Not in England
The thing that most struck me about this film is that the way Mr Lopez interacts with his students could not happen in the English system anymore.
Nowadays we are so 'PC', so frightened by the threat of paedophilia that moments like the end of the term when all the children kiss Mr Lopez goodbye on the cheek just could not happen. Similarly, when the young Valentin cries for his mother, Lopez picks him up and hugs him - and we see a lot of physical contact throughout the film. I remember, when I myself attended a small rural school, the day that my teacher explained that they weren't allowed to hug you if you fell down and hurt your knee, and even then it seemed really odd.
For me this film proved that political corectness in the society of England has gone too far. Clearly steps have to be taken to avoid exploitation of children, but this film shows that Lopez's students have thrived in an environment that is somewhere between home and the schools we know in England.
I guess what I am trying to say, is that perhaps the people in charge of the English education system should look at this film and see what education is really about...stop setting so many exams, realise that education is about one person teaching another something that can help them in life, or that merely interests them. When did it have to become so institutionalized? I remember being taught how to do cross-stitch at school and then being allowed to spend afternoons out in the sunshine stitching. We should focus on educating a *person* - not just teaching subjects for the sole purpose of answering questions (hyperbolic I know).
Having said that, I have had some brilliant teachers - just like Mr Lopez in fact, who are completely dedicated to their work and go above and beyond the call of duty to help a student out both educationally and emtionally.
I shall go and ponder now...
(just my initial thoughts)