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13 Best Sites With Free Educational Movies

Educational videos, lectures, and documentaries for the home or classroom

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Educational movies are ideal if you're an educator looking for great multimedia to explain a new concept, a parent supplementing your child's education, or just an aspiring autodidact seeking knowledge.

This list of the best sites for educational movies will help you find what you're looking for. From science to humanities, there's something for everyone.

Best Educational Video Sites

  • Big Think : Interviews and discussions from experts that range from a few minutes in length to up to an hour long, in playlists like space, life hacks, physics, politics, the brain, and emotional intelligence.
  • PBS Nova : Watch entire NOVA episodes online, divided by topic like body and brain, nature, evolution, planet earth, and ancient worlds.
  • National Geographic : Kid-friendly video shorts of Natl. Geographic programs can be found here.
  • University Videos : Free video lectures from a large list of universities.
  • TED : Stream “Ideas Worth Spreading” from expert business leaders, scientists, researchers, and more.
  • The School of Life : These short, documentary style YouTube videos are from psychologists, philosophers, and writers who share ideas on how to understand ourselves better, improve our relationships, and more.
  • Internet Archive's Educational Films : Vintage corporate and government sponsored films, instructional videos, classroom guidance films, military training, and more.
  • Prelinger Archives : Thousands of free educational movies of historical significance.
  • PBS Frontline : Most of PBS Frontline's broadcasts can be watched in their entirety online.
  • Edutopia : From George Lucas Educational Foundation, this is a great collection of highly eclectic educational resources. These videos are also available from their YouTube channel .
  • TeacherTube : A collection of thousands of educational video lessons on everything from science and math to history and language arts.
  • Annenberg Learner : Alphabetized list of teacher resources. Most videos here are available for free viewing online.
  • BrainPOP Jr. : Free movies geared toward kids, covering everything from science and health to social studies, art, and technology.

Other Ways to Get Educational Videos

Some free movie sites have educational films that you can stream or download free. Movies of this type are usually categorized as documentaries, so you may have luck starting with sites that carry free documentaries .

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educational movies

25 Movies that Educate and Inspire Students

Thursday January 18, 2018

educational movies

In this digital era, education is not just lecture and blackboard sessions within the four walls of a classroom. The influence of handy gadgets, education apps as well as smart school software are taking education to a new level. The role of teachers changes from just one side dictators to more of a guidance and support giver when students utilize the pros of digital era to learn on their own.

Get Best Free Student Apps (Check it Now)

Moreover, schools are taking good initiatives to utilize the advancements in technologies to give their students the best benefits of smart classrooms. With the use of projectors and friendly apps, they are giving an opportunity for students to watch movies in classrooms that better depict some areas of study that are difficult to understand with just text book assignments. The watch list also includes some really inspiring movies that can change the way students see the world and helping them to live as better individuals.

For schools which are looking forward to set up a movie show for their students, here is a short list of the best movies that help to educate and inspire students.

1. Freedom Writers: This inspirational movie depicts the story of a young teacher who took effort to encourage her students to receive higher education despite their challenging early school days. Freedom Writers teaches you to always have your ultimate end goal in your mind and work towards achieving it. Students who watch this movie are sure to live their dreams with tolerance and hard work.

2. The Paper Chase: Are you finding it difficult to keep the motivation to meet your dreams alive? The Paper Chase which was directed by James Bridges in the year 1973 can be really inspiring for you to achieve your heights despite all struggles and hurdles. This movie is based on the story of James T. Hart who overcame all his challenges during the first year life in Harvard and came out successful.

3. The Pursuit of Happyness: It is the real-life tale of a person who was just a salesman at first who used to sleep on the subway and later used his will power and hard work to overcome the obstacles and turned out a wealthy man. The Pursuit of Happyness gives the message that one should not give up on his dreams despite whatever hurdles come on the way. His hard work and perseverance and his keenness of not missing any opportunity that came his way at last paid him in the end.

4. Precious: This American drama film made in 2009 was based on a book that depicted the story of a young girl who was harassed mentally, physically and sexually in her early days. Precious discusses how a high school teacher inspired her and how she manages to fight back and improve her life as well as her children’s life. This movie is really inspirational for students to fight their life and reach successful heights.

5. Life of Pi: The American drama made in the year 2012 was a visual master piece with a brilliant execution which is really inspiring for students. This amazing movie came under the direction of Ang Lee and tells the story of a young boy who survived a shipwreck at the age of 16 when his family expired. Life of Pi in fact gives not just a single message but many rethinking ideas for students such as to learn how to let it go, importance of having faith in yourself and the universal need of survival.

6. Dead Poets Society: This movie directed by Peter Weir is based on the story of an educator who motivates his students to confront the norm with his poetry teaching. Dead Poets Society was released in the year 1989 and Robin Williams played the role of teacher who inspired students with his unorthodox teaching methods. This is one of the best American dramas you must show your students to help them improve their learning life and find their individuality.

