A documentary portrait of a year in the life of a one-room school in rural France where the thirteen students (ranging in age from 4 to 11) are educated by a single dedicated teacher. The school is Saint-Etienne sur Usson (Puy-De-Dôme) in the Auvergne region and the teacher is Mr. Georges Lopez. Over the course of their studies, the kids get frustrated with verbs and enraged with math homework. Lopez is there to respond with calm, firm understanding, and you can see the lights flicker on in the children's eyes. Whilst there are lessons in the basics of reading, writing, and mathematics, there are also more playful activities such as baking pancakes, tobogganing in the snow and picnicking in the summer fields. Lopez regards it as his duty to try and prepare his students for the adult world beyond the cozy classroom. Thus they learn how to get along peacefully with one another and verbal and physical disputes are settled by reasoned discussion, not through physical chastisement and they are encouraged to express their fears and worries. These scenes vibrantly capture the spirit of teaching and the process of learning, as well as the pain and wonder of growing up. This film intimately demonstrates the difference one caring teacher can make in the lives of his pupils.

Originally released as a motion picture in 2002. Bonus features: interview with director Nicolas Philibert ; poetry recitation ; French trailer.

1.Morning in Auvergne -- 2. Axel's nightmares -- 3. Work or play? -- 4. Fun and fighting -- 5. Homework -- 6. Development -- 7. Teacher's history -- 8. Sentence structure -- 9. Picnic -- 10. Saying goodbye.