Author critiques MSB for its superficial focus on multiculturalism with whiteness as the dominant frame. Even though the visual representations of MSB characters in the Netflix reboot have changed, the cultural stereotypes have stagnated since the 1980s. Read more
Clint Smith is inspired by James Baldwin's 'A Talk to Teachers' (1963) to become political in his high school English classroom in the aftermath of the Charlottesville shooting in 2017. The incident provoked the...Read more
Eccentric. Odd. Good. Iconic. Created by writer Joanna Cole and illustrator Bruce Degan, Ms. Frizzle is the adventurous and fabulous teacher of The Magic School Bus, a series of books and a show that continues to influence and inspire teachers, students, and has produced many pedagogical innovations. Read this PECE essay on Ms. Frizzle and the Magic School Bus to explore why.
A scene from the movie School of Rock (2003) fronted by Jack Black. A proverb for those who dismiss teaching as a second-rate profession. It shows how ideals of meritocracy undermine the intellectual and cultural work that teachers do.
Robin Williams portrays dedicated, mission-oriented teacher John Keating who suffuses a cohort of high school students with his love of poetry. He is up against a schooling system that stifles creativity for efficiency.
Authors discuss the interplay of different genres in the children's book The Magic School Bus: At the Waterworks (1996) with Ms. Frizzle as their science teacher. Read more
Zapata and Maloch discuss best practices for reading informational texts, working with a third-grade teacher who wants to be like Ms. Frizzle. Read more
"eccentric"; "odd-but-good"; "diverse interests, complete fearlessness, and unflagging cheer"; " unafraid to be enthusiastic"; "never the hero"Read more