The most easily recognized teachers in our culture are on the big screen. So when we think about good teaching, it’s almost impossible not to think of Robin William’s character in Dead Poets Society standing on a desk and inspiring his students. This might be part of the problem. When teaching is associated with unrealistic Hollywood characters, it can create impractical or ridiculous assumptions about what teachers do. In this episode, we hear how the stereotypes of teachers may be contributing to teachers’ decisions to leave education.

Music:

Original Music By Julian Saporiti

“NPC Theme” by HoliznaCC0 is in the Public Domain.

“Sunny Afternoon” by HoliznaCC0 is in the Public Domain. 

Movie Clips:

Freedom Writers (Paramount Pictures)

Dead Poets Society (Touchstone Pictures, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

School of Rock (Paramount Pictures)

Ferris Bueller (Paramount Pictures, United International Pictures)

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