7. It’s a Wonderful Life: This is an American drama released in the year 1946 directed by Frank Capra. It’s a Wonderful Life gives really good lessons for students such as learning to see how blessed you are when compared to those around you and accepting and being happy with what you have. Students can also get a good message on how to understand the actual purpose of your life.

8. Good Will Hunting: It is a 1997 movie that depicts the story of a mathematical prodigy named Will Hunting who was an underachiever at first who didn’t give importance to studies. And later he was inspired by the determination and hard work of a therapist who fight life despite his limitations. He then found out his hidden talents and utilized his potential to solve difficult mathematics problems. Good Will Hunting can help students to take an effort to do what they really can rather than stepping behind.

9. Legally Blonde: This is the story of a young girl who overcame her inferiority feelings and insecurity to get her education from the most prestigious Harvard school. Legally Blonde is really inspiring for those who fail to recognise their talents and keep on standing backwards. This movie makes it to the point that a good effort and a deterministic mindset can help anyone to utilize their potential and achieve good heights and gain more respect in life.

10. Searching for Bobby Fischer: It is a 1993 American drama film from the pen and direction of Steven Zaillian. This movie tells the story of a young chess prodigy who was encouraged and motivated to reach the best spot. Pomeranc plays the role of chess player Joshua Waitzkin. Searching for Bobby Fischer gives the challenge to the society about how to act rightly to motivate gifted children and help them get their best.

11. Stand and Deliver: This movie is based on a real life story of a teacher who went out of normal way to teach mathematics. His effort helped a group of students who were struggling earlier to come out successful. If you find yourself hopeless in handling a subject, then spend some time to watch Stand and Deliver and the story of Jamie Escalante is really motivating to see the possibilities to overcome past failures and be top achievers.

12. The Great Debaters: This movie retells the real life story of a professor who encouraged a group of students to taste the success. The theme of the movie is the way he moulds the students to give a strong challenge during debating championships. The Great Debaters can obviously lift your study spirits and motivate you to challenge yourself and others to win in life.

13. A Beautiful Mind: This American biographical drama film made in the year 2001 gives a strong message of enjoying every moment of your life. A Beautiful Mind directed by Ron Howard tells the story of a great mathematician scientist who considered him the best after a great discovery and failed to enjoy life but lived in fantasies. The movie depicts the journey of his self-discovery and how he realised the little joys of life.

14. The Manhattan Project: This 1986 movie hit the screens under the direction of Marshall Brickman. The Manhattan Project tells the story of teenagers whose school science project came out in a much bigger way than the norms. The making of nuclear bomb by the students with the information gathered from the internet is inspiring in terms of what a teenager can do with will power and hard work and at the same time gives the alert of how badly the technology can inspire youth.

15. The Blind Side: This American sports drama under the direction of John Lee was released in the year 2009. The Blind Side tells the real life story of Michael Oher who went through many rough patches in life. His blessing came in the way of a loving family who offered him shelter for a day and then adopted him for life. The family gave their true kindness and love to motivate him to find his skills in football and he utilized this opportunity to come up as a successful football player.

16. Harry Potter: This is a British-American film series in the time period of 2001 to 2011 based on the Harry Potter novels from the great author J. K. Rowling. Rather than spending hours in front of computers to play video games, the Harry Potter movie has really inspired students to come out and accomplish challenging tasks. Teachers are also adopting many Harry-Potter themes as part of their classroom activities to encourage and inspire children to learn and live successfully.

17. Lean on Me: This 1989 movie showcase the real life story of an unorthodox teacher who utilized his second chance to come out successful. His come back to the idyllic high school from where he was first fired from the role of principal witnessed a strong success tale. Lean on Me can really lift your spirits in the middle of struggling studies and gives the message of how to wisely use your extended chance in your education or career.

18. Remember the Titans: This movie showcases the importance of team work, a true leader and perseverance to achieve success. Remember the Titans tells the story of a good coach of a school’s football team who used his leadership qualities to bridge the cultural gap among his students to help them perform as a team and win the championship. This American sports movie came to screens in the year 2000 and was directed by Boaz Yakin.

19. I Am Kalam: This 2011 Indian movie from Nila Madhab Panda can be said as a guide for students to show them the importance and value of education. The plot of the movie is based on a young boy who admired Kalam and wished to follow his path. Harsh Mayar who played the role of Chotu was brilliant with his performance who became a favourite for many students. I Am Kalam gives a strong message to the society on the value of education and the right of every student for achieving it.

20. WALL-E : This is a science fiction movie that hit the screens in the year 2008 which was directed by Andrew Stanton. This computer-animated film came under the production of Pixar Animation Studios. WALL-E teaches to improve our focus on relationships to find true meaning to life and to face the problem rather than sitting with it. And at times it is important to live the life rather than surviving and it is good to make decisions based on the current status of the situation rather than going with the past experiences.

