Quantcast
America Ferrera

“Sometimes all you need is a good Teach(ear)! ”
—America Ferrera

Behind Every Famous Person is a Fabulous Teacher.

Book and Movie Reviews

Films and books about teachers and the teaching profession now make up a genre in their own right. Read below to see reviews of some of the teacher books and films that we've come across.

Note: This list is not intended to be comprehensive. The opinions expressed in the reviews are those of the individual writer and do not represent an official viewpoint of TeachersCount.

A Dash of Expectation: Poems of the Classroom
By Russell J. Fee
Publisher: SynergEbooks
Available for purchase on SynergEbooks and Amazon

Russell J. Fee’s A Dash of Expectation: Poems of the Classroom is an entertaining collection of poems written about his experiences in the classroom. With topics ranging from suspension to free time to students’ first interaction with a sub, the empathetic poems deal with the situations with which every teacher has become familiar. This book is great for everyone as it wonderfully depicts snippets from a teacher’s life.

Making the Grades: My Misadventures in the Standardized Testing Industry
By Todd Farley
Publisher: PoliPointPress
Available for purchase on Amazon.com

Through a first-hand account of his work experiences, Todd Farley paints a vivid picture of what goes on behind the scenes of the standardized testing industry. For a multi-billion dollar industry that has such a profound effect on the lives of so many students across the country, it comes as quite a shock to read Mr. Farley's tale of incompetency. From over-simplified or incomplete scoring rubrics to inept graders and untrained managers, it can be frightening to learn how the fates of students nationwide are decided.

ridiculous/hilarious/terrible/cool: a year in an american high school
By Elisha Cooper
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers
Available for purchase on Barnes and Noble.com

As the title clearly states, in this book Elisha Cooper traces the lives of eight students at Walter Payton College Preparatory High School in downtown Chicago over the course of one year. Each student has his or her own individual problem to deal with, whether it is leading the soccer team to the state championships, or dealing with an older sibling’s not-so-welcome presence, while at the same time stressing about friends, college, and, of course, the hastily arriving prom.

Although this book is directed toward a more adolescent audience, it could still be very helpful for teachers and parents hoping to gain some insight into the curious lives of their students or children. This book offers no real self-help book-style theories into why adolescents act the way they do, but presents the stories and mindsets of each student in a very realistic way. The students’ characteristics and interests are diverse enough to allow a broader scope of understanding for the reader, while very few generalizations are made about high school students as a whole. Overall, this book is a great resource for parents or teachers of teenagers either in or approaching high school and it is even a fun read for students in grades 8-12.

See Me After Class: Advice for Teachers by Teachers
Roxanna Elden
Publisher: Kaplan Publishing
Available for purchase on Amazon

In her book See Me After Class: Advice for Teachers by Teachers, Roxanna Elden sets out to provide teachers with that special brand of inspiration that teachers often need when the demands of the profession prove overwhelming. Without any sugarcoating, Roxanna deals with the challenges that educators face day-in and day-out through insights and stories from long-time educators as well as her own experiences. While teachers of all experience levels would enjoy Ms. Elden's book, it is specifically geared towards newcomers to the profession who could use a little sympathy and guidance.

So To Teach: Inspiring Stories That Touch the Heart
Edited by Kathie-Jo Arnoff
Publisher: Kappa Delta Pi Educational Foundation
Available for purchase on Amazon.com

For those looking to pursue a rewarding career in teaching or those currently in the teaching profession, this is the book for you!  So to Teach: Inspiring Stories that Touch the Heart, is a book that will offer teachers and prospective teachers a source of wisdom, hope and encouragement. 

So to Teach understands the frustration teachers feel throughout their professional lives.  Faced with the burden of crowded classrooms, declining public support and unappreciative students, teachers are expected to ameliorate the lives of their students without consistently receiving accolades for their efforts.  But educators may find encouragement in So to Teach, which emphasizes the idea that teachers can have an extraordinary and long-lasting impact on the achievement and lives of others

Offering inspirational stories, this book is a must-read for those who feel they are losing momentum and their ability to effect positive change.  The stories display teachers’ dedication towards their profession and provide opportunities for laughter, as well.  

So to Teach reminds teachers of the reasons why they entered the profession in the first place and the wonderful contributions they make to the lives of others every day.

