American Teacher

The documentary takes up the teaching profession in America. It follows the stories of four teachers. The four work in different parts of the country. Their daily work and their classrooms are shown. The real subject is what they are paid. The film argues that the salaries are not enough to live on. By its account a sizeable share of teachers take a second job. That divides their time and their energy. Drawing able new people into the profession grows harder too. Some experienced teachers leave the work altogether. The documentary frames this as a problem of the system. It then discusses what might be done. It argues for making teaching a valued profession again. The film carries a case and does not hide it. The eighty one minute documentary was directed by Vanessa Roth. It is an American production finished in 2011.