We’ve already copped to being jealous of all the kids who are headed back to school in the coming weeks. And while we previously waxed nostalgic over school supplies, today we’re fondly remembering that epic, make-or-break moment when you found out whose class you were going to be in each year. Would your teacher be someone who would inspire you, or would they conspire to make your life a living hell? After the jump, meet 50 of the most culturally relevant teachers we could round up, and be sure to add anyone who we’ve missed in the comments.
1. Miss Bliss in Good Morning, Miss Bliss/Saved by the Bell
2. Mark Thackeray in To Sir, with Love
3. Miss Viola Swamp in Miss Nelson is Missing by Harry Allard
4. Mr. Feeny in Boy Meets World
5. Miss Farrell in Mad Men
6. Sister Mary Clarence in Sister Act 2
7. Miss Temple in Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
8. Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter series
9. Charlie Moore in Head of the Class
10. John Keating in Dead Poets Society
11. Miss Frizzle in the Magic School Bus books
12. Vic Racine in My So-Called Life
13. Yoda in the Star Wars series
14. Louanne Johnson in Dangerous Minds
15. Nicholas Nickleby in Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens
16. Edna Krabappel in The Simpsons
17 & 18. Mr. Hall and Miss Geist in Clueless
19. Mrs. Gorf in the Sideways books by Louis Sachar
20. Joe Louis Clark in Lean on Me
21. Coach Graham Lubbock in Growing Pains/Just the Ten of Us
22. Mr. Schuester in Glee
23. Professor Lambeau in Good Will Hunting
24. Mr. Chips in Goodbye, Mr. Chips
25. Ms. Rain in Precious
26. Miss Honey in Matilda
27. Mr. Kimble in Kindergarten Cop
28. Lily Aldrin in How I Met Your Mother
29. Dewey Finn in School of Rock
30. Miss Shields in A Christmas Story
31. Señor Ben Chang in Community
32. Mr. Hand in Fast Times at Ridgemont High
33. Ms. Norbury in Mean Girls
34. Grant Wiggins in A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
35. Jim McAllister in Election
36. Sam Coulson in Never Been Kissed
37. Veronica Vaughn in Billy Madison
38. Mr. Anthony DeMartino in Daria
39. Angie in Skins
40. Professor Grady Tripp in Wonder Boys
41. Mr. Garrison in South Park
42. Mr. Bixler in My Girl
43. Mr. Cooper in Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper
44. Dan Dunne in Half Nelson
45. Timofey Pavlovich Pnin in Pnin by Vladimir Nabokov
46. The anonymous teacher in Charlie Brown
47. Coach Fredricks in Freaks and Geeks
48. Miss Wingo in Doug
49. Richard Dadier in Blackboard Jungle
50. Ben Stein in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off