In Celebration of National Teacher Appreciation Week… Our Favourite Literary Teachers and Schools

May 5, 2016

• Topical

Every year from the 1st to the 7th of May, we celebrate National Teacher Appreciation Week, with the 2nd of May being National Teacher Appreciation Day. Teaching is one of the toughest and most inspiring professions, and NTA week is an opportunity to celebrate all that teachers do.

With that in mind, we would like to celebrate by sharing a few of our favourite teacher and school focused novels and encourage you all to pick one to read over the rest of this week.

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie – Muriel Spark, 1961

A Scottish literary classic, this short novel packs a punch and showcases a truly one of a kind teacher. Miss Jean Brodie is an artistic, creative and outrageous schoolteacher who tries to bestow her ‘gifts’ of an appreciation of beauty and goodness unto her “creme de la creme”. Jean Brodie has become an iconic figure of postwar fiction and Spark’s novel is a witty, powerful gem and a truly different take on the education system and the role of the teacher.

Matilda – Roald Dahl, 1988

Since its publication in the late eighties, Matilda has been adored by children and adults alike and is one of Dahl’s most famous works. One of the reasons for its enduring popularity is the figure of teacher Miss Honey. Miss Honey guides Matilda’s learning in the way that only a truly remarkable teacher could; she protects Matilda in and out of the classroom and nurtures Matilda academically and emotionally. What makes Miss Honey all the more endearing to read is her comparison to the dreaded Miss Trunchbull, Matilda’s fearsome and abusive headmistress. Miss Honey represents all that is good about teachers, and is a symbol of the magic that come come from teachers who truly care.

The Malory Towers Collection – Enid Blyton, 1946

Enid Blyton’s Malory Towers series has been enduringly popular with children since its initial publication in 1946. Malory Towers is set in Cornwall in a girls’ boarding school and is focused on Darrell Rivers. Darrell is inspired by Headmistress Miss Grayling and is keen to prove herself and become one of Miss Grayling’s star students. However, Darrell’s tempter repeatedly gets her into trouble and she struggles with making true friends. We follow Darrell and her friends over six years as they aim to live up to Miss Grayling’s hopes and become “good, sound women the world can lean on”. Blyton’s collection shows the power of a teacher’s influence on schoolchildren and we feel it will continue to be popular for many more years.

The Illustrated Mum – Jacqueline Wilson, 1999

Published in 1999, Jacqueline Wilson’s The Illustrated Mum is a difficult read in many ways. Many hard subjects such as mental health issues and divided families are touched upon. The novel focuses on Dolphin, her sister Star, and their Mother Marigold who suffers from manic depression. Dolphin has a difficult home life, and also struggles with bullying at school and feels that her teacher is also picking on her. However, Dolphin’s librarian, Mr Harrison is one of Dolphin’s only sources of comfort. Mr Harrison helps Dolphin understand her struggles with dyslexia and helps her to enjoy reading. While many of Jacqueline Wilson’s novels feature inspiring teachers, Mr Harrison’s gentle encouragement and support with Dolphin’s learning difficulties highlights him as a particularly remarkable teacher.

The Harry Potter Series – J.K Rowling, 1997-2007

It seems that nearly every book-related list contains Harry Potter! Rowling’s series has become one of the most bestselling and famous collections of all time – and for good reason. Nestled amongst the magic, the intrigue and the battles at Hogwarts are a collection of wonderful teachers. We can’t pick a favourite as we love them all and for different reasons but we feel that these members of staff (Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Flitwick, Lupin, Madame Pomfrey, Trelawney and so on) all represent what it means to be a teacher: they protect, they educate, they care, and they inspire.

We would love to hear whether your favourite literary teachers made this list, or whether you have any you’d like to add! Do let us know at Kings Tutors. And, to all the teachers out there celebrating National Teacher Appreciation week, thank you as ever for your incredible work.