GRADING THE BEST & WORST TEACHERS FROM MOVIES & TV

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.