Abbott Elementary (2021-?)
Comedy series is about the lives of a group of dedicated
teachers that work at Abbott Elementary in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania one of
the worst public schools in the country.
Anne of Avonlea (1975/1987)
Based on the second book in the Anne of Green Gables series Anne of Avonlea
by L. M. Montgomery [First Published
in 1909] Anne Shirley is 16 and has graduated from high school. She starts her
first job as a teacher facing the challenges of new career.
A.P. Bio (2018-2021)
Harvard Graduate Jack Griffen is a professor at Stanford College when he loses
his job due to social media. Having few choices, he moves back to his hometown
of Toledo, Ohio. He takes a job as a teacher for A.P. Biology at his old high
school. Hating his life, he seeks revenge on the people he blames for current
situation with the help of his students.
Bad Teacher (2011/2014)
Middle school teacher that hates her job, coworkers, and students is about to
leave teaching when she dumped by her wealthy fiancé; Forcing her to return to
the classroom. Not happy with this she sets out to find a husband and earn
money.
The Bells of St. Mary's (1945/1959)
Catholic Father Charles O'Malley is sent to St. Mary's an old inner city
parochial school in in on the verge of being shut down. He is there to help run
the school and church with a group of nuns lead by Sister Mary Benedict. They
have different ideas on running the school, taking care of children, and saving
the parish.
Beyond The Blackboard (2011)
Inspired by the book Nobody Don't Love Nobody by Stacey
Bess [First Published in 1994] Stacey Bess is a 24-year-old teacher
just out of college and her first job is at a school within a homeless shelter
for families in Utah. She changes the life of the children she teaches.
The Bionic Woman (1976-1978)
Spinoff of The Six Million Dollar Man (1974-1978) After Tennis
Pro Jamie Sommers is injured in a freak skydiving accident, she is made into a
cyborg by the US Government. Having to give up her sports career she becomes a
schoolteacher and secret agent for the Office of Scientific Investigation
battling spies, robots, aliens, and injustice.
Blackboard Jungle (1955)
Based on the novel Blackboard Jungle by Evan Hunter [First
Published in 1954]. Taking place in North Manual High School an all-boys school
in New York City. Idealistic new English teacher Richard Dadier starts quickly
clashes with the trouble making leaders in the school. As he tries to bring
discipline to the school troubles escalate and he must decide to stay or take another
job at a different school.
Boston Public (2000-2004)
Set in a public high school in Boston, Massachusetts the series revolves around
a group of teachers and their students as they try to get through the school
year.
Children of a Lesser God (1986)
James Leeds is hired to teach speech class for the school of the deaf. At the
school he becomes interested in 25-year-old Sarah Norman former student and
current custodian of the school. He peruses her and they start dating. They
fall in love, but they have trouble with commutating and knowing what the other
wants. After a breakup they reconcile and agree to find a way to make the
relationship work. Based on the play Children of a Lesser God by Mark Medoff [First Published in 1980].
Christy (1994-1995)
Based on the novel Christy by Catherine Marshall [First
Published in 1967] In 1912 nineteen-year-old Christy Huddleston
leaves her well to do home in Ashville North Carolina to teach the children of
Cutter Gap, Tennessee. A place of impoverished people, Folk beliefs, and
moonshiners that are not eager for changes she brings.
Class of 1984 (1982)
Music teacher Andrew Norris is starting a new job at Lincoln High School. He
clashes with Peter Stegman the leader of a criminal organization
that operates within and out of the school resulting in a battle of
wills that will only end when one of them is dead.
Class of 1999 (1990)
In a high school that the police have given up on the
new principal has decided to take part in a government
experiment that uses reprogramed military robots as
teachers. However, the robots malfunction and start using extreme
methods to deal with problem students.
Cooties (2014)
Chicken Nuggets that have been contaminated with a strange new virus are sent
to an elementary school cafeteria in Illinois the children that eat them mutate
into savage cannibals. A group of teachers discover what has happened and try
to escape.
