Even though children and youth in the U.S. see teachers at work from the age of five to 16, those very same students also see television programs and movies that feature teachers. Unsurprisingly then, informed observers of American culture know that TV and film have influenced children and youth in their images of teachers. Because television and Hollywood are businesses, they require our attention (e.g., eyeballs) to make money. To grab that attention, writers and program executives exaggerate and embellish their portrayals of teachers to attract viewers.

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*Motoko Rich is a journalist for the New York Times