We all remember the feeling of going to a class period and seeing the teacher roll out an old TV… or pop a DVD into the computer… or more recently, pull up YouTube on the screen. Pure elation — no matter when you went to school! Even if you have the most studious students on planet Earth, everyone can enjoy such entertaining, low-pressure lessons once in a while — including teachers.
As it turns out, the most educational movies are sometimes movies about education itself! Whether you’re turning on the following films for personal inspiration and motivation, or as reliable and well-loved classics for your students, there’s always a right moment for these movies about teachers.
Dead Poets Society (1989)
“Dead Poets Society” (watch the trailer) takes place in 1959 at a prestigious New England boys’ boarding school. The film follows the way that passionate professor John Keating, played by the late Robin Williams, imparts lessons to his 17-year old students about the art of self-expression and how to live a fulfilling life, through poetry.
Not only does Keating show the boys the wisdom of a bunch of “dead poets,” which leads them to revitalize an unsanctioned society (academic group) where they gather to read poetry, he encourages the students to stand on their desks to get a different perspective of the world.
This movie gave rise to the famous “O Captain! My Captain!” scene (drawing on a line from a Walt Whitman poem), whereby the students honor Keating upon his departure from the school at the film’s end.
Favorite quote:
“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race, and the human race is filled with passion. Medicine, law, business, engineering, these are noble pursuits and necessary to sustain life. But poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for.”
Ideal subjects: English/literature, poetry/creative writing, social studies
Activities:
Want to make “Dead Poets Society” into a classroom lesson? You can find a list of lessons from the film as well as printable activities online. Keep in mind this film is ideal for older students, between 14-18.
- Ask students to list the lessons they see in the film, and explain how they are shown.
- Read and discuss Walt Whitman’s “O Captain, My Captain.”
- Keep track of the poets mentioned in the film, and have students find a poem they like and present it to the class.
School of Rock (2003)
“School of Rock” (watch the trailer) is a comedy starring the inimitable Jack Black as Dewey Finn, who becomes a substitute teacher at a private elementary school after getting kicked out of a rock band. As a result, he begins trying to shape his own classroom into a rock band.
Students tend to enjoy the silly humor, wordplay, and music of this movie. While it touches on mature themes like adult alcohol use and body image, it has a positive message about finding your talent and being true to yourself, no matter what you look like or what you love to do.
Favorite quote:
“If you wanna rock, you gotta break the rules. You gotta get mad at the man! And right now, I'm the man. That's right, I'm the man, and who's got the guts to tell me off?”
Ideal subjects: elementary/middle-age, drama/theater, music
Activities:
Want to make “School of Rock” into a classroom lesson? You can find printables and other worksheets online. This movie is best suited to older elementary and middle school students.
- Teach kids about the instruments that make up a band and the roles they play.
- Have kids write lyrics to and/or perform a rhyming song.
- Create a “fill-in” activity for students to listen critically and write down words they hear in the song “Teacher’s Pet” (note: references to curse word).
- Time to grade the teacher! Have students write a “report card” for Jack Black’s character.
Akeelah and the Bee (2006)
“Akeelah and the Bee” (watch the trailer) has a star-studded cast, including Keke Palmer as the titular Akeelah Andersen, Laurence Fishburne as visiting English professor and Akeelah’s spelling coach Dr. Larabee, and Angela Bassett as Akeelah’s mother, Tanya.
Akeelah is an 11-year old girl from South Los Angeles who loves spelling, but initially feels uncertain about her ability to make it to the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Though Akeelah’s principal encourages her to pursue her potential, it’s not until Dr. Larabee becomes her coach that Akeelah begins to believe in her ability to excel.
The movie traces Akeelah’s journey from classroom and district spelling bees to the big Scripps stage, including how Akeelah handles the pressures of friendship and how to define success versus failure as a young adult. It also touches on subjects like race, socioeconomic difference, and death.
Favorite quote:
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?”
Ideal subjects: English/literature, spelling, creative writing, social studies
Activities:
Want to make “Akeelah and the Bee” into a classroom lesson? You can find printables and other worksheets online. This movie is best suited to older elementary and middle school students.
- Ask students to write down all the different methods that Akeelah uses to study. You can also create a true/false worksheet.
- Discuss the factors that make it hard for Akeelah to believe in herself. Bring social emotional learning techniques into the lesson.
- Hold your own spelling bee in the classroom.
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