Dangerous Minds (1995)/(1996-1997)
Based on the memoir My Posse Don't Do Homework by
LouAnne Johnson [First Published in 1992] Former journalist and an
officer in the US Marines LouAnne Johnson becomes a teacher for
an inner-city school with a difficult class. She uses
music, poetry, and other unconventional teaching methods to
connect with her students and help them advance through the educational
system.
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Set in 1959 at a private all boys school in New England the new English
professor John Keating encourages his students to find inspiration through
poetry and to think for themselves rather than fall into conformity and group
thinking. Changing his students lives.
The Emperor's Club (2002)
Inspired by the short story The Palace Thief by Ethan Canin [First
Published in 1994] Set in the 1970's History teacher William Hundert is a
dedicated educator that that gets a Sedgewick Bell a rebel and non-conformer.
William Hundert tries to install morals, ethics, and discipline into the
boy even giving extra help and privileges only to fail in that goal. This leads him to regretting putting so much time and energy on the boy while other students did not get the time or extra help became men that he could be proud of.
Fist Fight (2017)
Roosevelt High School is going through a period of layoffs English
Andy Campbell is on the short list to be laid off when he gets the
history teacher Ron Strickland fired. Ron Challenges Andy to a schoolyard fist
fight after school. Andy wanting to get out of it tries a lot
of unsuccessful antics and has to go through with it.
Front of the Class (2008)
Based on the memoir Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me
the Teacher I Never Had by Brad Cohen [First Published in
2005]. Brad Cohen grows up with difficulties because of Tourette's. With the
help of his mother, he is able to learn about his condition and reach his goal
of becoming a teacher.
Freedom Writers (2007)
Based on the book The Freedom Writers Dairy by Erin Gruwell
and The Freedom Writers [First Published in 1999]. Set in
1994 Erin Gruwell starts her first teaching job at Woodrow Willson High School
in Long Beach, California. She learns about the students and uses unusual
teaching techniques to help the students.
Gods Not Dead 2 (2016)
Sequel to Gods Not Dead (2014) High school history
teacher Grace Wesley (A Christian) is asked by a about Jesus Christ
she answers the question. When the students' parents hear
of this, they get an ACLU lawyer seek to have the teacher punished.
Grace Wesley fights back in court and setting things up for
the sequel.
Goodbye Mr. Chips (1939/1969/1984/2003)
Based on the book Goodbye Mr. Chips by James
Hilton [First Published in1934] A schoolteacher near
his retirement reflects on his life teaching at the Brookfield School a public
boarding for boys, his brief marriage that ended in tragedy and his fulfillment
in being a teacher.
Good Morning, Miss Dove (1955)
Based on the novel Good Morning, Miss Dove by Frances Grey
Patton [First Published in 1947]. Miss Dove is a Geography teacher for
Ceder Grove School one day she feels debilitating pain and sends for the Doctor
and is hospitalized. s she is being treated she thinks back on her life with
taking a teaching position to repay her father's debts and the students she
taught that became successful productive members of society.
GTO: Great Teacher
Onizuka (1998) (1999-2000)
(2012) GTO: The Movie (1999)
Former juvenal delinquent and biker gang leader becomes a high school teacher
with the goal of becoming the greatest teacher ever and make school fun. His
first assignment is to a class of students that were as bad as him. Through
some wild antics and sincerity, he gets his students to trust him as he helps
them with their problems.
Hangin’ With Mr. Copper (1992-1997)
Teacher and Basketball Coach Mark Cooper works at an Oakland
High School where he lives with two female roommates helps his students and
tries to renter professional basketball.
Head of the Class (1986-1991) (2021)
A teacher is hired to head a class of gifted prodigy students that are to win
awards, raise the prestige and GPA of the school. The teacher helps the
students with academic and personal problems.
High School High (1996)
Spoof of the high school movies with somebody coming in and making things
better. Richard Clark leaves his wealthy school to teach at a poor inner-city school
where he can make a difference. By reaching some of the students, helping them graduate
and fighting a dangerous criminal organization he really makes a difference.
