The Most Memorable Teachers in Pop Culture

Mar. 15, 2025

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Mr. Feeny from Boy Meets World

ABC Photo Archives/ABC/Getty

Cue the “Feeny Call!”

Just try not to tear up thinking about theBoy Meets Worldfinale, in which Mr. Feeny tells his students, “I love you all. Class dismissed.”

02of 21Manish Kulkarni from Never Have I EverNetflixEveryone wants one cool teacher who knows when you give you a hard time and when to show you some support. Mr. Kulkarni (Utkarsh Ambudkar) isn’t afraid to tell it like it is to Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), and we love him for it.

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Manish Kulkarni from Never Have I Ever

Netflix

Everyone wants one cool teacher who knows when you give you a hard time and when to show you some support. Mr. Kulkarni (Utkarsh Ambudkar) isn’t afraid to tell it like it is to Devi (Maitreyi Ramakrishnan), and we love him for it.

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Miss Honey from Matilda

TriStar Pictures/ Everett Collection

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Economics Teacher

Paramount Pictures/Alamy

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Dame Maggie Smith in theHarry Potterseries .

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Jaime Escalante from Stand and Deliver

Warner Bros./ Everett

07of 21Dewey Finn (A.K.A. Mr. Schneebly) from School Of RockParamountWhile Jack Black’s iconicSchool of Rockcharacter was just impersonating a teacher, he proved that sometimes the greatest lessons we learn aren’t the ones that have to do with reading, writing and arithmetic. Sometimes, you just need to be taught that you’re not hardcore until you live hardcore.

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Dewey Finn (A.K.A. Mr. Schneebly) from School Of Rock

Paramount

While Jack Black’s iconicSchool of Rockcharacter was just impersonating a teacher, he proved that sometimes the greatest lessons we learn aren’t the ones that have to do with reading, writing and arithmetic. Sometimes, you just need to be taught that you’re not hardcore until you live hardcore.

08of 21Sister Mary Clarence from Sister Act 2: Back in the HabitSuzanne Hanover/Touchstone/Kobal/ShutterstockInSister Act 2, Whoopi Goldberg reprises her role as nightclub singer-turned-undercover-nun “Sister Mary Clarence” and turns a group of uninspired teens at a failing school into a full-on, competition-winning choir.Did you know that the movie is loosely based on the life ofIris Stevenson, a real-life high school music teacher?

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Sister Mary Clarence from Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit

Suzanne Hanover/Touchstone/Kobal/Shutterstock

InSister Act 2, Whoopi Goldberg reprises her role as nightclub singer-turned-undercover-nun “Sister Mary Clarence” and turns a group of uninspired teens at a failing school into a full-on, competition-winning choir.

Did you know that the movie is loosely based on the life ofIris Stevenson, a real-life high school music teacher?

09of 21Ms. Norbury from Mean GirlsTeaching us the art of calculus and how to handle a few nasty rumors, Tina Fey’sMean Girl’scharacter Ms. Norbury also managed to teach the young ladies of North Shore High a thing or two about respecting each other and themselves (and all before they had to be released at 4:00 p.m.)!

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Ms. Norbury from Mean Girls

Teaching us the art of calculus and how to handle a few nasty rumors, Tina Fey’sMean Girl’scharacter Ms. Norbury also managed to teach the young ladies of North Shore High a thing or two about respecting each other and themselves (and all before they had to be released at 4:00 p.m.)!

10of 21John Keating from Dead Poets SocietyRex USAO Captain! My Captain! Robin Williams' performance inDead Poets Societyis one worth standing on a desk for. The free-spirited and inspirational private school teacher encouraged his students to seize the day and “make [their] lives extraordinary.” If that’s not good teaching we’re not sure what is.

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John Keating from Dead Poets Society

Rex USA

O Captain! My Captain! Robin Williams' performance inDead Poets Societyis one worth standing on a desk for. The free-spirited and inspirational private school teacher encouraged his students to seize the day and “make [their] lives extraordinary.” If that’s not good teaching we’re not sure what is.

11of 21Ms. Frizzle from The Magic SchoolbusNelvana / EverettA magical school bus that takes you on adventure after adventure wouldn’t be the same without Ms. Frizzle at the helm!

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Ms. Frizzle from The Magic Schoolbus

Nelvana / Everett

A magical school bus that takes you on adventure after adventure wouldn’t be the same without Ms. Frizzle at the helm!

