I was asked to watch this movie by one of my high school teachers following a disastrous job interview where I walked out of a middle school demo class as I was unable to control the students.

The movie was released in 2006 and is based on the true story of a middle school teacher named Ron Clark (played by Mathew Perry from the TV show, Friends) who moves outside his comfort zone in his North Carolina hometown to New York city with the aim of making a difference in the lives of disenfranchised students. 

I personally enjoyed this movie and found it both inspiring and motivating. It also taught me two very important things that I believe you should keep in mind if you want to be a teacher:

1. You need to care for your students. It is important to understand where they come from and the obstacles they face on a day to day basis. Acknowledge their successes and offer solutions to their problems. It is only then that you can help them succeed.
2. A teacher’s job is not simply to deliver the curriculum, but to make students understand how what they study is going to be important later on in life. 

The movie made me realize that the biggest mistake I made during my demo class was not knowing my audience and their needs. You’re given just one shot at grabbing the attention of some twenty something students who have a million other things to do than listen to your lesson, so the best thing you can do is to simply have fun. Play a game. Get to know them. If you do manage to teach something, you’ve got yourself a bonus. But, the most important thing is to stay in control. 

Yes, the movie is overloaded with cliches, but it is one of the few movies that outlines the challenges faced by teachers and students on a day to day to basis. It also touches on an important subject: in an environment that is inundated with information and technology how should we teach? 

This is an excellent movie to watch on a Friday night with family as it teaches both parents and children some very important lessons. And it doesn’t hurt that we got ‘Chandler’ playing a middle-school teacher. 😉

Rating: 7/10.

I was able to find only one newspaper review, as the movie was released over a decade ago.

The Washington Post
“…movie made about an earnest do-gooder who tames a classroom filled with those rambunctious black and brown kids, and turns them on to the joys of learning using Unconventional Methods”.

P.S. The entire movie is on youtube and I’ve attached it below. So feel free to jump right in!