Wright's Law: A Unique Teacher Imparts Real Life Lessons | The New York Times

Summary

This video script tells the story of a passionate teacher who engages his students with his dynamic teaching style, keeping them alert and interested. The narrative also delves into the personal challenges faced by the teacher and his students, including a student's difficult home life and the teacher's own struggles with his son's rare medical condition. The script highlights the importance of empathy, understanding, and the power of love in education and personal growth.

Takeaways

• 😴 The narrator mentions a tendency to fall asleep in classes but stays alert in a particular teacher's class, indicating the teacher's engaging teaching style.
• 🧠 The teacher's approach to education is to instill knowledge that students can apply beyond the classroom, showing a focus on practical learning.
• 🔥 The teacher is described as 'exploding with fun,' suggesting a dynamic and entertaining method of teaching that keeps students engaged.
• 🤔 The script highlights the importance of curiosity in learning, as the teacher encourages students to ask 'how' and 'why' to foster understanding.
• 🏡 The teacher acknowledges the impact of a student's home environment on their school performance, recognizing the need for individualized attention.
• 👨‍👧 The teacher goes above and beyond his professional duties to support students, showing genuine care for their well-being.
• 🏠 The script contrasts the narrator's stable home life with that of other students who face challenges like violence or absent parents, emphasizing the diversity of student backgrounds.
• 👶 A personal story is shared about the narrator's child who was born with a rare condition, illustrating the emotional journey and the search for meaning in adversity.
• 🤲 The realization that love is a driving force in life and education, beyond mere academic achievement, is a central theme of the script.
• 🌟 The script concludes with a message of hope and the importance of caring for one another, suggesting that empathy and support are crucial in life.

Q & A

What is the main concern of the student about their teacher?

The student is concerned about falling asleep in class, but they find this particular teacher's class engaging and stimulating, which keeps them awake and interested.

How does the teacher's approach to teaching impact the student?

The teacher's dynamic and engaging teaching style keeps the student alert and interested, preventing them from falling asleep and ensuring they are actively learning.

What is the teacher's philosophy on teaching according to the student?

The teacher believes in teaching not just for the sake of school, but to impart knowledge that students can apply outside of the classroom, showing that he cares about their overall education and well-being.

How does the teacher handle the student's personal issues?

The teacher is empathetic and supportive, reaching out to the student when he senses they have personal issues, and works with them to address their problems.

What is the significance of the student's home environment in relation to their school performance?

The student's home environment is significantly different and more challenging than other students, with experiences like hearing gunshots at night, which can affect their ability to sleep and study.

How does the teacher's personal experience with his own children influence his teaching?

The teacher's personal experiences, such as having a child with a rare medical condition, have given him a deeper understanding and empathy, which he brings into his teaching.

What is the rare condition that the teacher's son has, and how does it affect him?

The teacher's son has Jarcho-Levin syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects only 417 people worldwide, causing him to be completely blind and have difficulty controlling his body movements.

How does the teacher's daughter help him understand the importance of love in his life?

The teacher's daughter, Abby, helps him understand the importance of love by showing care and affection towards her brother, despite his challenges, which teaches the teacher that love is a greater force than any physical or mental obstacle.

What is the teacher's perspective on the purpose of life after facing challenges with his son?

After facing challenges with his son, the teacher's perspective on the purpose of life shifts to recognizing the importance of love and caring for one another as the driving force behind existence.

How does the teacher's experience with his son change his approach to his students?

The teacher's experience with his son, who has special needs, makes him more understanding and patient with his students, recognizing that each student has unique challenges and needs individualized attention.

Outlines

00:00

👨‍🏫 Inspiring Teacher's Impact

The first paragraph describes a student's experience with a particularly engaging and memorable teacher. The student, who usually falls asleep in class, stays alert and learns actively in this teacher's class. The teacher is portrayed as passionate, creative, and deeply caring, making a lasting impression on the student. The teacher's approach to education is to teach life lessons beyond the classroom, fostering a sense of curiosity and engagement among students. The narrative also touches on the teacher's ability to connect with students on a personal level, understanding their home lives and providing support where needed.

