A successful job interview is all about preparation and positivity. But staying positive can be tricky as the day of reckoning looms. There are ways to overcome this, though: one of the most fun is to watch an inspirational film.
“If someone feels in a better frame of mind after watching a positive movie, it will definitely help in an interview,” says interview coach Margaret Buj.
Given that there is no shortage of brilliant films portraying the teaching profession in a noble light, TES has pulled together 10 you may want to watch before you go before the panel.
Of course, we’re not suggesting that this replaces detailed preparation, but watching a motivational movie may be the ideal final boost you need to put you in a positive frame of mind for your interview.
Stand and Deliver Stand and Deliver tells the true story of teacher Jaime Escalante, whose innovative teaching methods helped his class of underachieving students to pass a calculus exam. When the authorities suspected cheating, the students sat it again voluntarily to prove that all was above board, transforming Escalante into a hero. His work was also immortalised in a book called Escalante: The Best Teacher in America . If that’s not inspirational, we don’t know what is.
Matilda A film that shows the best and worst of teachers, with the kindhearted Miss Honey and the terrifying Miss Trunchbull dominating the life of precocious Matilda. Ultimately it is the good that wins out, with Matilda finding a new, stable life under the care of Miss Honey, who spots from the outset that Matilda is a girl of uncanny abilities (to put it mildly).
Lean On Me Morgan Freeman is on fine form here as headteacher Joe Clark, who is brought in to a failing school in New Jersey with the goal of ensuring that 75 per cent of students pass an end-of-year exam. Tough love and unconventional teaching methods abound as Clark refuses to let standards slip, even going as far as to require every student to sing the school song on command. Uncompromising but, damn it, he gets results.
Mean Girls Mean Girls demonstrates just how important an influence a good teacher can be, especially on pupils such as the ones in this film, who are bursting with potential but requiring proper guidance to keep them on the straight and narrow. There are some great jokes in here, too.
Dead Poet’s Society An obvious one, but this 1989 classic is definitely worth watching again to remind yourself about the impact a teacher can have, although encouraging your pupils to climb on the desks is probably not a good idea (health and safety and all that).
The Breakfast Club In the melee of school life, it’s easy to forget that behind every pupil and the image they project, from jock to Goth, lies a student who is still working out who they are. And what a soundtrack.
Goodbye Mr Chips A classic and one that will have you reaching for your hanky, as venerable Mr Chipping recalls his life as a teacher and the huge impact he had on thousands of pupils during his career. If you’ve ever been inspired by the idea of helping to guide the next generation through school and setting them up for life in the big wide world, this is the film for you.
Freedom Writers If you see teaching as more of a calling than a career, this film will be right up your street. Hilary Swank plays teacher Erin Gruwell, who helps to break down social barriers and turn her underachieving students into world-beaters. Indeed, Gruwell, a real teacher, who wrote a book with her class on which the film is based, set up the Freedom Writers Foundation on the back of her success to pass on her wisdom and help educators provide quality learning to students of all backgrounds and abilities.
School of Rock You don’t have to be a guitar-wielding maniac to feel uplifted after watching Jack Black turn his class of bored, stifled charges into a supergroup fit to rival Led ZeppIelin. A combination of good fun and great music - what’s not to like?
Mr Holland’s Opus A clunky title, maybe, but this is a music-inspired masterclass of emotion that underlines the sacrifices great teachers make to ensure that every pupil can realise their potential, whatever the subject. Richard Dreyfuss, who plays the title character, received an Oscar nomination for his performance in the film.
