Top 5 Teacher Inspiring Must See Movies

For many teachers school is about to start and summer is coming to an end.  So, to help motivate my fellow educators I've created a TOP FIVE must watch movies to help motivate you for the coming school year.  Some of these movies are oldies but goodies, and some movies you may not have ever seen or associated with teaching...

#1 McFarland, USA - What teacher would not love this heart warming movie?   This movie is based upon actual events of teacher Jim White, played by Kevin Costner, who restarted a cross county team at McFarland High School.  White's passion for the running and teaching is demonstrated as he works across racial lines to inspire his latino runners to become not only better athletes, but better people.  

#2 The Dead Poet Society -  Robin Williams played an English teacher in a fictional 1959 conservative boarding school.  Williams' character, John Keating, is eventually removed from his teaching position, but not before leaving his mark on his students.  A truly inspiring movie remind us why we teach!

#3 Mr. Holland's Opus - This 1995 teacher flick centers upon the story of Glenn Holland, a high school music teacher who aspires to compose one great piece of music. But the plot twist turns out when Mr. Holland's great piece is not a single piece of music...At the same time, this movie is story of devotion of love of family, teaching, and music. Like number two, this movie will help us forget the long hours we devote to our students.

#4 The Reading Room - This is a teacher movie that not many teachers have seen, but really should!  James Earl Jones plays as widower who opens a reading room in a poorer section of town.  But despite his goodwill, problems in the neighborhood threatens the safe place for young people to learn.  Jones' character address the problems head-on. I will leave so as not to give any spoilers.

#5 The Secret Life of Walter Mitty: Alright, this is not your typical teacher movie, but hear me out.  Ben Stiller plays the outsider and odd Walter Mitty who is being picked upon by his supervisors.  So, think of the student who struggles socially, but has a good heart.  I think of these students when I watch Walter Mitty. and how teaching is so much more than academics as my students struggle to find themselves.  Also, the movie demonstrates perseverance in the face of difficult situations...similarly to what teaching is about.

Also, if you are needing quick sub activities, movie guides, or something to spice up your classroom teaching please check out Social Studies Super Store for quick solutions.

Movies Get the Brains Going....

When I first started teaching, I had an administrator who informed the staff that any video over 10 minutes can not be used in class.  The administrator was concerned about a teacher who turns the movie on and walks away.  Students have no interaction with the material and the movie has no context and quickly is only entertainment.

I agree.  For those of us who teach social studies, we have many, many opportunities to use movies in the class.  But we need to place the movie in context and keep the students engaged!

Here are 5 tips to achieve this!

#1.  Give the students something to do during the movie.  Every time I show a movie, students have a movie guide to complete.  Some times these movie guides include open ended questions, other times these are fill-in the blank questions.  This helps the stay focused on the key points.

#2.  Stop the movie.  I never allow the movie to run more than 15 minutes with stopping and asking students a question or discussing the significance of a scene. Key here is engagement.  Keep them focused with questions.

#3.  Eyes on the movie.  Sometimes when I show movies, students will ask me if they can lay in the floor, or bring their pillows into the class.  No way.  Remember, the movie is part of an assignment.  If a student thinks they lay down on the job, they might not be so willing to stay focused. 

#4:  Timing is everything!  Usually movies require more than one class period to show it in the entirety.  So, if I can help it, I stop the movie with five or ten minutes remaining in the class.  At this time I review the important points from the movie or gather students insights or opinions.

#5: What happens in the end?  Once the movie is completed I have students complete a concluding assessment.  Most of my movie guides include discussion questions and as a class we share our thoughts about these questions.  Other times, I have students draw a picture from what they believe is the most important scene from the movie.  Then they write a paragraph explaining their scene.

Here are a few movie guides I have used in my class.  Please feel free to check them out!

1) All Quite on the Western Front:  https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/All-Quiet-On-The-Western-Front-Movie-Notes-1979-1598048.

2)  Unbroken: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/SECONDARY-Movie-Guide-UNBROKEN-1867758.

3) Thirteen Days: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/SecondaryThirteen-Days-Movie-Guide-and-Activity-1838519.

4) 42: The Jackie Robinson Story:  https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Movie-Guide-42-The-Jackie-Robinson-Story-1673058.