05:01

👨‍👧‍👦 Overcoming Challenges with Love

The second paragraph narrates a father's journey with his children, focusing on the challenges and joys of raising a son with a rare medical condition called Jarcho-Levin syndrome, which causes blindness and self-abusive behavior. The father initially struggles with feelings of anger and confusion, questioning the purpose of life when faced with his son's suffering. However, through the love and patience of his daughter, he learns to appreciate the beauty of life and the power of love. The father's realization that love is the driving force behind existence leads him to a deeper understanding and acceptance of his son's condition, transforming his perspective on life's challenges.

10:04

🦅 Training a Raven and Life's Lessons

The third paragraph presents a scene where a man is training a raven named Forest. The man demonstrates a training exercise where he throws a rag for the raven to fetch. Although the raven successfully retrieves the rag, it fails to return it as expected, leading to a moment of frustration for the trainer. This anecdote serves as a metaphor for life's challenges and the importance of perseverance and patience. It also highlights the bond between humans and animals and the joy that can be found in simple interactions.

Keywords

💡Teacher

A teacher is an individual who imparts knowledge, skills, and values to students in a formal or informal setting. In the video, the teacher is described as someone who not only educates but also deeply cares for the students, making a lasting impression on them. The teacher's approach to education is holistic, focusing on engaging students and providing them with life lessons beyond the classroom, as illustrated by the student's admiration for the teacher's ability to keep them awake and interested.

💡Epitome

The epitome refers to a perfect example or embodiment of a particular quality or concept. In the script, the teacher is described as the epitome of what a teacher should be, indicating that he exemplifies the ideal characteristics of a great educator. This is evident in the way he engages students, keeps them alert, and instills a sense of curiosity and learning.

💡Intrigue

Intrigue is a feeling of curiosity or interest, often aroused by mystery or uncertainty. The teacher in the video is successful in arousing the students' intrigue by asking thought-provoking questions and creating an environment where students are eager to learn and participate. This is demonstrated when the teacher mentions how he can 'rope them in' when they start asking 'how' or 'why'.

💡Newton's Third Law

Newton's Third Law of Motion states that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. While the law is a fundamental concept in physics, the teacher in the video expresses a desire to teach students practical knowledge they can apply outside of school, indicating a preference for real-world relevance over theoretical concepts. This is shown when the teacher says, 'I could care less about Newton's third law.'

💡Environment

Environment refers to the surroundings or conditions in which a person, animal, or plant lives or operates. The script discusses the impact of a student's home environment on their school performance and behavior. The teacher acknowledges that while school can influence a student, the home environment plays a significant role in their overall development. This is highlighted when the teacher talks about how the atmosphere at home affects students for the other 18 hours of the day.

💡Homelessness

Homelessness is the state of not having a home or a permanent place of residence. The script touches on the issue of homelessness among students, emphasizing the challenges they face and the impact on their education. The teacher's awareness of these issues and his willingness to support students in need reflect his empathy and commitment to their well-being.

💡Trauma

Trauma refers to a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that has a lasting impact on a person's mental health and behavior. The script mentions various forms of trauma that students may experience, such as domestic violence or the absence of parental figures. The teacher's understanding and support for students dealing with trauma demonstrate his role in providing a safe and nurturing educational environment.

💡Joubert Syndrome

Joubert Syndrome is a rare genetic disorder characterized by lack of coordination, intellectual disability, and other symptoms. In the video, the teacher's son is diagnosed with Joubert Syndrome, which has led to blindness and self-abusive behavior. The teacher's personal experience with his son's condition adds depth to his understanding of the challenges faced by students with disabilities and the importance of individualized support.

💡Self-abusive

Self-abusive behavior refers to actions that intentionally cause harm to oneself. The teacher's son exhibits self-abusive behavior due to his condition, which is a manifestation of his inability to control his body. The script describes how the son will hit his face or body when scared or upset, illustrating the severity of his condition and the challenges faced by individuals with Joubert Syndrome.

💡Love

Love is a profound emotional attachment or deep affection towards someone. In the video, the theme of love is central to the teacher's philosophy of education and life. He emphasizes that love is the driving force behind why things work and why we exist. The teacher's realization that love is the key to understanding and overcoming challenges is exemplified when his son learns to sign 'I love you,' signifying a breakthrough in their communication and connection.