21. Stand by Me: The movie directed by Rob Reiner is a journey of four kids in which they discover themselves and their real identities. Stand by Me is a 1986 movie from the director, Rob Reiner which was made based on a book ‘The Body’ by Stephen King. The movie throughout showcases how kids handle the unfair expectations on their way to find their missing friend.

22. Dangerous Minds: This American drama film that hit the screens in the year 1995 came under the direction of John N. Smith. Dangerous Minds is the story of a marine turned teacher who got the job to deal a class of tough students with distinctive back grounds. With her wise way of teaching to suit the class, she succeeded in her job of turning it out a class of studious.

23. Start Wars: This is an American film series from renowned George Lucas. The series of movies started early back in 1977 and is still continuing the journey. Star Wars series have a strong base for giving life lessons to kids. For the last three decades, the movie is gaining the acceptance of the students of the respective eras. More than space ships and explosions, the movie is teaching kids to have the determination to accomplish anything in life and to learn to distinguish right from wrong.

24. Schindler’s List: This historical period drama was released in the year 1993 which was directed by Steven Spielberg. Schindler’s List gives students a deeper understanding of the Second World War scenario and the hardships of the people. The movie tells the real life incidents of Oskar Schindler who was a hero who saved the lives of about 1,100 Jews at the Holocaust. This movie also helps students to value the importance of love than war for handling things.

25. Cinema Paradiso : This is an Italian drama film that came out under the direction of Giuseppe Tornatore in the year 1988. Cinema Paradiso teaches students to grow up with an imaginative mindset which makes life really beautiful. Students will also get the message that learning is never completed and it is a life long journey to be accomplished. Kids will also learn about how sharing and caring can give them the ultimate joy.

Final Thoughts

This is just a few among the lots of movies that help students to motivate and inspire and create a better world for them and others. These inspirational movies for school students and teachers are really going to boost their studies and educate them about the importance of hard work, determination and teamwork in their life. This new phase of smart classroom education with education app s and smart school software are creating a novel learning experience for students.

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Essential movies about education

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1. Dead Poets Society (1989)

PG | 128 min | Comedy, Drama

Maverick teacher John Keating returns in 1959 to the prestigious New England boys' boarding school where he was once a star student, using poetry to embolden his pupils to new heights of self-expression.

Director: Peter Weir | Stars: Robin Williams , Robert Sean Leonard , Ethan Hawke , Josh Charles

Votes: 539,981 | Gross: $95.86M

2. Stand and Deliver (1988)

PG | 103 min | Biography, Drama

The story of Jaime Escalante , a high school teacher who successfully inspired his dropout-prone students to learn calculus.

Director: Ramón Menéndez | Stars: Edward James Olmos , Estelle Harris , Mark Phelan , Virginia Paris

Votes: 22,184 | Gross: $13.99M

3. To Sir, with Love (1967)

Approved | 105 min | Drama

Idealistic engineer-trainee and his experiences in teaching a group of rambunctious white high school students from the slums of London's East End.

Director: James Clavell | Stars: Sidney Poitier , Judy Geeson , Christian Roberts , Suzy Kendall

Votes: 20,242 | Gross: $42.43M

4. The Breakfast Club (1985)

R | 97 min | Comedy, Drama

Five high school students meet in Saturday detention and discover how they have a great deal more in common than they thought.

Director: John Hughes | Stars: Emilio Estevez , Judd Nelson , Molly Ringwald , Ally Sheedy

Votes: 433,455 | Gross: $45.88M

5. The Paper Chase (1973)

PG | 113 min | Comedy, Drama

A first-year law student at Harvard Law School struggles with balancing his coursework and a woman, unaware that she has a connection that affects their relationship.

Director: James Bridges | Stars: Timothy Bottoms , Lindsay Wagner , John Houseman , Graham Beckel

Votes: 8,626 | Gross: $1.85M

6. Good Will Hunting (1997)

R | 126 min | Drama, Romance

Will Hunting, a janitor at M.I.T., has a gift for mathematics, but needs help from a psychologist to find direction in his life.

Director: Gus Van Sant | Stars: Robin Williams , Matt Damon , Ben Affleck , Stellan Skarsgård

Votes: 1,056,556 | Gross: $138.43M

7. Goodbye, Mr. Chips (1969)

G | 155 min | Drama, Musical, Romance

A shy, withdrawn English schoolteacher falls for a flashy showgirl.

Director: Herbert Ross | Stars: Peter O'Toole , Petula Clark , Michael Redgrave , George Baker

Votes: 3,794 | Gross: $2.55M

8. Precious (II) (2009)

R | 110 min | Drama

In New York City's Harlem circa 1987, an overweight, abused, illiterate teen who is pregnant with her second child is invited to enroll in an alternative school in hopes that she can re-route her life in a better direction.

