10 Film and TV Teachers We Want in Class and What They Taught Us

Good teachers don’t teach from the textbook. They grab life where it counts, and teach beyond the answer key and the classroom. So throw out your books, have some ganas, apply yourself, take chances, make mistakes, get messy, seize the day, don’t try -- do, these are the teachers who taught us about life from the couch.

1. Ferris Bueller’s Economics Teacher from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Bueller? Bueller? Where art thou Bueller? Thanks to Ferris’ aloof economics teacher, Bueller could steal a choice ride, lead a parade, contemplate life beyond high school, etc. We need aloof teachers to do our own thing sometimes. To force us to get out of our comfort zone. However, other times we need more guidance and someone to tell us what aloof means.

2. Ms. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus

Take chances, make mistakes, and get messy! With the help of the magic school bus, Ms. Frizzle transported her students through time and space to teach them about science. However, she taught us how to learn. To not get bogged down by making the grade, but learning from your mistakes and developing a keen curiosity in life.

3. Dumbledore from Harry Potter

Grab some butterbeer and hang out with Hogwart’s favorite headmaster. Full of wizardry wisdom, he helped transform Harry Potter from confused prepubescent lad to the chosen one. With a complicated past himself, he taught us that everything isn’t black or white, especially when doing the necessary is necessary. His humility and wisdom is admired by all, and an example to strive for.

4. Ted Mosby from How I Met Your Mother

Okay so he might be a little long winded. Taking an entire series to explain how he met his kids’ mother, but he’s the best architecture professor we can think of who once taught economics by accident. Much like his love life, his pathway to Professor was not always clear. In fact, you would pretty much do everything opposite of him if you want a date. However, he teaches us persistence is key, and that everything will work out if you keep at it and keep an open mind.

5. Jaime Escalante from Stand and Deliver

Do you have the ganas? Jaime Escalante was a real teacher, but that doesn’t mean his fictional portrayal by Edward James Olmos didn’t have the ganas. Mr. Escalante taught his students that desire, or ganas, is the key to success. No matter how much adversity faces you, your ganas can put you over the top. Plus he made AP Calculus cool.

6. Indiana Jones from Indiana Jones

Does your Professor sneak out of windows during office hours to fight Nazis or recover the holy grail? He makes you wonder how your textbook was made. Hey, someone had to go out into the world to make those discoveries to put into your textbook. Indy proves to us that we must do the same. Go forth and learn things firsthand. Take some notes and punch a Nazi if you see one.

7. Yoda from Star Wars

Don’t try -- do. The only teacher on this list that can hang out on your back as you run, he lives in the Dagobah system and taught Luke the ways of the force. He will push you to your limit when you can’t try anymore. When you doubt yourself, he will raise your X Wing Starfighter to prove you wrong. He taught us that greatness is in all of us if we stop thinking we can’t and just do.

8. Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World

Friend, neighbor, and often times intimidating teacher, he is so dedicated to his students he followed Corey and Topanga from high school to college. A teacher who believes in his students more than they might believe in themselves, he is what all teachers should hope to be. If we believe in ourselves as much as Mr. Feeny believes in us we’ll be okay.

9. John Keating from Dead Poets Society

O Captain! My Captain! Robin Williams might not be with us, but his legacy as John Keating lives on. The original “throw your books out the window” kind of teacher, he taught us learning can come from anywhere. We also learned that we are in charge of how we learn, and possibly our fate.

10. Walter White from Breaking Bad

The baddest chemistry teacher of them all. Heisenberg. He forced his former student Jesse to do his bidding like kill Gale, and Jesse was his worst student. Just think what his honor roll must be doing. He might have been fired from his job, but he taught us to apply ourselves. Or suffer selling Gray Matter to your former friends, and live a life of mediocrity, and someday create a meth empire that will ultimately be your undoing. However, it’s never too late to live on your own terms.