Highlights

The narrator humorously warns about not falling asleep in class.

A unique teacher is described, who keeps students engaged and awake.

The teacher's passion for teaching and making a lasting impact is evident.

A student shares their struggle with falling asleep in other classes but not in this one.

The teacher's innovative methods to keep students alert and learning are discussed.

A vivid description of a 'Fireball' experiment that captivates the students.

The teacher's approach to education is revealed, focusing on real-world applications.

A student expresses deep respect and gratitude for the teacher's care and dedication.

The teacher's belief in the importance of individualized attention for students.

A poignant reflection on the varying home environments and their impact on students.

The teacher's personal outreach to a student struggling with personal issues.

A student's candid sharing of their difficult home life and the teacher's supportive role.

The teacher's philosophy on the 'one size fits all' approach in education and its limitations.

A heartwarming story of a father's dreams for his children and the reality of parenting.

The unexpected challenges faced by a family with a child born with rare medical conditions.

The emotional journey of a parent grappling with the struggles of their child and questioning the purpose.

A powerful realization about the importance of love and its role in overcoming life's challenges.

The teacher's personal story of raising a child with special needs and the lessons learned.

A touching moment when a child with disabilities communicates love to his father for the first time.

The conclusion that love is the driving force behind existence and the reason for overcoming adversity.

Transcripts

[Music]

test question alert test question alert

note from the big giant head I don't

fall asleep in this class I just don't

and it's weird because I can remember

falling asleep in every other class I've

never had a teacher like him at all like

calcul

every day just I pass out like he's

probably one of the teachers like

probably when I'm 75 years old that I'll

still remember all I fall asleep in

there all the time he's the epitome of

what I think a teacher should be

start how do you know how far this is

right now you know what I think that's

what I was afraid of okay go ahead and

uh go get that P for me please Mr R has

a key a

s yeah I just tend to fall asleep a lot

I it's a bad thing but I do but this

class just keeps me Ed so there's no

room for napping cuz you're learning

[Music]

smoking oh my

gosh it's like this guy is just crazy

he's just exploding with

fun I don't know you see a huge Fireball

burning my hand and go up to the ceiling

and all the matter I'm not going to have

any kids sleeping and every one of those

people are out there asking how how how

how and as soon as you get the kid

asking how or why I can rope them in and

get that Intrigue going what's good it's

a love of M he says I could care less

about Newton's third law I want to teach

you something for you to take outside of

school that's what he's told us before

so he really it makes me feel like he

really cares about me and I know he does

he's a good man and he will stick go out

of his way for you any last words do you

love us more than you know

hang on hang on 3 2

one man

[Applause]

thank be signing I'll be signing pieces

of center block after class you know

schools have them for 6 hours a day and

then they the kids go home and whatever

atmosphere they have around for the

other

18 affects them and and so you know

schools can change a lot but we also

have to realize that they go home to a

completely different environment I I

think he could tell with me like I that

I had stuff going on so he like kind of

reached out to me at first and at first

I was like dude like you're a teacher

like I'm not going to talk to you like

but I did what I went home to when I was

young is very different than what some

of these kids go home to where they

don't have a mom and dad or some of

these kids I hear them talk about all

the time where there was gunshots at

night I'd have a hard time sleeping or

studying if I knew there were gunshots

outside I've pretty much been on my own

since I was like 15 so yeah I mean I

talked to him about a lot of stuff like

at home and stuff and he works with me I

mean I I've had everything

from Mr Wright were pregnant to I've had

an abortion to I've ran away and uh

here's what I'm saying my father is

beating me and here's pictures of the

holes in the walls and you can see where

the makeup was trying to cover bruises I

mean it's yeah and

it's it's just very different than than

where some of the rest of us are that's

why one size fits all doesn't

work you have a good

day you did you want more

cookie a mommy

a

brownie let's go home and see if Mom

made

some she said she was going to make some

but I don't know what she to do your

hands here you go

Adam that father son holy spirit amen

bless us the Lord in these like gifts

which you're about to receive from

Christ Our Lord amen amen it's like that

one color Abby is perfect in every way

she's uh actually 15 not 14 she's 15

going on 25 she's you know one of these

people that can't stand her dad cuz he's

stupid and little bit nuts and so forth

so I I love I love her to death when

Adam came along though we didn't think

it was going to be a boy and all of a

sudden all right a boy pops out and I'm

thinking wow this is cool now I got a

girl and a boy and not that I really

cared but you get all the dreams of wow

I'm going to be going to football games

I'm going to be going to baseball games

if they're not any good at sports like I

am or'll be going to you know plays or

something like that whatever it be yeah

I'm going to be there for my little

buddy okay no now we have to give her

our

address oh so what is our address in

Spanish uno uno doo

doo what the

[Music]

