Movies About Education Should Be Inspirational

Let's face it. There can never be a "definitive" list about what movies are the best ever because Hollywood keeps churning them out. And always will because as much as America trashes its education system--it's a love-hate relationship.

The reason these movies are on this list is because I watch them over and over and over. Something about each one tightens my chest at the end because the message is meaningful. I encourage you to watch each of them at least twice. And I will update this list as I stumble on new movies so you might want to check back every once in a while...and don't be mad if your favorite movie isn't on this list...I might just have not seen it yet!

1. Lean on Me--Morgan Freeman stars in this powerful movie about tough love and reform in an inner city, burned out school. A teacher who escaped his old neighborhood gives in to a guilt trip and returns with a baseball bat to clean things up. I cannot see this movie enough times. And the scene where the whole school sings "Lean on Me" tears me up every time.
2. School of Rock--Who'd a thunk Jack Black would take what he does best--rocknroll--and bring us a meaningful movie about teaching and learning. My kids and I have watched this movie I don't know how many times. I laugh at Jack, Sarah Silverman's witchy character, and Amanda Cosgrove throughout this whole movie...yet, when they get to the final scene, I am still overcome by the success that comes from hard work and determination. Dare I say Jack Black's finest work?
3. The Hobart Shakespeareans--This is a documentary, but don't let that deter you from watching it. This may be the single most powerful movie I have watched about teaching. I stumbled on it by accident, yet I have watched it numerous times, shown it to staff, and then rewatched it. Rafe Asquith is an outstanding teacher in one of the roughest LA schools. He teaches life lessons through travel, Shakespeare, music, and whatever else it takes to help kids learn. There is a scene where the kids in his elementary class, kids who witness shootings and stabbings and whose parents don't speak English, are reading Huck Finn out loud in class. These kids have so internalized the culture of the class and what Rafe is teaching that the entire class is crying while Huck has a revelation about social justice. I may have to move this one to the top of my list.
4. Akeelah and the Bee--Laurence Fishburne and Keke Palmer bring this story of a struggling student to life. Fishburne introduces Keke to the world of spelling bees. He demands nothing short of perfection since that is what it will take to win. The girl struggles until she takes ownership of her learning and her community pitches in to help.
5. Billy Madison--I know what you are thinking--Adam Sandler? But everybody needs a laugh now and then. Despite the silliness, Billy learns the ultimate lesson: teaching is the most important career there is. This movie is my guilty pleasure.
6. Music of the Heart--Meryl Streep has one of her finer performances in this movie. I was a fine arts teacher so I love education movies that incorporate music. The hard hitting music teacher who takes a job to survive, then keeps doing it because she loves it and it is the right thing to do plays a strong note in my heart.
7. Mr. Holland's Opus--Richard Dreyfuss is another reluctant music teacher who discovers the love of teaching and goes on to make a difference in thousands of students' lives. The best thing this movie teaches is that teachers will seldom get the thanks they deserve until they retire...and most won't get the sendoff that Holland does. But at least he shares with us.
8. Good Will Hunting--Robin Williams is a master of this type of movie, but Matt Damon adds a whole new layer to the story. An unlikely genius, a custodian solves a difficult problem posted outside a math class. He reluctantly agrees to attend MIT. Nominated for 9 Academy Awards and winning 2 Oscars, this movie is great.
9. Dead Poets Society--Robin Williams bring us another tearjerker about education, prestige, entitlement, passion, conformity, non-conformity and Walt Whitman. This dramatic, dark movie is inspirational non-the-less.
10. Finding Forrester--Sean Connery basically plays himself in this movie that is still a great inspirational movie to watch. And it has a few good life lessons about respect, honesty, sharing, and caring.
11. Stand and Deliver--This is a powerful movie about Calculus. It works. The acting is great and spot on with the true story from what I've gathered watching documentaries. This one will help you get through a challenging semester of teaching.
12. Race the Sun--Halle Barry and James Belushi do much better with this script than they have been given credit for. This deserves at least one viewing. Native American cultures face more challenges than you can imagine...I know because I've taught on a reservation. For these kids to embrace learning, face competition, stand out from their peers, and follow a black woman and a white man must have been an exceptional group. Not to mention that they built a championship solar race car.
13. Blackboard Jungle--This is an old black and white film that seems corny now. But the very end of the movie introduces an important concept that was rediscovered about effective instruction around the time this movie was made. While the concept is weakly presented, it is still as relevant today as it was then. This one might deserve another look if I can dig out my copy of it from storage.
14. Searching for Bobby Fisher--Laurence Fishburne is fantastic in this movie. If you don't like slow, but powerful movies, then this one isn't for you. But the premise behind why the father drives the son to play so much and so hard is a subtle jab at how middle class Americans raise their children Still, I love this movie.
15. Dangerous Minds--Michelle Pfiefer doesn't ruin this movie. Granted, I think they could have found somebody better to play the part. I have met the lady this movie was inspired by and Pfiefer captures a little bit of the hard-nosed, drill-sargent attitude. Yet, everything seems melodramatic and over the top. It still made my list though.
16. Take the Lead--Antonio Banderas--Inner city kids ballroom dancing. If that isn't enough of a hook. I don't know what is.
17. 187--Samuel L. Jackon stars in this very rough movie about what is really bad in education with a smal dose of someone good who gets devoured. I think there is a lot more to this movie that most people aren't smart enough to get. Do not watch this with kids if you think you can stomach it yourself.
18. Renaissance Man--Danny Devito--I originally was going to include this in my list, but then had doubts. I laughed, but I don't know if it deserves to be here. You decide.
19. The Paperclip Project--My wife watched this the other day. I haven't seen it, but she said she bawled all the way through. This is a documentary, but once I watch it, it will probably move up the list. Even though I haven't seen it, it bumps the Governator down.
20. Kindergarten Cop--Arnold--I'm a guy so I have to include a movie with the orginal Terminator in it. This is a cute movie that has made the bottom of the list. I will probably move it down to the bottom every time I add more movies. Take that as you will.