10 Best Teacher Movies to Watch About Helping Learners

In every classroom, there’s a story waiting to unfold, one of transformation and the power of a great teacher. Some inspirational teacher movies made me believe in this 🙏🏻!

No matter how long it takes, a teacher never stops putting their efforts into helping students achieve their goals. Sometimes, when teachers feel low, they can’t put in, such effort because of anxiety and stress.

That’s the time when entertainment sources, like movies, quotes, and fun activities, come to help them manage their stress. Are you searching for such recommendations?

Here are THEY!

In the under mentioned section, I have enlisted some of the top teacher movies to watch when feeling low.

These movies will make your mood fresh and contribute to increasing your efforts in your students’ studies as a teacher.

1. CODA – Teaching Beyond Words
2. Dead Poets Society – Inspiring Students to Dream
3. Lean on Me – Toughest Lessons are About Heart
4. To Sir, With Love – Teaching That Shapes Hearts
5. Freedom Writers – Inspiring Students to Write Thoughts
6. Educating Rita – Learning One Lesson At a Time
7. Stand and Deliver – Turning Problems into Opportunities
8. Akeelah and the Bee – Teaching Confidence
9. Good Will Hunting – Searching for Genius Under the Surface
10. School of Rock – Rocking the Classroom, Teaching with Passion

• Release Date: August 13, 2021
• Duration: 1h 51m
• IMDB Rating: 8.0/10
• Content Rating: PG-13

The story of CODA (child of deaf adults) revolves around the life of Ruby, who is the only hearing person in the family. The family do a fishing business for survival, and Ruby has a passion for singing but doesn’t have a teacher.

Then, Mr. Bernardo Villalobos, aka Mr. V, enters her life as a music teacher who influences her to sing and continue her passion.

• Release Date: June 2, 1989
• Duration: 2h 08m
• IMDB Rating: 8.1/10
• Content Rating: PG

Dead Poets Society is a visual story of a new teacher, John Keating, at the all-boys preparatory school. The boys are stressed out by their parents and school, and not fearing to pursue their dreams.

With the help of John Keating, students learn to stress out and begin to run towards their dreams.

• Release Date: March 3, 1989
• Duration: 1h 48m
• IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
• Content Rating: PG-13

This is a reality-based movie that focuses on improving the ranking of a high school in New Jersey. Further, the school was facing drug and narcotics challenges, which should be solved.

Mr. Napier, the superintendent of the state, appointed Joe Clark as the principal of the school, who faced the challenges. Furthermore, this movie is considered one of the best teacher movies based on true story.

• Release Date: October 21, 1966
• Duration: 1h 45m
• IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
• Content Rating: Approved

This movie is considered one of the black teacher movies who’s story revolves around a fresh engineer, Mark Thackeray. Unfortunately, he didn’t find a job in his industry and ended up being a teacher at the London East End School.

The majority of students are rejected from other schools because of their behaviour, but Mark Thackeray took responsibility to fix their behaviour. In addition,

• Release Date: January 5, 2007
• Duration: 2h 03m
• IMDB Rating: 7.6/10
• Content Rating: PG-13

Freedom Writers is the story of a teacher appointed at a Los Angeles school where students are facing learning disabilities. The class has at-risk teenagers who have lost their hopes of starting a career.

Without being hopeless, she tried and successfully inspired them to take an interest in studies, books, and to continue to read journals.

• Release Date: June 16, 1983
• Duration: 1h 50m
• IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
• Content Rating: PG

Rita was a hairstylist who wanted to go back to continue her studies, but hesitated because of his learning capabilities. Here comes Dr Bryant, who is aware of her learning skills and makes her realise them.

Although Dr Bryant drinks a lot to cope with her divorce, he gives his 101% to teach Rita.

• Release Date: March 11, 1988
• Duration: 1h 43m
• IMDB Rating: 7.3/10
• Content Rating: PG-13

Among other famous teacher movies, it is my personal favourite because of Maths. Jaime Escalante was appointed as a teacher at a Los Angeles school who was stuck in the middle of his boss and a raucous classroom.

Somehow, he managed to deal with the class by teaching maths to learners, and they aced California’s calculus test.

• Release Date: April 28, 2006
• Duration: 1h 42m
• IMDB Rating: 7.4/10
• Content Rating: PG

The story of Akeelah and the Bee revolves around the story of Akeelah, who has skills in spelling. Her mother was against her wishes to become a Spell Bee Master 🐝, but she never stopped working on her dreams.

Here comes an anonymous teacher who helped her to pursue her dreams and become a master at Spell Bee.

• Release Date: December 5, 1997
• Duration: 2h 06m
• IMDB Rating: 8.3/10
• Content Rating: R

Will Hunting was a teenage learner who was misguided because of financial issues and working at MIT, one of the top universities in the US. Somehow, he was arrested in a case of attacking a police officer.

Professor Gerald Lambeau was aware of his skills and made a deal with him to get leniency if he pursued his skills.

• Release Date: September 24, 2003
• Duration: 1h 49m
• IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
• Content Rating: PG-13

Lastly, School of Rock is one of the best teacher movies I have ever watched. The story revolves around guitarist Dewey Finn, who finds himself thrown out of his band and realises he needs work. Further, he got a job at an elite private elementary school.

He exposed some hard rock music gods to his students and managed to have a rock battle with his ex-band.

Well, in the above section, I have prepared a list of the best teacher movies to watch about helping learners. These movies will surely inspire you as a teacher to put effort into your students’ studies to enable them to achieve their goals.

Although after these movies, you will understand that “however, a teacher is not a king, but he is a king-maker.” Closely, you should watch these movies to freshen your mood and do extra for your students who have the capability to achieve something greater.