Director: Lee Daniels | Stars: Gabourey Sidibe , Mo'Nique , Paula Patton , Mariah Carey

Votes: 115,802 | Gross: $47.57M

9. Music of the Heart (1999)

PG | 124 min | Drama, Music

After Roberta Guaspari separates from her husband, she receives encouragement from her mother to take up a job of a music teacher at the Central Park East School in East Harlem.

Director: Wes Craven | Stars: Meryl Streep , Cloris Leachman , Henry Dinhofer , Michael Angarano

Votes: 13,283 | Gross: $14.86M

10. Dangerous Minds (1995)

R | 99 min | Biography, Drama

LouAnne, a retired US marine, becomes a teacher in a Californian high school. But her mostly Latino and black students from an impoverished and racially segregated locality do not easily embrace her.

Director: John N. Smith | Stars: Michelle Pfeiffer , George Dzundza , Courtney B. Vance , Robin Bartlett

Votes: 56,748 | Gross: $84.92M

11. Freedom Writers (2007)

PG-13 | 123 min | Biography, Crime, Drama

A young teacher inspires her class of at-risk students to learn tolerance, apply themselves and pursue education beyond high school.

Director: Richard LaGravenese | Stars: Hilary Swank , Imelda Staunton , Patrick Dempsey , Scott Glenn

Votes: 84,672 | Gross: $36.61M

12. Educating Rita (1983)

PG | 110 min | Comedy, Drama

An alcoholic professor has been hired by a working-class girl for higher education.

Director: Lewis Gilbert | Stars: Michael Caine , Julie Walters , Michael Williams , Maureen Lipman

Votes: 14,851 | Gross: $14.65M

13. School of Rock (2003)

PG-13 | 109 min | Comedy, Music

After being kicked out of his rock band, Dewey Finn becomes a substitute teacher of an uptight elementary private school, only to try and turn his class into a rock band.

Director: Richard Linklater | Stars: Jack Black , Mike White , Joan Cusack , Adam Pascal

Votes: 328,375 | Gross: $81.26M

14. An Education (2009)

PG-13 | 100 min | Drama

A coming-of-age story about a teenage girl in 1960s suburban London, and how her life changes with the arrival of a playboy nearly twice her age.

Director: Lone Scherfig | Stars: Carey Mulligan , Peter Sarsgaard , Alfred Molina , Olivia Williams

Votes: 137,937 | Gross: $12.57M

15. Mona Lisa Smile (2003)

PG-13 | 117 min | Drama

A free-thinking art professor teaches conservative 1950s Wellesley girls to question their traditional social roles.

Director: Mike Newell | Stars: Julia Roberts , Kirsten Dunst , Julia Stiles , Maggie Gyllenhaal

Votes: 90,238 | Gross: $63.86M

16. Finding Forrester (2000)

PG-13 | 136 min | Drama

Forrester, the author of a famous book, decides to help Jamal, a 16-year-old student, discover his writing prowess by mentoring him and enrolling him into a prestigious private school.

Director: Gus Van Sant | Stars: Sean Connery , Rob Brown , F. Murray Abraham , Anna Paquin

Votes: 89,282 | Gross: $66.40M

17. Waiting for Superman (2010)

PG | 111 min | Documentary

An examination of the current state of education in America today.

Director: Davis Guggenheim | Stars: Charles Adams , Jonathan Alter , Robert Balfanz , Harriet Ball

Votes: 11,627 | Gross: $6.41M

18. Who Cares About Kelsey? (2012)

80 min | Documentary, Drama

Kelsey Carroll has one goal--to graduate from high school--and plenty of reasons why she shouldn't. She attends a school with one of the highest dropout rates in New Hampshire and has dealt... See full summary  »

Director: Dan Habib | Stars: Chris Carroll , Kelsey Carroll , Susan Carroll , Kathy Francoeur

19. A Very English Education (2013 TV Movie)

Documentary

Director: Hannah Berryman

20. Public School (1979)

65 min | Documentary

Director: Jonathan Gili | Stars: Fran Morrison , Daisy Goodwin , Christopher Potter , John Rae

21. The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)

PG-13 | 117 min | Biography, Drama

A struggling salesman takes custody of his son as he's poised to begin a life-changing professional career

Director: Gabriele Muccino | Stars: Will Smith , Thandiwe Newton , Jaden Smith , Brian Howe

Votes: 556,404 | Gross: $163.57M

22. Butterfly (1999)

R | 96 min | Drama, War

Based in 1936 Spain, Moncho is an outcast at school but is able to form a strong bond with his outspoken teacher. When fascism arrives to Spain, his teacher is considered an enemy of the regime & arrested.