Hoosiers (1986)
Based on a true story Coach Norman Dale is hired by a small rural town in
Indiana and takes the team to the state championships.
Kindergarten Cop (1990)
LAPD Detective John Kimble is after dangerous criminal Cullen Crisp. Believing
that he can find him through his ex-wife and son he goes undercover as a
Kindergarten teacher. Out of his element he struggles with handling a class of
five- and six-year old's. And when Cullen Crisp comes can he keep everybody
safe.
Lean On Me (1989)
Based on a true story East Side High has become a failing school full of
violence, gangs, and drug use former teacher Joe Clark is brought back as the
principal. With a combination of orthodox and unorthodox policies he turns the
school around. However, when city officials object to how he has been running
the school, they hold an investigation and may destroy the progress he has
made.
The Legend of Sleepy
Hallow (1922, 1954, 1980,
1999)
Based on The Legend of Sleepy Hallow and Other Stories by
Washington Irving [First Published in 1820]. Ichabod Crane a
schoolteacher in the town of Sleepy Hallow is in a courtship battle with the
local blacksmith Abraham Brom Bones Van Brunt for the hand of Katrina Van
Tassel the only daughter of a wealthy landowner. On Halloween night at a
party Ichabod is attending the town’s ghost stories are told including the Tale
of the Headless Horseman. After the party has ended runs into the horseman and
tries to escape only to never be heard from again.
Mr. Hollands Opus (1995)
Mr. Holland is a musician and composer whose dream is to create a symphony. Not
making much with music he takes a temporary job as a music teacher at a high
school. Finding that the students are engaging with classic music he
incorporates modern and pop music into his class to the annoyance of the
administration. As the years pass comes to love teaching and does create his
masterpiece.
Nick Freno: Licensed
Teacher (1996-1998)
Teacher Nick Freno works at Gerald R Ford Middle School
while trying to get his big break as an actor. After the first season the
middle school is turned into a high school by the district.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) (1978)
Based on the novel The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel
Spark [First Published in 1961]. Set in the 1930's Jean Brodie is a teacher at
Marcia Blaine School for Girls in Edinburgh, Scotland. At the school she teaches her
students her
ideas/ideals about romance, art, culture, politics,
and philosophy rather than
the official conservative syllabus. When her mistakes catch up
to her, she loses her position while one of her top students loses the idealized image Jean Brodie works to create.
The Principal (1987)
When teacher Rick Latimer is
arrested for vandalism and fighting, he is
punished incentivized to resign by being appointed
the principal of Brandel High School a school where the teens
from other schools do not want, a place of violence, and drugs. Rick
Latimer unwilling to quit makes changes to the school and enters into a battle
to the death with the high school drug lord.
Rachel, Rachel (1968)
Inspired the novel A Jest of God by Margaret Laurence [First
Published in 1966] A schoolteacher in Connecticut
reunites with a friend from her younger days and decides to make
changes to her before it is too late.
Rita (2012-2020)
TV series from Denmark; Rita Madsen is a
good teach that has problems when it comes to her personal life.
The Ron Clark Story (2006)
Based on the true story Ron Clark goes to teach
at an inner-city elementary school with a difficult class in New York
where his innovative teaching methods change the kids' lives.
School of Life (2005)
History teacher Norman Warner has won the
teacher of the year award for 43 years at Fallbrook Middle School when he
passes. His less popular but dedicated son Biology teacher Matt Warner dreams
of winning this award when new history teacher Michael D'Angelo becomes the new
favorite of the school, he tries to sabotage the new teacher. Until
he learns that winning the award will not help him surpass father, he
works on changing his teaching style and being more flexible.
School of Rock (2003) (2016-2018)
After Musician Dewey Finn
gets kicked out of his rock band, he pretends to be
a substitute teacher where he is hired for teach a class of
high achieving students at a private school. Learning
how musically talented his students are he teaches then to love and
play rock and roll with the goal of winning a battle of the bands contest.
Servant of the People (2015-2019)
Ukrainian High School history teacher Vasiliy Petrovich
Goloborodko is elected the President of Ukrainian after he is seen venting his frustrations
about the government on social media. The main actor actually became the
President of Ukrainian in 2019.