Teaching with Fire: Poetry that Sustains the Courage to Teach
Edited by Sam M. Intrator, and Megan Scribner
Publisher: Jossey-Bass Inc., Publishers
Available for purchase on Amazon

Teaching with Fire is an important collection of inspiring poetry for teachers. This book is a restorative, full of inspiring words to help re-build teacher confidence. Pupils, parents and other members of the community will also enjoy this book, and perhaps gain a better understanding of the skills and dedication required to teach.

The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher’s Life
By Parker J. Palmer
Publisher: Jossey-Bass Inc., Publishers
Available for purchase on Amazon

Written by a college professor and senior advisor at the Fetzer Institute, The Courage to Teach explores what makes a teacher a good teacher, building on the premise that “good teaching cannot be reduced to technique; good teaching comes from the identity and integrity of the teacher.”  Palmer encourages teachers to look inward to find a balance and learn to connect with students and engage students in the material. The Courage to Teach is an inspiring and thought-provoking book and a must-read for both new teachers and those who have been in the profession for years.

Total Teaching: Your Passion Makes It Happen
By Tom Staszewski
Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield Education
Available for purchase on Barnes and Noble.com

Teaching standards have risen and so have teacher stress levels. The pressure imposed on teachers by administrators, parents, and students, often creates feelings of teacher self-doubt. Luckily, Total Teaching by Tom Staszewski offers those in this much beleaguered profession both guidance and inspiration.

Offering constructive advice and teaching tools, Total Teaching provides readers with a source of hope. Staszewski provides tips and proven strategies for success that are applicable both inside and outside the classroom.

If you are looking for a gift for a special teacher, or looking to purchase a bit of personal inspiration, TOTAL TEACHING will help shine some light at the end of your tunnel.

The Gigantic Book of Teachers’ Wisdom
Edited by Erin Gruwell
Publisher: Skyhorse Publishing Inc.
Available for purchase on Amazon.com

The Gigantic Book of Teachers’ Wisdom, edited by Erin Gruwell, offers inspiration from some of the most famous teachers in history. From Socrates to John Lennon - this book serves as an excellent reference for quotations on education and the teaching profession.

The Giant Book of Teacher’s Wisdom is a helpful reference to anyone with an interest in education, acting as a comprehensive source for motivational maxims. This book provides both inspiration and humor - with chapter titles like “Words From the Wise” and “The Funny Side of Teaching” – editor Erin Gruwell truly captures the beauty and humor of the teaching profession.

With words of wisdom to educate, encourage and amuse its readers; The Gigantic Book of Teachers’ Wisdom makes a wonderful gift for the special educator in your life.

Accidental Hero, Room 408 (2001)
A film by Terri DeBono and Steve Rosen
56 minutes
$19.99 on cinequest.org

Tommie Lindsay, Jr., teacher and coach of the Forensics Speech and Debate Team at James Logan High School, is the “accidental hero” referred to in the title of this 2001 documentary. Despite the title, the film focuses more on the impressive performances of the students on the team rather than giving much insight into exactly how and why Lindsay was able to create one of the top five Forensics teams in the country at a high school near Oakland, CA, where only 60% of students graduate. Still, it’s clear that Lindsay’s leadership is a powerful behind-the-scenes player as the students pour themselves into dramatic monologues and dialogues in front of peers and judges. One gets the impression when watching the students while not performing that these aren’t necessarily the same kids that would be auditioning for the high school play anyway. Many of the team’s students are exploring a part of themselves that they might never have explored were it not for Lindsay. As a testament to the program’s success, the Forensics Team has brought home multiple awards, and 99% of its students go on to colleges and universities. While the film is somewhat choppy and its arc somewhat amorphous, the story it tells is one worth hearing.

Chalk (2006)
A film by Mike Akel
85 minutes
Now available on DVD at chalkthefilm.com

Movies about teachers generally adhere to a certain formula. A beleaguered new teacher is overwhelmed by appalling student behavior. The teacher comes to the brink of giving up but finally has a small but meaningful breakthrough with one or more students. The teacher decides to succeed at all costs, even if it means giving up a personal life. The renewed effort works—a frenzy of bonding and learning ensues. The teacher is a hero! The students will go on to great things! Music swells. The End.

Chalk breaks this pattern. While the aforementioned formula has certainly had its cinematic successes—I know I was not the only one to shed a tear or two at Freedom Writers—it was time for someone to make a film that treats teachers like real people, that shows the foundering without the mega-inspirational turn of events, that isn’t afraid to find the comedy in the whole situation.