Director: José Luis Cuerda | Stars: Manuel Lozano , Fernando Fernán Gómez , Uxía Blanco , Gonzalo Uriarte

Votes: 9,675 | Gross: $2.09M

23. Tous les matins du monde (1991)

Not Rated | 115 min | Biography, Drama, History

The story of Monsieur de Sainte Colombe, fierce and somber man, grand master of the viola da gamba and professor of Marin Marais, prestigious musician in the court of Louis XIV.

Director: Alain Corneau | Stars: Gérard Depardieu , Jean-Pierre Marielle , Anne Brochet , Guillaume Depardieu

Votes: 7,898 | Gross: $3.09M

24. The Wave (2008)

Not Rated | 107 min | Drama, Thriller

A high school teacher's experiment to demonstrate to his students what life is like under a dictatorship spins horribly out of control when he forms a social unit with a life of its own.

Director: Dennis Gansel | Stars: Jürgen Vogel , Frederick Lau , Max Riemelt , Jennifer Ulrich

Votes: 114,493

25. Pay It Forward (2000)

PG-13 | 123 min | Drama

A young boy attempts to make the world a better place after his teacher gives him that chance.

Director: Mimi Leder | Stars: Kevin Spacey , Haley Joel Osment , Helen Hunt , Jay Mohr

Votes: 123,548 | Gross: $33.52M

26. Detachment (2011)

Not Rated | 98 min | Drama

A substitute teacher who drifts from classroom to classroom finds a connection to the students and teachers during his latest assignment.

Director: Tony Kaye | Stars: Adrien Brody , Christina Hendricks , Marcia Gay Harden , Lucy Liu

Votes: 97,942 | Gross: $0.07M

27. It All Starts Today (1999)

Not Rated | 117 min | Drama

A teacher from a small, depressed town is trying to do something useful.

Director: Bertrand Tavernier | Stars: Philippe Torreton , Maria Pitarresi , Nadia Kaci , Véronique Ataly

Votes: 2,884 | Gross: $0.01M

28. Just a Beginning (2010)

97 min | Documentary

"Just A Beginning" follows a nursery school class for a period of two years. But this is a very unusual class as the children, aged three to five study... philosophy!

Directors: Pierre Barougier , Jean-Pierre Pozzi

29. The Class (2008)

PG-13 | 128 min | Drama

Teacher and novelist François Bégaudeau plays a version of himself as he negotiates a year with his racially mixed students from a tough Parisian neighborhood.

Director: Laurent Cantet | Stars: François Bégaudeau , Agame Malembo-Emene , Angélica Sancio , Arthur Fogel

Votes: 36,326 | Gross: $3.77M

30. La educación prohibida (2012)

121 min | Documentary

The forbidden education (Spanish title La Educación Prohibida) is an independent film released in 2012. It describes a variety of alternative education practices and unconventional schools ... See full summary  »

Director: German Doin | Stars: Santiago Magariños , Amira Adre , Nicolás Valenzuela , Gastón Pauls

31. Bad Education (2004)

NC-17 | 106 min | Crime, Drama

An examination on the effect of Franco-era religious schooling and sexual abuse on the lives of two longtime friends.

Director: Pedro Almodóvar | Stars: Gael García Bernal , Fele Martínez , Javier Cámara , Daniel Giménez Cacho

Votes: 63,211 | Gross: $5.21M

32. Girl Rising (2013)

PG-13 | 101 min | Documentary, Drama

This film follows 9 girls from Haiti, Nepal, Ethiopia, India, Egypt, Peru, Cambodia, Sierra Leone, and Afghanistan on their journey to education.

Director: Richard Robbins | Stars: Amina , Azmera , Arindol Bagchi , Rekha Banerjee

Votes: 1,275

33. Carrot or Stick? A Horizon Guide to Raising Kids (2011 TV Movie)

Director: Georgina Leslie | Star: Laverne Antrobus

34. Monsieur Lazhar (2011)

PG-13 | 95 min | Comedy, Drama

At a Montréal public grade school, an Algerian immigrant is hired to replace a popular teacher who committed suicide in her classroom. While helping his students deal with their grief, his own recent loss is revealed.

Director: Philippe Falardeau | Stars: Mohamed Fellag , Sophie Nélisse , Émilien Néron , Danielle Proulx

Votes: 21,144 | Gross: $2.01M

35. The Invisible (2007)

PG-13 | 102 min | Crime, Drama, Fantasy

A teenager is left invisible to the living after an attack.

Director: David S. Goyer | Stars: Justin Chatwin , Margarita Levieva , Marcia Gay Harden , Christopher Marquette

Votes: 36,473 | Gross: $20.57M

36. Mr. Holland's Opus (1995)

PG | 143 min | Drama, Music

A frustrated composer finds fulfillment as a high school music teacher.

