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Hmmmm... When I think of teacher movies, the very first ones that comes to mind for me are ones like Mr. Holland's Opus, Dead Poets Society, McFarland, and Mona Lisa Smile. I'm not sure what that says about me, but the reason I thought about it was as I read through the list of five characteristics I'm not sure they would necessarily apply (or at least that may of them wouldn't apply in the same way). In fact, I think the only one that holds completely true is the individualistic one.

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Yeah - that's an interesting one. Bulman notes that teaching is portrayed very differently within middle- and upper-middle class contexts than in urban or lower-class environments. Haven't seen McFarland, but I this his critiques apply to the other three.

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McFarland is more focused on his role as the coach, as opposed to his role as a phys ed teacher.

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I also immediately thought of Mr. Holland and John Keating. I've often wondered, what is the math teacher equivalent to the final scene where Mr. Holland's students play his opus at the end of his career?

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