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10 fictional teachers who taught us something

Sometimes fictional teachers have very real lessons to teach us. Here's what we can learn from ten teachers in popular media.

<p><strong>Glee &lpar;2009&rpar;<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Jane Lynch playing <strong>cheerleading Coach Sue Sylvester<&sol;strong>&colon; shows us that you should fight for your students&comma; perhaps not as dirty as she does&comma; but always with passion&period; She also reminds us of the power of consistency &lpar;she has a tracksuit in every colour&rpar; and staying focussed on your goal&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;schoolnews&period;co&period;nz&sol;latest-print-issue&sol;" target&equals;"&lowbar;blank" rel&equals;"noopener"><strong>Read the latest print edition of <em>School News<&sol;em> HERE<&sol;strong><&sol;a><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong>Dead Poets Society &lpar;1989&rpar;<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Robin Williams playing <strong>English teacher John<&sol;strong> <strong>Keating<&sol;strong>&colon; inspires us to do more and be more – a lesson that can be passed onto students&period; And while we can’t really encourage students to stand on desks&comma; if they’re doing it to show their solidarity and support of you&comma; then that’s probably ok&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong>Breaking Bad &lpar;2008&rpar;<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Bryan Cranston playing <strong>chemistry teacher Walter White<&sol;strong>&colon; we can all learn a lesson from this high school teacher who uses his skills to try and take care of his family &lpar;at least in the beginning&rpar;…<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong>Matilda &lpar;1996&rpar;<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Embeth Davidtz playing <strong>primary teacher Jennifer Honey<&sol;strong>&colon; reminds us that a teacher who goes above and beyond to protect and teach her students will be loved by all &lpar;though we don’t recommend adopting your students&rpar;&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong>The Simpsons &lpar;1990&rpar;<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Marcia Wallace voicing <strong>Year 4 teacher Edna Krabappel<&sol;strong>&colon; reminds us that even the most jaded teacher can still have a heart of gold &lpar;and the importance of having a catchphrase &OpenCurlyQuote;HA&excl;’&rpar;&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong>To Sir&comma; With Love &lpar;1967&rpar;<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Sidney Poitier playing <strong>relief teacher Mark Thackeray<&sol;strong>&colon; shows us that you should never underestimate students or talk down to them&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong>Buffy the Vampire Slayer &lpar;1997&rpar;<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Anthony Stewart Head playing <strong>librarian Rupert Giles<&sol;strong>&colon; reminds us that we can present a professional and distant demeanour and hold students accountable for their own mistakes&comma; but always with kindness and compassion&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong>Harry Potter &lpar;2001&rpar;<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Alan Rickman playing <strong>potions master Severus Snape<&sol;strong>&colon; reminds us not to judge people on first appearance&comma; and sometimes what may feel like a punishment is actually someone looking out for you&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong>Indiana Jones &lpar;1981&rpar;<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Harrison Ford playing <strong>college professor Indiana Jones<&sol;strong>&colon; though admittedly not a school teacher&comma; he reminds us how important it is to have a passion and separate identity outside of school&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong>Mean Girls &lpar;2004&rpar;<&sol;strong><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>Tina Fey playing <strong>high-school teacher Ms Norbury<&sol;strong>&colon; even when main character Cady is being the type of teenager most adults would want to avoid&comma; Ms Norbury is patient and non-judgemental&comma; gradually reminding Cady of who she really is&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;

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Shannon Meyerkort

Shannon Meyerkort is a freelance writer and author of Brilliant Minds: 30 Dyslexic Heroes Who Changed our World, being released by Affirm Press in October 2022.

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