia OrmondDavid StrathairnA biopic of Temple Grandin, an autistic woman who has become one of the top scientists in the humane livestock handling industry.
- DirectorMike NewellStarsJulia RobertsKirsten DunstJulia StilesA free-thinking art professor teaches conservative 1950s Wellesley girls to question their traditional social roles.
- DirectorRobert LuketicStarsReese WitherspoonLuke WilsonSelma BlairElle Woods, a fashionable sorority queen, is dumped by her boyfriend. She decides to follow him to law school. While she is there, she figures out that there is more to her than just looks.
- DirectorGeoffrey WrightStarsBrittany MurphyJay MohrMichael BiehnIn the small town of Cherry Falls, a psychotic murderer is killing off the virgins of the local high school.
- DirectorJamie BlanksStarsJared LetoAlicia WittRebecca GayheartA college student suspects a series of bizarre deaths are connected to certain urban legends.
- DirectorKelly Fremon CraigStarsHailee SteinfeldHaley Lu RichardsonBlake JennerHigh-school life gets even more unbearable for Nadine when her best friend, Krista, starts dating her older brother.
- DirectorAlexander PayneStarsMatthew BroderickReese WitherspoonLoren NelsonA high school teacher meets his match in an over-achieving student politician.
- DirectorChris ColumbusStarsDaniel RadcliffeRupert GrintEmma WatsonAn orphaned boy enrolls in a school of wizardry, where he learns the truth about himself, his family and the terrible evil that haunts the magical world.
- DirectorPhilippe FalardeauStarsMohamed FellagSophie NélisseÉmilien NéronAt a Montréal public grade school, an Algerian immigrant is hired to replace a popular teacher who committed suicide in her classroom. While helping his students deal with their grief, his own recent loss is revealed.