Director: Stephen Herek | Stars: Richard Dreyfuss , Glenne Headly , Jay Thomas , Olympia Dukakis

Votes: 41,548 | Gross: $82.57M

37. Up the Down Staircase (1967)

Approved | 124 min | Drama

The experiences of a young female English teacher in an inner-city New York high school.

Director: Robert Mulligan | Stars: Patrick Bedford , Sandy Dennis , Eileen Heckart , Ruth White

Votes: 2,460

38. The Road Home (1999)

G | 89 min | Drama, Romance

Prompted by the death of his father and the grief of his mother, a man recalls the story of how they met in flashback.

Director: Yimou Zhang | Stars: Ziyi Zhang , Honglei Sun , Hao Zheng , Yulian Zhao

Votes: 13,864 | Gross: $1.28M

39. The Miracle Worker (1962)

Approved | 106 min | Biography, Drama

The story of Anne Sullivan 's struggle to teach the blind and deaf Helen Keller how to communicate.

Director: Arthur Penn | Stars: Anne Bancroft , Patty Duke , Victor Jory , Inga Swenson

Votes: 20,369 | Gross: $5.45M

40. To Be and to Have (2002)

Not Rated | 104 min | Documentary, Family

A documentary portrait of a one-room school in rural France, where the students (ranging in age from 4 to 11) are educated by a single dedicated teacher.

Director: Nicolas Philibert | Stars: Georges Lopez , Alizé , Axel Thouvenin , Guillaume

Votes: 8,386 | Gross: $0.78M

41. Not One Less (1999)

G | 106 min | Drama

In a remote mountain village, the teacher must leave for a month, and the mayor can find only a 13-year old girl, Wei Minzhi, to substitute. The teacher leaves one stick of chalk for each ... See full summary  »

Director: Yimou Zhang | Stars: Minzhi Wei , Huike Zhang , Zhenda Tian , Enman Gao

Votes: 9,310 | Gross: $0.59M

42. The Ron Clark Story (2006 TV Movie)

TV-PG | 90 min | Biography, Drama

A small-town teacher relocates to one of the country's toughest classrooms.

Director: Randa Haines | Stars: Matthew Perry , Judith Buchan , Griffin Cork , Jerry Callaghan

Votes: 12,249

43. Blackboard Jungle (1955)

Approved | 101 min | Crime, Drama

A new English teacher at a violent, unruly inner-city school is determined to do his job, despite resistance from both students and faculty.

Director: Richard Brooks | Stars: Glenn Ford , Anne Francis , Louis Calhern , Margaret Hayes

Votes: 9,813

44. Conrack (1974)

PG | 106 min | Drama

The true story of Pat Conroy , a handsome, idealistic Caucasian who is an elementary-school instructor for a group of poor Black children in an isolated school.

Director: Martin Ritt | Stars: Jon Voight , Paul Winfield , Madge Sinclair , Tina Andrews

Votes: 2,276

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Substitute Teacher

Is there anything more exciting than the squeaky wheels of the TV cart coming down the hall?

With all the after-school screen time children are consuming along with their snacks, parents might not exactly be psyched to learn that their kid is spending their 5th period watching movies, too. But before you call the principal’s office or start composing a highly combustible Twitter rant, remember that many students are visual learners and teachers’ go-to movies actually accompany their classroom lessons, rather than replace them.

Many English teachers especially are big fans of screening Shakespeare films along with assigned readings (remember, the swoony romance of Romeo & Juliet is actually meant to be experienced as a drama between actors, not necessarily read on the page). And movies can make dusty texts feel fresh and new. Ethan Hawke’s Hamlet , for example, retains the Bard’s Elizabethan English, but upgrades the action to a modern setting (the famous “To be, or not to be” soliloquy is delivered while a beanie-clad Hawke is roaming a now-defunct Blockbuster store).

We talked to teachers from coast to coast, who work in grade schools and high schools, to see what educational and entertaining movies light up their classrooms. From courtroom dramas to animated rainforests, musicals to time travel, there’s a movie on this list for every kid to learn from and later recap to the rest of the family at the dinner table. While desks are clearly not as comfortable as theater seats, and there probably won’t be any candy either (a win for parents!), at least students won’t be overcharged for greasy popcorn.

And don’t worry, there won’t be a test at the end!

Watch 'Just Mercy' starring Michael B. Jordan & Jamie Foxx and streaming on Amazon Prime.

Staci Lamb , a 9th grade teacher at Elkton High School is not just an award-winning educator, she boasts an impressive Instagram community with over 60,000 followers. When it comes to movies to show in the classroom, Lamb is a big fan of Just Mercy , starring Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Foxx. The powerful true story about inequality and injustice follows Bryan Stevenson, a Harvard grad, attorney, and social justice activist who defends people that are wrongly convicted, and went on to found the Equal Justice Initiative .

