Characters from Television We’d Love to See in the Classroom

It’s pretty safe to say TV has struggled quite a bit with the task of accurately portraying what it is like to be a teacher. We all love Mr. Feeny and Ms. Frizzle, but they never quite captured the essence of a “real world” educator. Despite the tireless efforts of network executives and writers, they’ve actually had the character types right under their noses all along! Today, we share some of the “non-teaching” iconic characters from television that should absolutely have gone into the profession!

Cosmo Kramer (Seinfeld)

(Image courtesy of Castle Rock Entertainment.)

Yes, we know. But stay with us here. We’d actually love to see Mr. Kramer don a tweed jacket with patches, trying on his best version of a literary professor. Or perhaps a white lab coat, a few volatile chemicals, and we just watch the fireworks. Wildly entertaining, students would never know what to expect next! Sure, the school would need extra liability insurance and one heck of a maintenance team to keep up with him, but every class period would likely be an adventure.  A typical Kramer lesson would be anything but “inside the box” ... from Apartment Psychology to the Philosophies of the Gig Economy. He might not have the organization and classroom management skills down pat, but there’d never be a dull moment! Maybe we need more of that.

The Brain (Animaniacs)

(Image courtesy of Warner Bros. Animation.)

The Brain has one plan: to take over the world. Who better to prepare our students to do just the same? And although his plans never quite go as planned, his dedication to and passion for the task at hand is always unwavering and always ambitious ... sound familiar? Aside from his seemingly vast content knowledge, The Brain’s work ethic is certainly second to none. He is organized, methodical, and efficient. Each lesson would be perfectly timed, with plenty of plan Bs and Cs built into the framework. Maybe his patience with difficult students (like Pinky, for example) might not be optimal, but he would certainly be “non nonsense” in his approach to classroom management.

 Leslie Knope (Parks and Recreation) 

(Image courtesy of Universal Television.)

Leslie Knope never does anything small. She always goes above and beyond and is fiercely dedicated to her work. Sure, she might be a little awkward in presentation, a little uncool ... but we’re pretty sure that’s part of the definition of “teacher." The best part of observing a Mrs. Knope classroom would be her ability to self-reflect. For every success, she is thankful for the support systems in place that helped her to succeed. For every blunder, she is first to admit the mistake and make the change to improve. And she never, ever gives up. This is the sort of positive energy and community leadership necessary to make it as a career educator. Leslie Knope’s lessons might not be perfect, but each would be better than the last.

Will Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air)

(Image courtesy of The Stuffed Dog Company.)

Some of the best teachers in the field are those that have “been through it” themselves. And despite landing himself in an upper-class family as a young adult, Will hardly had an easy life. Many episodes addressing his struggles with not fitting in - from racism to classism - would be a well of inspiration for the Mr. Smith's classroom to draw from. Will always seemed to have a way of connecting with others, letting his huge heart radiate through the people that meant the most to him. Mr. Smith’s class would be a place where students felt accepted, understood, and heard. He would go to bat for his kids, time and time again, helping them to realize their freshest dreams.

 Inspector Gadget (Inspector Gadget) 

(Image courtesy of DIC Entertainment.)

Now, Inspector Gadget has in his mechanical toolbox everything teachers in the real world somehow manage without it. Just step into an elementary school classroom mid-day and watch the teacher of that classroom helping one student find a new reading book, explaining to another why the sky is blue, tying a third student’s shoes, whilst gathering the rest of the class for lunch, and still sticking to a unit plan. Imagine what Mr. Gadget would be capable of in the classroom with his extra eight arms and a ready-made solution to every problem!

 The Doctor (Doctor Who)  

(Image courtesy of BBC HD.)

Surely being a life form able to travel across both time and space in a box would be useful for any educator, if only for the experiential learning opportunities! Yet putting aside the theatrics of The Doctor, the real value he’d bring to the classroom is his tireless dedication to a belief in the goodness of the human race. Throughout his adventures, The Doctor is constantly trying to help humanity to better itself and to evolve. Much like any teacher, he has the means to do it all for them: save them from the big bad scary things, make their problems vanish in mid-air ... but more often than not, he plays the role of cheerleader and facilitator, encouraging them to figure it all out themselves. With that mindset, he just might make it in a school system.

Olivia Pope (Scandal)

(Image courtesy of ABC Studios.)

If anyone knows how to keep control of a difficult situation, it is Olivia Pope. Pope’s title of “crisis manager” in Washington, DC by itself makes her perfect for the classroom. To begin, Pope is a planner. She is always one or two steps ahead of everyone else, and we’d assume her lessons would be wildly differentiated and filled with contingencies. Ms. Pope’s classroom would certainly be student-directed because she knows how to motivate people. She’s intuitive, and can always figure out what makes people tick. A student “doesn’t care?” Ms. Pope will figure out how to make her care. And best of all, no one messes with Olivia Pope.

Jean-Luc Picard (Star Trek: The Next Generation)

(Image courtesy of Paramount Domestic Television.)

Being the Captain of a starship for the United Federation of Planets, you have to be a leader. You must be bold, confident, clever, and commanding. Captain Picard is all of these things, and yet he is able to assume this command alongside a kindness and selflessness that makes him a legendary character. Like any good educator, Picard is somehow able to face the most chaotic of situations with a quiet, centered calm. Although Mr. Picard’s classroom would be somewhat strict and carrying high expectations, much like on his ship, he would find a way to make every single student feel unique and important. Mr. Picard finds the best in his students, and works hard to find ways to nurture it into fruition. He has mastered every teacher’s aspiration of balancing high standards with inexhaustible compassion.

Written by Keith Lambert, Education World Associate Contributing Editor

Lambert is an English / Language Arts teacher in Connecticut.