Why are educators and their profession the focus of so much film and theater? In this volume, Diane Conrad and Monica Prendergast bring together scholars and practitioners in education to answer this very question. Films such as Freedom Writers, Bad Teacher, and School of Rock, to name a few, intentionally or inadvertently comment on education and influence the opinions and, ultimately, the experiences of anyone who has taught or been taught. The essays compiled in this collection critique the Hollywood “good teacher” repertoire, delve into satiric parodies and alternative representations, and explore issues through analyses of independent and popular films and plays from around the world. By examining teacher–student relationships, institutional cultures, societal influences, and much more, Teachers and Teaching on Stage and on Screen addresses these media’s varied fascinations with the educator like no collection has before.

Diane Conrad is professor of drama and theater education in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta, Canada. Monica Prendergast is professor of drama and theater education in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada.