The Top 5 Best Educators in TV & Movies

The 5 Best Educators in TV & Movies

By: A. Aleister Sirrat

     Hello all, Sirrat in the Hat is back and ready for action.  I am a Teacher.  I love getting to mold young minds.  I like to think that I’m a pretty decent teacher, and that I am able to reach the mind of my students.  I really do have a great job, so this week I have decided to make a list of the Top 5 Best Educators in TV & Movies.  These character’s aren’t limited to just teacher roles, they can be Principals, Guidance Counselors, Substitute Teachers, or anyone involved in the education of young minds.  So please enjoy this list and let me know who are your favorite educators in TV or Movies?

5.) Atticus Murphy Jr, from “Todd & the Book of Pure Evil”

Don’t let the sweater vest and porn star moustache, fool you: Atticus Murphy Jr. is a total bad a$$.  For those who’ve never heard of “Todd & the Book of Pure Evil”, it was a Canadian TV series that I would describe as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer for Guys”.  He is the Guidance Counselor at Crowley High School in the fictional Canadian town of Crowley Heights, but at night he is the Hooded Leader of the a Group of Satanists whose sole mission in life is to find the “Book of Pure Evil” so that he can become the “Pure Evil One”.  What’s great about Atticus is that throughout the whole series he was constantly switching allegiances.  In some episodes he was an ally to Todd and his friends, other episodes he was their enemy, in early episodes he was an minion, and in some episodes he was neutral, but no matter what, he was always awesome.  Don’t you wish you’re High School Guidance Counselor would have talked to you about Satan?

4.)  John Keating from “Dead Poets Society”

John Keating was the kind of teacher you always hoped you’d get in High School.  He was fun, he was different, he encouraged you to think, and to seize the day.  He was a new type of teacher, with different ideas that went “against the norm”, and thought the schools restrictions on the boys education was ridiculous. He also encouraged his students to take risks, always pursue knowledge, and to live life.  Unfortunately, for many of us we never got the chance to have a teacher like Mr. Keating, which is quite sad.  What student wouldn’t want a teacher who makes the subject matter come to life and is passionate about their job and what they teach?

3.) Professor Terguson from “Back to School”

I think everyone has had a History Teacher like Professor Terguson.  When we are first introduced to him he seems like a calm, well-educated College Professor, but if you have a different interpretation of the War in Vietnam than him, then he will verbally berate you in front of the class and tell you why all the reasons you are wrong.  It’s not really touched upon that much in the film, but Professor Terguson does mention (or scream, I should say) to his class that he was a Vietnam Vet, so perhaps he is suffering from some Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder(?)  I don’t know I’m not a medical professional; I only pretend to be one on Tuesdays.  Professor Terguson is played by Comedian Sam Kinison, who was very popular in the 1980’s for his angry screaming comedy.  He is absolutely hilarious in this role.

2.)  Freddie Shoop from “Summer School”

Yay, Mark Harmon!

“Summer School” is the story of a High School Gym Teacher who gets forced into being the Substitute Remedial English teacher for a Summer School class on the first day of Summer.  The Principal promises Mr. Shoop that if he takes the job, he will receive Tenure at the school.  Mr. Shoop has no interest in teaching the class (not to mention he’s not even qualified to teach the class), and the students refuse to do any work, so what do they do instead?  Why goof off of course, they go to the beach, they go to an amusement park, they enjoy summer the way it’s supposed to be enjoyed.  This all comes back to bite Mr. Shoop and the students right in a$$, when he is informed by the Principal that the students must past the Standardized English test at the end of the Summer or he will not receive his tenure.  What follows next is a montage of Mr. Shoop and the students working really hard to cram a summers worth of knowledge into a 2-week span, and at the end of all of that...most of the kids still failed the test.  I have to give “Summer School” some credit, they did not go for the Happy Hollywood B.S. ending, but it still ends on a happy point.  Also, be sure to check out Das Film Junkie’s review on the film below.

Nerd Nostalgia: A review of "Summer School"

1.) Mister Feeny from “Boy Meets World”

Nineties kids; can I get an Amen on this one?  Has there been any teacher who’s left as profound an impact on all of us as Mr. George Feeny from the Television sitcom “Boy Meets World”?  I don’t think there has been.  Mr. Feeny was the Teacher and Next Door Neighbor to the shows main character, Corey Matthews.  Through, out the series Mr. Feeny was always around to give helpful advice to Corey, his siblings, and friends.  He followed them all from 6^th grade all the way to their college years where he served as Teacher, Principal, Professor, Mentor, and Friend.  He is the perfect teacher and I think everyone wishes they would’ve had a teacher like him in their life.