Top Ten Tuesday is an original blog meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish and this week’s topic is Back To School Freebie: anything “back to school” related.
Summer break is coming to an end, and while I will miss the time off, I’m also excited to be back in the library with my kiddos. I hope this new school year is a great one for all you teachers and educators out there!
I find it’s easy to forget the incredible impact teachers have on their students, so I’ve pulled together a list of 10 of my favorite teachers in children’s literature to help remind everyone how important educators are to the children they serve:
Mrs. Frizzle from The Magic School Bus, by Joanna Cole
Mrs. Frizzle takes her students on the coolest field trips ever (like inside the human body!!!) and does it in style. She has a dress for every topic of study — I personally like the space-themed one the best — plus she has a pet lizard. I’m interested to see how Kate McKinnon plays her in the upcoming live-action version of the show.
Miss Stacey from Anne of Green Gables, by L.M. Montgomery
Willing to challenge her students but with a soft touch, I wish I’d had Miss Stacey as a teacher. Throw in the fact that she laughed hysterically when she found out Anne’s plum pudding sauce had a dead rat in it, you can’t deny she is one fun lady.
Mr. Terupt from Because of Mr. Terupt, by Robert Buyea
Mr. Terupt is one of those teachers who can make kids see things from a different perspective. He’s cool and friendly, but knows when to turn serious teacher mode on.
Mr. Browne from Wonder, by R.J. Palacio
Each month, Auggie’s English teacher, Mr. Browne writes a new precept on the board for students to ponder. My favorite is: “When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind.” —Dr. Wayne Dyer.
Mr. Daniels from Fish in a Tree, by Linda Mullaly Hunt
Mr. Daniels is willing to take the time to actually get to know his students and figure out what makes each one excel. You’d think all teachers would do this, but sadly this isn’t always the case!
Mrs. Baker from The Wednesday Wars, by Gary Schmidt
Mrs. Baker is one of those teachers you think is trying to make you miserable, but it turns out she’s doing it for your own good. In The Wednesday Wars, Mrs. Baker helps main character Holling Hoodhood (yes, that’s his name) learn how to be his own person.
Miss Honey from Matilda, by Roald Dahl
World’s sweetest teacher (as her name would imply)! Not only that, she’s willing to go to bat for her students and believes them even when other adults might not.
Professor Mcgonagall from Harry Potter, by J.K. Rowling
Professor McGonagall is definitely a no-nonsense, get things done kind of teacher, but she always listens to her students and knows when to be lenient. Plus she’s a bad-ass witch who can turn into a cat – what’s cooler than that?
Ms. Bixby from Ms. Bixby’s Last Day, by John David Anderson
Ms. Bixby is such an amazing teacher that she inspires three of her students to go on crazy mission to create the perfect day for her (including skipping school and getting their hands on some wine!) while she’s in the hospital. Get the tissues ready when you read this book…
Mr. Slinger from Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, by Kevin Henke
Lilly’s teacher Mr. Slinger is one cool mouse. He wears artistic shirts and a different-colored tie each day of the week, he says, “Howdy!” instead of the run-of-the-mill “Good morning, students,” and he gives out the best snacks. Snacks are VERY important.
Who is your favorite teacher (fictional or real)? Share in the comments below!
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