The movie centers around one of his first clients, Walter McMillian, a man sentenced to die for the murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite evidence of his innocence. “Just Mercy captures Bryan Stevenson’s work so beautifully and invites students to analyze and reflect on Stevenson’s claims,” says Lamb, who is the 2018 CCPS Teacher of the Year in Maryland and best-selling author of Keeping the Wonder . “ It’s a powerful adaptation of an incredible true story that captivates students.”

Watch Just Mercy , rated PG-13, on Amazon Prime.

Watch 'Inside Out' streaming on Disney+.

Inside Out is an animated movie that takes you inside the mind of an 11-year-old girl named Riley as she faces a big life change: a move from Minnesota to San Francisco for her dad’s new job. This clever, high-concept film creates characters out of the emotions Joy, Sadness, Fear, Disgust, and Anger.

Darin Nakakihara , a teacher in Southern California who spent most of his career teaching 4th grade, appreciates how Inside Out honors kids’ inner lives, which can often be overlooked in a school setting. “Growing up can be tricky. I love how the story is built around things that the kids are dealing with during our time together and beyond — dealing with emotions,” says Nakakihara, who connects the way characters handle different feelings with his students’ experiences throughout the year. “None of this is in our curriculum, but it's something they all must learn how to navigate if they want to grow into productive members of our society.”

Watch Inside Out , rated G, on Disney+ .

Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure

Watch 'Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure' streaming on Amazon Prime.

A movie about two spacey teens who can’t stop saying “party on, dudes!” might not seem like the most academic film to screen in class, but it turns out this 1980s classic is chock-full of mini history lessons, as well as memorable quotes (as when Ted waxes philosophical to Socrates: “All we are is dust in the wind, dude.”).

Andrew Christopher, who teaches 10th grade Global Studies in Roosevelt Island in NYC, screens this Keanu Reeves classic at the end of the year because it’s a movie that highlights world history and — let’s face it — is boatloads of fun. “Bill and Ted travel back in time to learn about history and pass their global history final exam. In doing so, the characters collect important historic figures from the past, including Abraham Lincoln, Genghis Kong, and Napoleon Bonaparte, to participate in a final presentation that brings the historic periods from which they came to life in front of the class.” And hey, even if the history lessons weren’t in the movie, there’s a case to be made for students learning that Reeves is the perfect specimen of humanity , even before his Matrix days.

Watch Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure , rated PG, on Amazon Prime .

Ferngully: The Last Rainforest

Watch 'FernGully: The Last Rainforest' streaming on Apple Tv.

FernGully is an animated fantasy movie that takes place in the Australian rainforest. When a fairy named Crysta discovers a human lumberjack named Zak, she shrinks him down to her miniature size and invites him into her world of wonder and beauty. Starring the late and great comedian Robin Williams as a manic bat, FernGully has a strong environmental message that really resonates with educators.

Todd Nesloney , who has taught elementary school and was the principal of a PreK-5th grade campus, is a fan of the film that catalyzes conversation and takes on logging and pollution. “ FernGully shows how we all play a part in what happens to others,” says the author, speaker, and director of Texas Elementary Principals & Supervisors Association (TESPA). With a soundtrack by Elton John, Raffi, and “Wild Thing” rapper Tone Loc, this magical ecological movie that teaches kids to protect the rainforest will have you spellbound.

Watch FernGully: The Last Rainforest , rated G, on Apple TV .

Dear Evan Hansen

Watch 'Dear Evan Hansen' starring Ben Platt and streaming on HBO Max.

Once one of the hottest tickets on Broadway, this musical’s film adaptation will pierce the tender heart of anyone who has ever felt isolated in high school (in other words, everyone). Ben Platt delivers a powerhouse performance as Evan Hansen, an outcast aching to belong in the social media age, who becomes entangled with a family grieving a son who died by suicide.

Lisa Septimus , a veteran teacher and director of student life at North Shore Hebrew Academy, gives an A+ to a movie that breaks the silence surrounding mental health challenges. “One theme of the show is showing how common it is to struggle with mental health and how often people feel alone and suffer because of it,” says Septimus. “Being able to be honest about difficult feelings makes them suddenly more manageable. That’s what Evan finally learns to do at the end.” While Septimus concedes that musicals in movie form can sometimes be corny, she gives a big thumbs-up to the plot changes the filmmakers made, including when the protagonist “embraces his authentic self including flaws and fears.”

Watch Dear Evan Hansen , rated PG-13, on HBO Max .

Watch 'Encanto' streaming on Disney+.

This movie is such a ginormous hit with kids, it probably doesn’t need any introduction. But in case you’ve been living under a Bruno-free rock, Encanto is the enchanting story of a girl named Mirabel Madrigal, who is the only member of her family without magical powers. Not even celeb kids can resist belting out the music from this Disney blockbuster (“We Don’t Talk About Bruno” actually hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart !). If North West and Gene Schumer can’t stop singing these bops, your little ones probably haven’t stopped either.

