Tony Danza: Teach is Compelling TV

So it turns out that before Tony Danza starred in shows like ‘Taxi’ and ‘Who’s the Boss,’ he earned a degree in history education. He even dreamed about becoming a teacher, but then got into boxing and acting, and that dream went by the wayside.

tony-danza-teach Now he’s starring in a reality show called ‘Tony Danza: Teach,’ airing Fri., 10/9C on A&E. I have to say, it’s pretty compelling TV. When I first heard about it, I thought, ok, it’ll be some sort of funny take on what would happen if Danza actually became a real teacher.

The joke’s on me, because the series isn’t a “what if” scenario. The cameras follow Danza in his job as a full-time teacher at Philadelphia’s Northeast High School. He’s teaching a 10th grade English class with 26 students, and at 59 years old, he feels like he’s getting a second chance to take the road he might have taken so many years ago.

I watched an episode last night, and it’s a learning experience for Danza as much as the kids. He’s learning things like if a kid wants to go to “resource” for more one-on-one, he’s legally bound to let them go, even if he feels they could accomplish the task in a classroom setting.

It’s also a good lesson for us, the viewers, on what is or isn’t working in the education system. He’s coming into the school system with big dreams and ideas, but the teachers, educators and principals at the school are already embedded in the system. Who’s right – Danza or the established teachers? Or is the answer somewhere in the middle?

The show doesn’t seem like a publicity stunt; Danza seems to really care about the kids, and he actually broke down and cried at one point, feeling like he wasn’t up to the seemingly insurmountable task of teaching kids tagged with a “special ed” label.

Check out the show and let me know what you think. Here’s a little promo to get you started:

Image: A & E TV


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Comments

  1. sheryl Avatar
    sheryl

    I’m so glad you wrote about this show. I heard Danza interviewed (can’t remember where) recently and he sounds like a genuinely nice guy. I’m going to tune in!

  2. Alan Avatar
    Alan

    I’m so disappointed that this show was canceled. I admire Tony Danza for stepping up to try teaching at age 59! After I saw Waiting For Superman, I thought to myself, “that’s nice, but I wish they showed what it was really like to teach in the inner city”, but of course they don’t, because no one would want to watch something so bleak.

    But of course! The trick is to get a recognizable celebrity, and put them in the classroom. And it works. As a former teacher, I really identified with the ups and downs Tony went through on the show. I recommended the show to friends and family, but apparently it wasn’t enough to keep it on TV. Sad. It’s a story that needs to be told.

    1. Jane Boursaw Avatar

      Totally agree! And I loved that Tony Danza is emotional enough that if he felt like crying – which he did – that’s exactly what we saw. It was riveting TV, and I hope someone takes notice and creates a similar show.

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