My Favorite Teacher Movie

Now I know I probably should, but I have never been a big fan of teacher movies.

To Sir, With Love

Stand and Deliver

Dangerous Minds

Coach Carter

Freedom Writers

Don't get me wrong. They all have a good overall message, and they may even bring a tear to your eye from time to time, but they never felt true to reality.

These movies always seem to focus on that one class or student instead of the many groups of students that real teachers see each day. These fictional teachers always overcome whatever stands in their way by the end movie whether that be a stubborn student, colleague, parent, administrator, or any combination of the four. A real-life teacher usually only starts or continues the process of changing the people around them. Unlike the gardener, we may help in the planting, watering, fertilizing, and weeding, but rarely are the students still in our class when the harvest comes.

I could go on for awhile about my problems with teacher movies, but I would prefer to talk about the one teacher movie that I absolutely love.... hands down!

Chalk is a fake documentary following three relatively new teachers and a first year assistant principal. I can identify with the sentiments expressed by these 4 characters as I have experienced, to some extent, the same things. I remember hoping the kids wouldn't figure out that I was a newbie the first few years or getting frustrated when I couldn't get my point across to the administration.

In the end, I really liked some of the lessons learned by the four characters throughout the year...

-developing a relationship and better understanding of students through the "spelling hornet"

-realizing that the students are the most important thing from a failed Teacher of the Year campaign

-administrators have their own unique problems to deal with and are real people too. :)

...Ultimately, as the tag line in the poster says, "Real Teaching Leaves A Mark." Teaching can be a hard job some days and as exciting as an amusement park on others. I know my heart will never be the same because of each and every student I have had in class.

-Mr. F

PS - I am not a total "grinch" when it comes to teacher movies. I do have a soft spot for Mr. Holland's Opus, Dead Poets Society, and an Indian film, Like Stars on Earth.