American Teacher (2011): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 2011, American Teacher is a history and documentary film directed by Vanessa Roth, running about 81 minutes. “Dedicated. Brilliant. Inspiring. Underpaid. Misunderstood. Scapegoated. There's a lesson here.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. As the debate over the state of America's public school system rages on, one thing everyone agrees on is the need for great teachers. Yet, while research proves that teachers are the most important school factor in a child's future success, America's teachers are so woefully underpaid that almost a third must divide their time between a second job in order to make a living. Chronicling the stories of four teachers in different areas of the country, American Teacher reveals the frustrating realities of today's educators, the difficulty of attracting talented new teachers, and why so many of our best teachers feel forced to leave the profession altogether. But this wake-up call to our system's failings also looks at possibilities for reform. Can we re-value teaching in the United States and turn it into a prestigious, financially attractive and competitive profession? With almost half of American teachers leaving the field in the next five years, now is the time to find out.

Who’s in it. American Teacher stars Erik Benner as Himself, Neil Cavuto as Himself, Johnathan Dearman as Himself and Jamie Fidler as Herself, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 5.6/10, American Teacher has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.

Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Daring Docs Amazon Channel and Indie Club Amazon Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch American Teacher page.

If you liked it. Fans of American Teacher tend to enjoy Schindler's List, Saving Private Ryan, Hacksaw Ridge and Green Book.