Just in time for Teacher Appreciation Week, we celebrate some of the best teachers on TV. And they deserve it, given that good teachers are a rare breed on shows for kids these days. On iCarly, the teachers are mean, incompetent, unfair, strict, angry, vindictive, adulterous and occasionally crazy. In another Nickelodeon show, Victorious, Mr. Sikowitz, a drama teacher, is mentally two acts short of a three-act play. He says coconut milk "gives him visions."
But TV has had its share of honorable teachers -- mostly in the past -- and given Teacher Appreciation Week, we offer tribute to the ones we love and remember:
Charlie Moore in Head of the Class
Howard Hesseman played an unorthodox, but caring and dedicated high school teacher to a diverse group of "gifted" students. One of those students was played by Dan Schneider, who grew up to become a super-producer and creator of such shows as iCarly and Victorious. Obviously, Moore wasn't the teaching model Schneider had in mind.
Mrs. Puff in SpongeBob SquarePants
Voiced by Mary Jo Catlett, Mrs. Puff usually shows SpongeBob the utmost patience, a quality she needs for the job about as much as SpongeBob needs water.
Gabe Kotter in Welcome Back, Kotter
Gabe Kaplan's Kotter oversaw a class of less-than-eager learners at Brooklyn's James Buchanon High School, which he himself attended. Kotter connects with them -- including John Travolta's Vinny Barbarino -- through humor and personal attention. And he didn't have to worry about them texting in class.
Edna Krabappel in The Simpsons
Bart's teacher (voiced by Marcia Wallace) is not exactly the best educator in the world -- she smokes and cuts corners, but give her a break! She's been teaching Bart for over 20 years!
Mr. Ratburn in Arthur
Nigel Charles Emil Ratburn III is a smart and fair teacher who seems very realistic (but for the fact he's a rat). That's probably because Arthur creator Marc Brown based him on a real teacher from his elementary school.
George Hamilton Feeney in Boy Meets World
Played by veteran actor William Daniels, Mr. Feeney was a serious and strict teacher, but also a compassionate mentor. A rare combination in kids' sitcom history, he uttered the last words of the Boy Meets World series: "I love you all. Class dismissed." Nuff said.
Who's your favorite TV teacher? Chime in below!