12of 21Joe Clark from Lean on MeWarner Brothers/courtesy EverettSure, Morgan Freeman’s character toLean on Mewas based on a real-life principal and not a teacher, but he taught plenty of lessons along the way — to students and staff alike. Dubbed “Crazy Joe” for his strict and unorthodox measures, Clark clearly cared for his students and their success, and helped them keep their school, which was under threat of being closed down unless 75% of the students could pass the New Jersey Minimum Basic Skills Test.

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Joe Clark from Lean on Me

Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett

Sure, Morgan Freeman’s character toLean on Mewas based on a real-life principal and not a teacher, but he taught plenty of lessons along the way — to students and staff alike. Dubbed “Crazy Joe” for his strict and unorthodox measures, Clark clearly cared for his students and their success, and helped them keep their school, which was under threat of being closed down unless 75% of the students could pass the New Jersey Minimum Basic Skills Test.

13of 21Tami Taylor from Friday Night LightsPaul Drinkwater/ NBCUniversal via GettyYes, Connie Britton technically played a principal, but no one cared for Dillon High School and those kids quite like Tami Taylor. She was willing to get in the middle of those die-hard football fans and do what was right, and man, do we (and Coach Taylor) love her for it.Also, it’s impossible to name a principal with better hair.

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Tami Taylor from Friday Night Lights

Paul Drinkwater/ NBCUniversal via Getty

Yes, Connie Britton technically played a principal, but no one cared for Dillon High School and those kids quite like Tami Taylor. She was willing to get in the middle of those die-hard football fans and do what was right, and man, do we (and Coach Taylor) love her for it.

Also, it’s impossible to name a principal with better hair.

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Jessica Day from New Girl

FOX Image Collection via Getty

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Lydia Grant from Fame

Debbie Allen on Fame.

Allen also notably choreographed the show and film!

16of 21Katherine Ann Watson from Mona Lisa SmileColumbia/ EverettWe love a feminist icon! InMona Lisa SmileJulia Robert plays the Wellesley College professor, who teaches the women in her class that they can be more than just wives and mothers, and encourages them to “see the world through new eyes.”

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Katherine Ann Watson from Mona Lisa Smile

Columbia/ Everett

We love a feminist icon! InMona Lisa SmileJulia Robert plays the Wellesley College professor, who teaches the women in her class that they can be more than just wives and mothers, and encourages them to “see the world through new eyes.”

17of 21Dr. Joshua Larabee from Akeelah and the BeeLions Gate/EverettEnglish professor Dr. Joshua Larabee (Laurence Fishburne) coaches Akeelah Anderson (Keke Palmer) to becoming Scripps National Spelling Bee champion inAkeelah and the Bee.What we love about him is that he wasn’t perfect, but he was D-E-D-I-C-A-T-E-D to seeing his student win.

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Dr. Joshua Larabee from Akeelah and the Bee

Lions Gate/Everett

English professor Dr. Joshua Larabee (Laurence Fishburne) coaches Akeelah Anderson (Keke Palmer) to becoming Scripps National Spelling Bee champion inAkeelah and the Bee.What we love about him is that he wasn’t perfect, but he was D-E-D-I-C-A-T-E-D to seeing his student win.

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Miss Bliss from Good Morning, Miss Bliss

Disney Channel/Everett Collection

19of 21Mr. G from Summer Heights HighPrincess Pictures/HBO / Everett CollectionChris Lilley’s over-the-top drama teacher fromSummer Heights Highis at the top of our “dream educators” list. Sure, he’s not the greatest atactuallyteaching, but you can’t tell us that you wouldn’tspend 99% of your time in Mr. G’s class laughing.

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Mr. G from Summer Heights High

Princess Pictures/HBO / Everett Collection

Chris Lilley’s over-the-top drama teacher fromSummer Heights Highis at the top of our “dream educators” list. Sure, he’s not the greatest atactuallyteaching, but you can’t tell us that you wouldn’tspend 99% of your time in Mr. G’s class laughing.

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Mr. Holland from Mr. Holland’s Opus

Buena Vista/ Everett

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Veronica Vaughn from Billy Madison

Bridgette Wilson and Adam Sandler inBilly Madison(1995).Universal Pictures

source: people.com