Sometimes They Come Back (1991)
Based on the short story; Sometimes They
Come Back by Steven King [First Published in 1974]. Jim
Norman takes a job teaching at the high school in his hometown where he
witnessed his brother getting killed by a local gang and then the gang in
a train accident. When students start dying in his class only to be replaced
with teens that look like his brothers' killers, he must face the
traumas of his past and send the ghosts back to where they belong.
Stand and Deliver (1989)
Based on a true story Math teacher Jamie Escalante who used a variety of teaching techniques to prepare a bunch of poor, unmotivated students at Garfield High School in California to take and pass an advanced placement Calculus Exam.
The Steve Harvey Show (1996-2002)
Musician turned music teacher Steve Hightower works at the
Booker T Washington high school in Chicago, Illinois. At the school he tries to
win his long-lost love Regina Grier, help his friend get out of trouble because
of his schemes, and help his students.
The Substitute (1996)
When Mercenary Shale fiancé is attacked and
injured by gang members connected to her students at Columbus High School
in Miami, Florida. He goes in as a substitute teacher to investigate. He
finds a drug distribution network run by a drug kingpin that he vows to
take down with the help of his squad.
Summer School (1987)
Freddy Shoop a PE teacher is forced to teach
high school remedial English if he wants to gain tenure. Not taking it
seriously both he and the student's goof off most of the summer. Until he
is threatened with being fired unless his students pass the final exam.
Teachers (1984)
John F. Kennedy High School in Columbus, Ohio is
facing various lawsuits. So, the administration is removing
problem facility. Social studies teacher Alex Jurel
a frustrated burned-out teacher is on their list. They set him
up to be fired when he starts to overcome his burnout by trying to help his
students and new love interest with a fellow teacher and by taking on the
school administration.
Teachers (2001-2004)
British comedy series about a group of
teachers going about their daily lives at a rundown public school.
This is My Land (1943)
Set during WWII in Europe the Nazi's invade
and occupy a town where the people choose
to cooperate or resist. Albert Lorey the school master
is neutral until a resistor sabotages a train and kills two
soldiers. When one of the resentence is caught and Lorey is
implicated he put on trial where he calls for resistance and faces
bravely faces what is to come.
To Sir, with Love (1967)
Based on the novel To Sir, With Love by
E.R, Braithwaite [First Published in 1959]. Engineer Mark Thackeray
takes a temporary job as a teacher in a high school located in
London's East End. He handles the class
with strict discipline and teaches them how to behave, about art
culture and life.
Up The Down Staircase (1967)
Based on the novel Up the Down
Staircase by Bel Kaufman [First
Published in 1964]. Sylvia Barrett is a new idealistic English
teacher at Calvin College High school in New York. She quickly gets frustrated with
the paperwork, the bureaucrats, and the burned-out teachers that
disagree with teaching. By the end of the year, she will decide to
stay or resign.
The Wave (1981) (2008)
Based on a true story a history teacher starts a classroom experiment called
the Wave. He announces himself as the leader and instructs the students
to follow his rules and philosophy. The experiment takes on a life of its own.
The 2008 version changes the setting to Germany and escalates on what actually
happened.
Welcome Back, Kotter (1975-1979)
Gabe Kotter is a high school teacher that returns to his old inner city New York
City high school to teach a new generation of teens from a similar
background.
When
Calls the Heart (2013) (2014-?)
When Calls the Heart by Janet Oke [First
Published in 1983] Elizabeth Thatcher a teacher leaves her comfortable
life with her wealthy family to teach in a rural coal mining town.
Elizabeth finds a community she treasures, a fulfilling career and falls in
love with a Canadian Mountie.
World's Greatest
Dad (2009)
Lance Clayton is a writer and teacher with a life that is not going
well. When his son dies in an embarrassing accident, he covers
it up and writes a suicide journal. When it gets published and
becomes a best seller. Lance finds keeping up with the lies and success
difficult to handle.