Chalk is a mockumentary that follows a school-year-in-the-life of three young teachers and a teacher-turned-administrator. In terms of style, it borrows a lot from The Office and the films of Christopher Guest (e.g. This Is Spinal Tap, Waiting for Guffman). However, the idea of applying this treatment to teachers is so original that Chalk doesn’t end up feeling derivative. Instead it is quite funny and a little voyeuristic.

In Chalk, teachers are not a near-mythical breed of heroes who magically materialize in the classroom and cease to exist outside of it. The teachers of Chalk get up and go to work in the morning just like the rest of us. They are people who sometimes stumble over their words, people who have crushes on their colleagues, people who may in a moment of stress sneak away for a cigarette.

But make no mistake—Chalk is not making fun of teachers. What it’s really doing—albeit, in a very comical way—is demonstrating how tough it is to be a good teacher. The character who makes this the most heartbreakingly clear is Mr. Lowrey, the endearingly awkward first-year teacher who struggles to craft his classroom persona. Despite making great strides over the course of the film, there is no music-swelling hero moment that makes his prior difficulties seem moot in retrospect. It comes as no surprise that Mr. Lowrey is uncertain whether he wants to continue in his profession.

All in all, Chalk is well-acted, well-written, and well-edited. It will make you both laugh and cringe—and rush to write, call, or visit every teacher you had who managed to do the job well and thank them profusely.

Happy-Go-Lucky
A film by Mike Leigh

The latest product of award-winning writer / director Mike Leigh (Vera Drake, Secrets & Lies, Naked) is Happy-Go-Lucky, a film which tells the story of the defiant optimist, Poppy.  Poppy goes through life looking for the best in people and situations. Despite encounters with several people who would dampen her sunny spirit with their decidedly more cynical and sullen outlooks, Poppy remains undeterred. She is not, however, unaffected.  As each ignores, derides or condemns her approach to life, she tries to understand the source of their bad attitudes.  This is not some syrupy treatise on the power of positive thinking, though.  And Poppy is not a merry savant who solves the problems of others through her cheerful demeanor.  It is true that Poppy brings joy, however temporary, to those she meets, but it is not because of some magic effect of her personality. Instead it is indirectly achieved through her manifestation of their longings.  And when these encounters end, the individuals are, more often than not, sure to be consumed by their troubles again.

That Poppy is a primary school teacher may be circumstantial (it is not central to the film), but it is most definitely not incidental.  Poppy tries to see things through the eyes of those she engages.  Consequently, her class is designed to provide the best learning opportunity for the young children she teaches.  Her classroom is colorful, rich with information and fun, as are her lesson plans.  A student who acts out is not merely scolded and ostracized for anti-social behavior, but rather, engaged to ascertain the cause of his anger. She employs the same sympathetic style to all she meets.  The classroom is the perfect vehicle for her relatedness and the perfect metaphor for her approach. 

Over the course of the film, the viewer stops wondering how and why Poppy is so impossibly cheerful, but rather why the people she meets are so unhappy and, more important, so intent on spreading their misery.  Happy-Go-Lucky reminds us of the infectious power of color, laughter, and a patient ear;  it also reminds us of the sometimes, unfortunately, even greater power of a scowl, a criticism or a dismissal.  Those who demean Poppy have clearly been more intensely demeaned themselves.  Given the choice of how to approach the world in which we live, why not try happy?  Who knows, it might just make you lucky too.

The Great Debaters (2007)
A film by Denzel Washington
118 minutes
In theatres www.thegreatdebatersmovie.com

Two-time Academy Award winning actor Denzel Washington both stars in and directs The Great Debaters, a film inspired by a true story.  Washington plays Melvin B. Tolson, a controversial professor who challenged the social norms of the 1930s  by forming a debate team at a small African-American college in the South.  In 1935, the team went on to beat the reigning national champions from Harvard University.  Released on December 25, 2007 - the film has already been nominated for a Golden Globe.  

The Ron Clark Story (2006)
A film by Randa Haines
96 minutes
Now available on DVD at www.ronclark.info

The Ron Clark Story is a classic against-the-odds film based on the real-life experience of Ron Clark, a teacher who moved from his small hometown in North Carolina to New York to teach in a dilapidated NYC public school.  Despite the pessimism and problems in the students’ lives, idealistic Clark is able to motivate them through his use of creativity in teaching and his refusal to give up on them. 

The real Ron Clark has been recognized for his efforts in the classroom, winning Disney’s Teacher of the Year Award and Oprah’s magazine’s, O’s, Phenomenal Man of the Year title.