- 10. John Keating, Dead Poets Society (1989)
- 9. Miss Honey from Matilda (1996)
- 8. Albus Dumbledore from Harry Potter (2001-2011)
- 7. Luanne Johnson, Dangerous Minds (1995)
- 6. Jack Black From School of Rock (2003)
- 5) Jaime Escalante, Stand and Deliver (1988)
- 4) Sister Michael from Derry Girls (2018-2022)
- 3. Katherine Anne Watson from Mona Lisa Smile (2003)
- 2. Mr. Feeny, Boy Meets World (1993–2000)
- 1. Mrs. Norbury, Mean Girls (2004)
There must be at least one teacher in our academic life who motivated us and always supported us despite being a member of the faculty. We may not get a good teacher like Mrs. Norbury or Mr. John in real life, but in real life we can always appreciate them by seeing their impressive performance as a teacher.
In honor of Teachers’ Day, check out these great teachers from TV and movies:
10. John Keating, Dead Poets Society (1989)
Played by Hollywood’s all-time favorite A-list celebrity Robin Williams, John Keating is the English teacher any student would want in their high school life. Professor Keating’s unconventional way of teaching helps his students find their true path in life and become better versions of themselves.
Dead Poets Society, directed by Peter Weir, received several Academy Awards, including a Best Actor award for the late actor’s performance. Needless to say, this role was undoubtedly the turning point in terms of the actor’s fame and recognition in the industry.
9. Miss Honey from Matilda (1996)
While watching Matilda, we all loved this on-screen teacher; yes, the next name on our list is Miss Honey. The sweet and kind teacher we all loved in our childhood. Her support and appreciation towards Matilda’s special gift and protecting the students from the cruelty of the evil principal wins our hearts. Portrayed by Embeth Davidtz, Miss Honey is a character who teaches us that kindness can be a person’s strongest trait when it comes to teaching.
8. Albus Dumbledore from Harry Potter (2001-2011)
Headmaster Dumbledore, this wise old man who was Harry’s protector and mentor at Hogwarts. He never disappointed us with his quite funny but powerful lines. One of his quotes that will always stay with Harry Potter fans is – “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.”
The character was originally played by the late actor Richard Harris in the first two parts of the film series, and Michael Gambon took on the iconic role in the remaining five after Harris’ unfortunate death. As a character, Dumbledore had a variety of qualities, such as being unfriendly at times and (spoilers ahead!) willing to die for those he cares about.
7. Luanne Johnson, Dangerous Minds (1995)
One of those inspiring and committed teachers who uses an unconventional technique to win over a class full of disobedient students. Oscar-nominated actor Michelle Pfeiffer stars in the film as Luanne Johnson, a former Marine who applies for a teaching position and is immediately recruited to teach at “a school within a school of sorts,” where she is told the students are “made up of special kids – passionate, challenging.” Even after facing a difficult classroom environment, Miss Johnson’s sincerity towards her students makes her one of the most beloved teachers in movies.
6. Jack Black From School of Rock (2003)
Moving on to teaching the rock and roll way, and no one did it better than Dewey Finn As Jack Black in School of Rock. Being a musician and comedian himself, Finn gave this character exactly what it was made for. Mr. Jack is an example of a teacher who never puts his students in a box, but leaves them free to discover what their true learning objectives are. By playing this ‘cool rock’ teacher, Dewey Finn made it one of his best performances to date.
5) Jaime Escalante, Stand and Deliver (1988)
Played by another Hollywood bigwig, Edward James Olmos, Jaime Escalante, a math teacher living in Los Angeles, is recognized for his approach to teaching math and for debunking myths about the profession in general. Being based on a true story, it was brilliantly crafted and portrayed on screen. Ramon Menendez’s direction received an Oscar nomination for Olmos’ brilliant performance. Mr. Jaime’s hard work and passion for teaching math finally shined when all the students did well in their academics.
4) Sister Michael from Derry Girls (2018-2022)
Sometimes teachers who don’t care at all look wonderful and fun to watch on screen. Sister Michael, played by Siobhan McSweeney in Derry Girls, is an example of this. Believing that ‘God is a woman’, something that pop-queen Ariana Grande would agree with, she at the same time respects traditional Catholic values. Michael always displays a lack of enthusiasm and dry humor when interacting with students and other faculty members. Despite all this, she remains a silent supporter of the girls in the school.
3. Katherine Anne Watson from Mona Lisa Smile (2003)
Next up is our history art teacher from Mona Lisa Smile, played by the most extraordinary talent ever- Julia Roberts. Katherine always wanted to positively influence her students at Wellesley College, which is a conservative place for them. She is a far cry from stereotypes, her independent outlook on life in 1950s America is reflected in her teaching. This teacher finds a place on our list for breaking stereotypes in the traditional schooling system by empowering her female students.
2. Mr. Feeny, Boy Meets World (1993–2000)
William Daniels Plays We usually don’t like the teacher character because they assign too much schoolwork. Mr. Feeny started out as a sixth grade teacher at the beginning of the series and then became a high school teacher. He always focused on learning for the students in his class and every day there was something new to discover. In the last emotional scene of the series the character refused to say that he loved all the children until everyone had left the room, which shows his dedication to his class.
1. Mrs. Norbury, Mean Girls (2004)
It’s time to beat the drums… Top of the list is Mrs Norbury, played by Tina Fey; she’s the brilliant teacher who never fails to impress. After a shaky start with Cady (played by Lindsay Lohan), Norbury eventually became her best teacher by the end. The character suffered a lot during the film, from drug charges to getting roasted in the Burn Book; Mrs Norbury has seen it all. But with her school winning the Mathlete Championship, she got her happy ending. What made her top our list was her ability to handle all of her students’ teenage tantrums, no matter how petty or cruel they might be.
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