Thecoming of agestoryline is by no means new, yet audiences still cannot get enough of the genre. As long as real-life teens are walking through the locker-lined halls of high school and young adults continue to ask the terrifying question, “What am I doing with my life?”, the films will continue on. This age group needs an outlet where they see others like themselves in relationships, facing adversity, problem-solving, and just navigating this tough stage in life.
One element that is always present in teen movies is the mentor-mentee dynamic. This can come in the form of the protagonist making a new (usually older or more extroverted) friend, joining a certain clique or team, or confiding in a teacher. A teacher’s role in a coming-of-age story should not be confused with acoach’s role in a sportsfilm. The teacher’s character is made to feel more personal due to the one-on-one connection they have with the protagonist. They challenge the individual to grow and better themselves for the sake of overcoming mental hardships rather than finding physical success in a game. From the teachers that truly change lives to the ones who are memorable for their sassy one-liners, here are the best teachers in teen movies.
1010 Things I Hate About You
In themodern Shakespeare renditionofThe Taming of the Shrew,10 Things I Hate About You, audiences are faced with the typical on-goings of high school, relationship troubles, and some great slapstick comedy. Mr. Morgan (Daryl Mitchell) plays the English teacher that has to put up with the troubled teens. He seems to genuinely want to teach his students (hence his actual teaching of Shakespeare in the film), but the rude and inappropriate comments combined with the know-it-all feminist, Kat, drive this educator up a wall.
Mr. Morgan has no filter when putting Joey or even the wannabe Jamaican twins (they are Caucasian males) in their place. During a tiff with Kat, he goes as far to put a hand in the air while saying, “Bye,” to excuse her from his classroom. For this direct bluntness and hilarious retaliation towards his bratty students, Mr. Morgan is a noteworthy teacher.
9Mean Girls
The introduction of Ms. Norbury (Tina Fey) isMean Girlsis rather humorous as well as controversial as she accidentally takes off her top and exposes herself to her students and the principal. She plays it off well, given she was trying to remove the coffee-soaked outer layer, and she becomes a memorable character within the film. Fans can tell that she means well when trying to push Cady into joining the math team, but her determination is quickly turned around to make her look like a drug pusher. Ms. Norbury represents what it is like for teachers to live regular lives, challenge their students, and push boundaries when trying to get petty girls to just accept one another and stop being so hateful. Though she was not a main role, this feisty and headstrong math teacher made a difference in her students' lives.
Related:Tina Fey Says She and Tim Meadows Will Reprise Their Mean Girls Roles For Movie Musical
8The Blind Side
Based on a true story,The Blind Sideportrays Michael Oher as an academically struggling student in need of quite a bit of assistance. When considering his size, he is immediately enrolled into a private Christian school, but his grades are severely lacking. Ms. Boswell (Kim Dickens), Michael’s new science teacher, notices his hesitation and silent frustration in the classroom, and she eventually tries a new method to gauge what Michael knows. She goes as far to reach out to his other teachers, advocating that he is not a simple-mind young man, but that they need to learn to assess Michael in different ways than the standard practice. Ms. Boswell represents the frustration that great teachers face when trying to help a student whom others have already deemed a lost cause.
7The Perks of Being a Wallflower
A handful of eccentric characters can be found in the cult classic,The Perks of Being a Wallflower, but the down-to-Earth teacher, Mr. Anderson (Paul Rudd) takes at least some credit for helping the introverted Charlie gain confidence. Upon entering his freshman year of high school, Charlie acknowledges that he needs to make friends to survive the next few years. When in English class, Mr. Anderson takes note that Charlie knows the answers to all of his questions, but he does not participate in discussions. Over the course of the year, Mr. Anderson gives Charlie novels and projects to complete aside from his regular school work. The relationship between the two is briefly seen throughout the film, but his caring nature and respect for Charlie is felt by fans.
6The Edge of Seventeen
Woody Harrelson is no stranger to sarcastic and witty characters with memorable dialogue. In his role as Mr. Bruner inThe Edge of Seventeen, the blunt high school teacher that hides his caring side, Harrelson gives a spot-on realistic performance. Nadine, the angsty teenage protagonist, comes to Mr. Bruner with all of her problems. She talks about wanting to kill herself, she asks his advice on how to solve boy troubles, and she tries to explain her self-diagnosed depression. Mr. Bruner listens to her each time, but he pushes her buttons with sarcastic and slightly rude advice and comebacks.
