The Art of Teaching
Experience this Touching and Unconventional Tale of Teen Romance On Blu-ray and DVD November 29th
George, a lonely and fatalistic teen who’s made it all the way to his senior year without ever having done a real day of work, is befriended by Sally (Emma Roberts, It’s Kind of a Funny Story, What’s Wrong with Virginia), a popular but complicated girl who recognizes in him a kindred spirit.
Ms. Herman (Alicia Silverstone, Clueless) can’t seem to get George (Freddie Highmore, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) to do his homework or pay attention in class. She knows that he is a bright student with lots of potential, so she tries to engage him as much as she can. In this feature, we will take a look at the most memorable teachers in film that we all grew to love, but who also tried very hard to inspire their students.
Ms. Geist from Clueless
Ms. Geist (Twink Caplan) is one of Bronson Alcott High’s teaching staff in 1995’s Clueless. Ms. Geist is a bit of a bleeding heart, and she tries desperately to get her stuck-up students to care about the rest of the world outside of Beverly Hills. Ms. Geist helps Cher (Alicia Silverstone) see that she can help others, and she ends up devoting her time to collecting goods for disaster relief.
Dewey Finn in School of Rock
Though not technically a teacher, Dewey Finn (Jack Black) impacts his students in School of Rock. After posing as a substitute teacher at an elite prep school, Dewey learns that his new pupils are talented musicians and decides to train them to be a rock band for an upcoming competition. He teaches them to love rock, and that there is more to life than school and grades.
Ms. Norbury in Mean Girls
Ms. Norbury, played by the hilarious Tina Fey, is the sympathetic math teacher in the 2004 hit Mean Girl. Not only is Ms. Norbury unintentionally hilarious, but she also ushers Cady (Lindsay Lohan) away from the catty Plastics and into the Mathletes, and leads all the female students in a giant confession and apology to one another, and beseeches them to stop the girl on girl hate.
John Keating in Dead Poets Society
John Keating (Robin Williams) is the radical new English teacher at the uptight Welton Academy Prep School. Through his unorthodox teaching methods, like standing on desks and tearing pages out of books, Keating is able to help his students discover and explore their true passions in life, like writing and acting, instead of succumbing to the lives their parents have prescribed for them.
Professor Dumbledore in the Harry Potter Series
Professor Dumbledore (portrayed by both Richard Harris and Michael Gambon) is an astounding wizard who basically knows everything about everything. As a mentor to the young hero, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe), Dumbledore makes him learn many difficult lessons in order to prepare him for the challenges he will face, while still managing to crack a few jokes along the way.
Publication written by Emily Rosenfeld