heck

no is that that's Mr

Tim well anyway the nurse comes out and

says this is your boy and I get ready to

hold him she said we got to take him

back and I'm thinking what's going on

she said he's breathing really really

fast he was breathing 180 times a

minute it's about three times a second

still to this day breathe about 60 times

a minute that's once a second think

about breathing that

fast you get pretty tired after a while

wouldn't

you get all your homework

done yeah

yeah you need breathe a little bit

better now Adam huh that help huh that

help right there you got a good head of

hair does he like music loves

music how do you sign

music come on on that wasn't it that

that was signing time how do you sign

music okay so that's music okay we then

found out he was completely blind okay

uh he was born with something called jar

syndrome only 417 people in the whole

world have it and what it is is um it's

an auto autosomal recessive disorder

where my wife has to have a gene and I

have to have a gene that puts us

together and it causes this to

happen so I have a completely

intelligent little boy but he can't

control what his body does even though

his body is completely functional mere

fact that right now your butt's on that

chair your butt tells your brain which

way up is this brain doesn't that so the

mere fact that you can sit down and sit

up is a

miracle let's go all right

B that's it keep going

[Music]

oh he is extremely self-abusive uh for

instance uh if he gets scared or if he

gets upset he'll just start taking his

fist and pounding his face as much as

possible if he wakes up and he gets

scared and I'm not there he'll roll out

of bed and just start pounding his face

on the floor and St in bed please don't

constantly take his legs and just pound

him on his wheelchair until he it's all

bruised and bloody so when I started

getting a a wrap on what all this was

about all those

dreams of ever watching a my son knock a

home run over the fence went away and

talk about getting pissed at God I was

pissed because you know the whole thing

about where the universe came from I

didn't care what I care about is why and

you can pick on me all you want but when

you pick on my little boy that's

wrong a totally innocent little baby and

you're making him do that I started

asking myself what was the point of

[Music]

it

oh so as we went through all this it was

Abby that sort of taught me why one day

I went up to her room and she had Adam

in the middle of all of her

dolls I'm thinking what are you doing

she's done playing with my little

brother I'm thinking he didn't know how

to

play and she said

Adam she said like hand me a dollar or

something and he just smacked

it and I'm thinking wait a minute if he

smacked that he can see when did you

find out he could see he said I don't

know he just started smacking

dolls I'm thinking holy mackerel and so

then we started working with him and

trying to teach him a little sign

language and there was nothing more

incredible than the day you see

this what's that mean Daddy I love

you so cool that's when I knew it didn't

care about how things work anymore it's

the reason why things work it's because

of love so there's something a lot

greater than energy there's something a

lot greater than entropy it's the fact

that what's the greatest thing love

that's what makes it all the why we

exist so in that great big universe that

we have with all those stars who cares

well somebody cares about you a lot and

as long as we care about each other

that's where we go from

[Music]

here you yesterday hear me

yeah going to happen I know hard it's

hard man it's

hard you

okay worried about you yesterday yeah

juice I see you play J you say he

juice you didn't say juice you said play

right huh did you say play you

did what do you want to

play huh what you going to

[Music]

play pull up pull up use those abs use

those up use those abs

he those

out all right so what we're doing th all

right

ready you going to have me carry that's

what I

thought what are you gretting for I'm

going ah to pick up the

[Music]

load he pulled the Dirty Old Rag from

his pocket and threw it up in the air

and the Raven W swoop down and grabbed

the rag in his beak

good boy forest smil now give it back no

TCH Forest scr is supposed to return it

to me but he could not get the Raven

attention and total frustration

[Music]

voice