Tough love seems to be his strategy. Like any truly amazing teacher, he sees something in Nadine or feels like he knows her well enough to respond with what she needs to hear to get her to move forward rather than just being a simple outlet in which to rant. Some may see this character as a bad teacher, but the real fans and teachers in the world know he is one of the greats.
5The Karate Kid
The standard four walls, outdated posters, and musky smell of the classroom takes a backseat when it comes to how Mr. Han (played by Jackie Chan) adopts his role as a teacher for the young Dre Parker inThe Karate Kidremake. When Dre is relentlessly bullied by students at his new school, he asks Mr. Han, the building’s maintenance man, to teach him Kung Fu so that he can defend himself. Initially, Mr. Han was hesitant, but after realizing that the beatings and disrespect would continue even from certain adults, he agrees to teach the young American.
Mr. Han focuses on life lessons rather than the narrow-minded approach of being the deadliest guy in the room. He is patient with Dre strengthening his physical body, but more importantly, he helps Dre grow to be a better young man for himself. Mr. Han may not be a teacher in the traditional sense, but his skills and life lessons definitely resonate with his only student.
Related:The Best Teachers in Movies, Ranked
When an illiterate and pregnant teenager by the name of Precious shows up in Ms. Blu Rain’s (Paula Patton) class in the alternative school inPrecious, Ms. Rain knows she has her work cut out for her. She learns that Precious is pregnant with her second child, and overtime, she discovers that she is abused in every way at home (sexual abuse resulted in both pregnancies). Ms. Rain pushes Precious to learn to read and write by saying it is the foundation of life and how by doing so, she will be able to make a better life for herself.
Through private conversations, letters, and a night spent sheltered at Ms. Rain’s house, Precious is able to find her confidence and pursue a life worth living. Ms. Rain reminds audiences that teachers go above and beyond for students both in and out of the classroom. Instead of sending an email on already deaf ears about Precious' situation, she empowers the teen mom to better herself for her children.
Robin Williams has played some of the most notorious and influential characters in film and television. As Professor John Keating inDead Poets Society, he is able to teach the young men at Welton Academy (an all-boys preparatory school) what it means to be original, think for themselves, and stand up for what they believe in. He proudly displays his rather unorthodox teaching strategies by standing on tables and having his students rid themselves of the standard classroom environment.
Professor Keating is not the teacher that the school wants, but he is the teacher that the students desperately need. He forces his male students to form their own opinions and encourages them to adopt acarpe diemmindset. Through his academic and life lessons, Professor Keating is able to change the lives of many students, not just one.
2Freedom Writers
Based on the book andreal life storyof Erin Gruwell,Freedom Writershas the ability to capture even the most reluctant hearts. In the movie, Mrs. Gruwell (Hilary Swank) has to adjust her approach to a rather rough group of students. Between actual gang wars and more trauma than any teenager should have to endure, she walks a thin line to earn their trust and cooperation. Aside from the expected academic lessons, Mrs. Gruwell makes it her mission to teach her students that there is more to life than death before adulthood and hating one another due to skin color.
She tries to advocate for her students and their needs only to be shut down by administration. Without support from higher-ups and other teachers, Mrs. Gruwell sacrifices nearly everything in her life to educate her students on the opportunities before them. After four successful years with her kids, many of them leave poverty and the gang life behind.
1Stand and Deliver
Jaime Escalante was another educatorwhose actions and success became worthy of a film — this time calledStand and Deliver. In the movie, Edward James Olmos portrays Mr. Escalante. He uses humor and high expectations to earn the respect of his students. Aside from the unfortunate reality of admin not believing in a teacher, let alone the students with track records, Mr. Escalante is able to make his students believe in themselves. Upon taking up the challenge to teach them calculus for an AP exam, Mr. Escalante does not let his incredibly high expectations waver. He has the students attend Saturday sessions, and he does not tolerate tardiness or absences.
In short, he holds the students accountable which forces them to acknowledge their own desire to be better. Every student who chose to take the exam passed twice, even after being suspected of cheating due to their high scores. Mr. Escalante shows what it means to never give up on someone who is willing to put in the work.
