Life on the Edge---.
>> Friday, April 15, 2005 ; 1:21 PM
School of Life
Michael D'Angelo: How much time do we have? [students look at the clock] Michael D'Angelo: The answer to that question, your not going to find on a clock. The answer is not a lot. How much time do we have? Not a lot.
Yeah. I agree with Mr. D'Angelo over there. There isn't much time left.
I've been watching movies in the Disney channel recently (That's the reason I'm too lazy to write in this blog.), and I tend to have stumbled in this TV movie called "School of Life" (aired only this 2005). I actually related to it a lot. It was set on an 8th grade plot (Yeah, like 2nd year.) and it had unforgettable subjects I went through last school year (SY 2004-2005). That is, Biology and History/ Soc Sci.
Mr. Michael D'Angelo, more commonly known as Mr. D to his fellow students and colleagues, is an alumni and a substitute teacher for History class in the 8th grade. He substituted the late Stormin' Norman Warner, Matt Warner's father (Matt Warner is the Biology teacher in the same school), who has been the teacher of the year for 43 straight years.
When Mr. D taught his students for the first time,his method was actually fun and effective that he became the talk of the town. (Actually, the school.) Even Matt Warner's son, who happens to be in the 8th grade and in Mr. D's History class, also liked Mr. D. (Mr. D's definition of "History" is "His or her story". Get it?)
Why? Mr. D treated his students as friens, made RPGs, and told stories with costumes plus background and media to capture the "feel" of the topic. (Okay, if you can't visualize Mr. D, let's say he's like Sir Martin (for those who don't know, he's my Soc Sci teacher), only with more props. Actually, Mr. D reminded me a lot about Sir Martin! Hehehe... PS> I'm not making this whole thing up!)
Mr. Matt Warner, on the other hand, didn't like this at all. Because of Mr. D, his chances of winning as teacher of the year (his goal since Stormin' Norman died) was threatened, and he has really been pressured with Mr. D. Mr. D seemed to be so perfect. He was an oh-so-effective teacher that it was the first time in their school history that all (Mr. D's) students in class got a grade of "A" in a standardized test! And, the oh-so-lame basketball team via Mr. D's coaching tended to enjoy a basketball game even though if they lose. Mr. D's secret? "Winning is losing like a winner."
So, Mr. Matt Warner started talking on Mr. D until he found out that Mr. D has cancer (aren't there anymore illnesses left out there? Why always cancer?!?!), and foung out that Mr. D's inspiration in teaching was Mr. Matt Warner's father, Stormin' Norman Warner.
Since then, Mr. Matt Warner's life has changed, and he started being more like Mr. D. (ex. Fr. Mendell, "the father of modern genetics", and his peas. Remember Bio1?!)
Then, one day before a basketball game, it was announced by the school PA system that Mr. D is in the hospital. Everybody got sad, so they figured to make Mr. D get-well-soonstuff to make Mr. D feel better. But they felt that the basketball game will be futile without Mr. D around. It's good enough that Mr. Matt Warner was there to cheer the team up. He gave them arm bands with a "D" on it, and said (something like) "A teacher gives part of himself to his students, and that part of himself came from somebody else's too. I'm part of you. Mr. is also part of you... (and so on)... And so is Mr. D. Mr. D is also part of you. Mr. D will always be part of you."
During the game, for the first time in school history, their basketball team was neck-to-neck with the visitors (opposing team) in their game. At the last 30 seconds, where their score was 41 (home) vs. 42 (visitors), Mr. D, kind of weak and frail with a matching walking stick, arrived just to show support for the team *tear* (how thoughtful), and with the team's determination (to play this game for Mr. D), they won the game.
Mr. D then dearly departed (due to his cancer) after 1 or 2 years after, and Mr. Matt Warner (then realized and) said (to himself), "I think that Mr. D was sent by my father to teach me how to teach, and I'm thankful that he (Mr. D) came and taught me my lesson."
Okay, so that's about the WHOLE story. (Well... almost! I thin kthat I told about 70% of it.) I still suggest that you watch the movie if you catch it. I know that the movie plot is kinda regular, but, I have to say, it sure was a cool movie, and you'll learn a lot of lessons from it. Mr. D also said, "I believe that every one of us is perfect. WE don't only believe we are." in other words/ translation, "You should soar beyond your wildest dreams, look beyond what you can see, because we are the only ones who make our limits." So, why not?!?!
I hope this serves as an inspiration to all of us, young and old alike. Remember, we don't have much time left, so let us make the most of every moment because every second counts.
-Kamae
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