‘Summer School’ with Mark Greenberg & Eric Stoller
February 26, 2025
It’s 1987. The surf’s up, the sun’s out, and high school teacher Freddy Shoop is about to have the summer of his life… until he’s roped into teaching remedial English to a group of students who would rather be anywhere else.
In this episode of the
Better Learning Podcast, Kevin, Eric, and Mark crack open
Summer School, the cult classic that blends outrageous 80s comedy with a surprisingly insightful take on teaching, student motivation, and the eternal struggle between fun and responsibility.
We break down what makes Mark Harmon’s Mr. Shoop one of the most unexpectedly relatable teachers in movie history—does his unconventional, rule-breaking approach make him a terrible educator, or the kind of mentor students actually need? We also dive into the misfit classroom of 80s archetypes, from the horror-obsessed duo of Chainsaw and Dave to the overachieving student with test anxiety, and discuss how these characters still reflect real-world education challenges today.
Takeaways:
- Connecting with students has a huge impact
- Sometimes you need respect from students before they like you
- Have fun and be yourself
- Take the five seconds to say something individualized to a student
Connect with Eric Stoller:
LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/in/esstoller/
Connect with host, Kevin Stoller:
LinkedIn:
www.linkedin.com/in/kevinstoller