The end of the school year inevitably brings heated debate
among parents and politicians about the value of tests – for both students and teachers. Families
insist their children can’t be quantified by a single number, while educators
reject being graded themselves or having their salaries tied to classroom
performance.
Which, class clowns that we are, naturally got us to
thinking: How would the teachers presented in movies and on TV shows fare if
they were subjected to the same evaluation system currently employed in real
life?
Let’s sneak a peek at their report cards!
Movies:
To Sir With Love (1967)
Teacher Name: Mark Thackeray
Alter Ego: Sidney Poitier
Pluses: Willing to teach delinquents at a failing school in
the East End of London – as long as they follow his rules (mostly involving
respect… and good grooming)
Minuses: Only teaching until a good engineering job comes
through (or so he thinks)
Extracurricular: Excellent role model
Final Grade: A-
Stand & Deliver (1988)
Teacher Name: Jaime Escalante
Alter Ego: Edward James Olmos
Pluses: Realizes math is important – and anyone can learn it
if they apply themselves
Minuses: Made a mistake in class that led to his students
being accused of cheating (because they all made the same mistake on the big
test)
Extracurricular: The real-life Escalante was fired because his class was so popular it lead to overcrowding, and students coming to school
early and staying late
Final Grade: B+
Read the complete report card at: http://www.blogher.com/school-s-out-15-best-worst-teachers-movies-tv
And if you're interested in real-life educational issues, I'll be speaking at River Park Nursery School on the Upper West Side of Manhattan TONIGHT about how to get your child into the best Kindergarten for them. Details here.
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