Special education teacher Andrew Militscher, who works with 4th and 5th grade students at Andrus Orchard School, can speak to his own students’ obsessions with these catchy, cinematic tunes. Militscher says that Encanto is his movie of choice for a very simple but compelling reason: “The kids love to sing ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno!’” And while the lyricism of Lin-Manuel Miranda is a masterclass unto itself, Encanto’s message that representation matters is even more compelling than its music.

Watch Encanto , rated PG, on Disney+ .

Twelve Angry Men

Watch 'Twelve Angry Men' streaming on Apple TV.

A gripping story of bias and judicial injustice that is still as relevant today as it was in the 1950s, Twelve Angry Men is a courtroom drama that takes place over one tense afternoon, when jurors decide the fate of a teenager who is alleged to have murdered his father.

Leora Klein, founder of Uncommon Advantage and a learning specialist at Abraham Joshua Heschel High School in Manhattan who also teaches English language and literature, is quite fond of the classic film. According to Klein, “English teachers always tell their students show don’t tell. This film shows (rather than tells) the power of the individual to stand up, speak up, and affect change.” Klein is also a co-founder of 3GNY and director of WE Educate (WEDU) , an educational non-profit that empowers the grandchildren of Holocaust survivors to bring the accounts of survivors into the classroom, so this educator walks the walks when it comes to teaching kids to avoid being bystanders and face bigotry head-on.

Watch Twelve Angry Men , unrated, on Apple TV.

The Great Debaters

Watch 'The Great Debaters' streaming on Amazon Prime.

In a time when so much student conversation takes place on screens or with abbreviated or grossly misspelled texts, it’s great for young people to discover the lost art of elocution and get reacquainted with the power of the spoken word. The Great Debaters is based on a true story that follows the incredible journey of a debate team at a historically Black college during the 1930s. Denzel Washington plays charismatic debate coach Melvin B. Tolson, who leads his students to incredible heights in a time when lynchings and Jim Crow laws were still common. Jurnee Smollett plays one of the only female debaters on the team and delivers a stirring rebuttal that will rouse any crowd.

As a teacher of both public speaking and rhetoric, Adam Bowman champions a movie that demonstrates his syllabus in action, sparks vital dialogue, and is a great example of Black Excellence. “The historical context and issues about race the film presents also engender the type of classroom discussion our students — and our country — needs,” says Bowman.

Watch The Great Debaters , rated PG-13, on Amazon Prime .

Watch 'Coco' streaming on Disney+.

Coco is a delightful family movie that tells the story of one 12-year-old boy named Miguel and his larger-than-life adventure to the “Land of the Dead” to discover his ancestry. The computer-animated film follows a young boy’s dream of becoming a musician and ultimately overturning his family’s ban on music. Inspired by the Mexican holiday Day of the Dead ( Día de Muertos), which celebrates family members who have passed, the movie has garnered heaps of praise for celebrating Mexican folklore and culture with a Latino cast.

Imani Hamami, a lead teacher at Manhattan Children’s Center , a school known for its world-class treatment of autism and related disabilities, appreciates the positive impact Coco ’s songs have on her students’ spirits and how they provide a vehicle for teaching Mexican culture. Her students “love to sing along and pretend they are playing the guitar,” she says. Coco is a sing-a-long that inspires students to follow their dreams, especially when it takes them to unexpected places.

Watch Coco , rated PG, on Disney+ .

The Graduate

Watch 'The Graduate' streaming on Amazon Prime.

OK, so maybe the image of a young Dustin Hoffman glimpsed from between the legs of the older woman trying to seduce him might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to educational movies, but The Graduate is one of America’s most critically acclaimed films.

Veteran teacher and administrator Alice Bowman, who is the current middle school principal in Plainview-Old Bethpage, definitely agrees. Bowman is a big proponent of this ‘60s movie about adulting as a recent college grad (with a bonus playbook for breaking up a wedding). “When I taught Mass Media to seniors in English, my favorite movie to show was definitely The Graduate . I loved it because it had so much to offer the kids in terms of cinematography. It is such a classic, has a killer soundtrack, and speaks to the coming of age that they’re all experiencing.” Compared to things that that “kids these days” are consuming (ahem: the ultra-scandalous Euphoria ), The Graduate is squeaky clean by comparison and is actually rated PG. But if you’re not sold on the academic value of dissecting themes of alienation, counterculture, and female sexuality , at least your kids will come away with a necessary lesson on Paul Simon’s discography.

Watch The Graduate , rated PG, on Amazon Prime .

Teachers are some pretty smart people ( they’re heroes , really). So kids are in good hands when they watch ones of these gold-star movies picked by someone who knows a thing or two about how to grow a big brain.

This article was originally published on Aug. 10, 2022

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