The Greatest Teacher Characters in Film

Whether you were a straight-A student or spent more time in the principal's office, chances are you had a memorable teacher. And if you didn't have one in your own life, you almost certainly did through the movies. The greatest teacher characters in film inspired their students – and sometimes intimidated them. These fictional teachers made audiences laugh, cry, and maybe even learn.

Read through this list of the best teacher characters in film, and you'll notice a wide range of scholastic specialties. The Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, as seen in the Harry Potter films, boasted one of the most magically gifted faculties around. Professors Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape both appear on this list. Less magical, but no less inspiring, is Robin Williams's role as John Keating from Dead Poets Society. The iconic actor appears on this list again, as Sean Maguire in Good Will Hunting.

Some teachers are most memorable as strict disciplinarians. Take Terence Fletcher, the temperamental music teacher from 2014's Whiplash. He's the kind of teacher most students would be happy to avoid.

Now it's your turn to determine who makes the honor roll. Vote up your favorite fictional teachers, and add any characters that are missing. And if you like these characters, be sure to check out our list of inspirational teacher movies.