JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
From John Keating To Mrs Norbury: Celebrating 10 Favorite Onscreen Educators On Teacher's Day 2024
Looking back at ten legendary onscreen educators on Teacher's Day, who have inspired and entertained us. From Mr. John to Mrs. Norbury, on screen teachers who made a lasting impact on audiences around the world.
There has to be at least one teacher in our academic life who inspired and always supported us despite being a member of the faculty. We may not be lucky to have cool teachers like Mrs. Norbury or Mr. John, for that matter, in real life, but in real life we can always appreciate them by watching their impressive performances as teachers.
Check out these legendary teachers from TV and movies in honor of Teachers Day:
10. John Keating from Dead Poets Society (1989)
Played by Hollywood’s all time favorite A-list celebrity Robin Willams, John Keating is a english teacher that any student would want in their highschool life. Professor Keating’s unconventional way of teaching helped his students find their true path in life and be the better versions of themselves.
Directed by Peter Weir, Dead Poet Society got quite a few Academy nominations including Best Actor in a Leading Role for the performance of the late actor. It goes without saying that this role was undeniably the turning point in-terms of fame and recognition for the actor’s journey in the industry.
9. Miss Honey from Matilda (1996)
While watching Matilda, we all loved this on-screen educator; yes, next on our list is Miss Honey. The sweet and kind teacher we all loved as kids. Her support and appreciation towards Matilda’s special gift and protecting students from the mean headmistress’ cruelty stole our hearts. Portrayed by Embeth Davidtz, Miss Honey is a character who teaches us how 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 oldman who was Harry’s protector and mentor at Hogwarts in the series. He never disappointed us with his quite witty yet powerful lines. One quote of his that will always stick with Harry Potter fans is - “Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only one remembers to turn on the light.”
Originally the character was played by the late actor Richard Harris in the first two parts of the movie series and while for the remaining five, Michael Gambon took on the iconic role after Harris’ unfortunate demise. Dumbledore as a character had all kinds of different qualities from being unfriendly at times to (spoiler ahead!) dying for the people he cares about.
7. LouAnne Johnson from Dangerous Minds (1995)
Another one of those inspirational and committed teachers who adopts an unorthodox technique to win over a class full of disobedient students. Oscar-nominated actor Michelle Pfeiffer plays the role of LouAnne Johnson, an ex-Marine in the film.
She applies for a teaching position and gets recruited right away to teach in “sort of a school within a school,” where she is informed that the students are "made up of special kids - passionate, challenging." Even after facing a tough classroom atmosphere, Miss Johnson’s sincerity towards her students made her one of the most endearing teachers in movies.
6. Jack Black from School of Rock (2003)
Moving on to a more Rock & Roll way of teaching, and no one did it better than Dewey Finn as Jack Black in School of Rock. Being a Musician and comedian himself, Finn gave the character exactly what it was created for.
Mr. Jack is an example of a teacher who never puts their students in boxes but instead sets them free to discover what their true learning purpose is. By playing this ‘cool rock’ teacher, Dewey Finn marked this one of his best performances ever to be recorded.
5) Jaime Escalante from Stand and Deliver (1988)
Played by another big Hollywood persona, Edward James Olmos, this Los Angeles-based mathematics teacher, Jaime Escalante, gets recognized for his approach to teaching math and dismissing myths around the profession in general.
Being based on a true story, it was brilliantly crafted and portrayed on screen. Ramón Menéndez directoral received an Oscar nomination for Olmos’ brilliant performance. Mr. Jamie’s hard work and passion for teaching math saw light in the end when all the students did well in their academics.
4) Sister Michael from Derry Girls (2018-2022)
A lot of times teachers who do not care at all are amazing and funny to watch on screen. Sister Michael-played by Siobhán McSweeney-in Derry Girls is one example. While believing ‘God is a Woman’, something that pop-queen Ariana Grande would agree with, she respects traditional catholic values at the same time.
Micheal always demonstrates her lack of enthusiasm and dry humor while interacting with students and other faculty members. Despite all of it she remains a silent supporter for the girls at school.
3. Katherine Anne Watson from Mona Lisa Smile (2003)
Up next is our history art teacher from Mona Lisa Smile, played by an extraordinary talent of all time—Julia Roberts. Katherine always wanted to positively influence her students in Wellesley College, which is a orthodox place for her.
She is anything but conservative, her independent take on life in the 1950's US reflected on her teaching. This teacher ranks on our list for overcoming stereotypes in a traditional schooling system by empowering her female students.
2. Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World (1993-2000)
William Daniels plays the role of the teacher we generally don’t like because they assign too much school work. Mr. Feeny started as a sixth grade teacher at the start of the series then moved on to being a high school teacher.
He always focused on the learning for the students in his class and everyday there was something new to discover. In the final emotional scene of the series the character refused to say he loves all the children until everyone leaves the room, showcasing his dedication to his class.
1. Mrs. Norbury from Mean Girls (2004)
Time for drumroll... At the top of the list is Mrs. Norbury, portrayed by Tina Fey; she is that cool teacher who never fails to impress. With a shaky start with Cady (played by Lindsey Lohan), Norbury eventually became her best teacher at the end. The character went through a lot during the movie, from drug allegation 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 really earned her this top spot on our list was her ability to handle all of her students' teenage tantrums, no matter how petty or vicious they could be.
ALSO READ: Happy Birthday Beyonce: Revisiting Her Top 10 Hits As Pop Icon Turns 43
Latest Articles
