“I don't let it run my life.”
Why it's great
It hands him the controls in six plain words, which is exactly the point.
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Neutral
Use it yourself
I don't let a bad day run my life.
00:00 / 04:39
00:00 / 04:39
Mr. Cohen Teaches Second Grade, Explained
Front of the Class · 2008
Chapter 12 of 17 · 4'39"
It's Brad's first day teaching second grade, and he turns his Tourette's into an open Q&A instead of a secret. When a kid calls another "stupid," he sets the tone with "there won't be any name-calling in Mr. Cohen's class" — the moment the lesson stops being about his tics and becomes about respect.
Key moments
Start here, then watch the full scene- 3:12–3:36
Brad Refuses to Give Up on Thomas
23s
Mr. Cohen Teaches Second Grade, explained
What happens
On his first day teaching second grade, Brad Cohen lets his students ask anything about his Tourette's. They want to know if it's catching, if it hurts, and whether he can eat. Later, a colleague complains that Thomas has "a whole alphabet of problems" and suggests moving him to special ed; Brad refuses.
What's really going on
The scene looks like a sweet classroom Q&A, but Brad is doing something deliberate: by answering every question himself, he takes away the mystery and the fear. "I've learned to accept it," he tells the kids. "I don't let it run my life." The real turn comes when a student mocks Thomas and Brad seizes it as a teaching moment — "that's the right answer, but it's the wrong words" — and lays down his rule against name-calling. Later, when a colleague wants to hand Thomas off to special ed, Brad's refusal echoes everything he just told the class: a kid who's different still deserves to be taught. The truck driver Maxine treats his tics as no big deal, a small reminder of the acceptance he's asking for.
Key lines & what they mean
- “I don't let it run my life.”
- His Tourette's is part of him, but it doesn't get to decide what he does or who he is.
- “Because there won't be any name-calling in Mr. Cohen's class.”
- He turns a student's insult into his first rule: no mocking classmates in this room.
- “Well, that's the right answer, but it's the wrong words.”
- A kid guessed why he can't play hide-and-seek, and Brad corrects the cruel word without shaming the child.
- “He's got a whole alphabet of problems.”
- A colleague's put-down dismisses Thomas as a long list of flaws — and hints at why she wants him gone.
Theme
- Identity — Brad answers every question about his tics, showing the class that being different is nothing to hide.
- Courage — He stands up to a colleague and refuses to write off a difficult student.
What this chapter teaches
Teaching points
Review right after watchingMy level2/5
A1–C2 is the CEFR scale. Cards above the level you pick fade, and playback will not auto-pause on them.
Language points
Click a card to jump to its moment in the videoGolden lines
A great line in its own right — why and how to use it“Because there won't be any name-calling in Mr. Cohen's class.”
Why it's great
The calm because turns a rule into protection rather than punishment.
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Neutral
Use it yourself
There won't be any teasing at this table.
“Well, that's the right answer, but it's the wrong words.”
Why it's great
It praises the thinking while correcting the insult, which is teaching in one line.
Register
Neutral
Use it yourself
That's the right idea, but the wrong approach.
“He's got a whole alphabet of problems.”
Why it's great
An 'alphabet of problems' makes a vague pile of flaws oddly countable and funny.
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Informal
Use it yourself
That car has a whole alphabet of problems.
Up next · 13take it to heartThe scene: Amanda's Dad Pulls Her from ClassTakeaways
What you walk away with- Children ask the blunt questions adults avoid, and honesty works best.
- One clear rule can protect a whole room.
- A joke about hide-and-seek makes a hard topic safe.
- He controls the condition instead of letting it control him.
People also search
Questions, then the linesWhy does Brad let his students ask anything about his Tourette's?
He'd rather they understand it than whisper about it. By answering openly, he takes the mystery out of his tics so the kids stop being scared or cruel about what they don't know.
Why does Brad refuse to send Thomas to special ed?
Because he knows what it feels like to be written off. A colleague calls Thomas "a whole alphabet of problems," but Brad insists he just needs to get settled — everyone deserves a real chance.
Is the colleague right that Thomas is hopeless?
The film doesn't treat Thomas as hopeless, just difficult. Brad's whole point is that a child who acts out is still a child worth teaching, which is exactly what he argued about his own Tourette's.
What does it mean that he can't play hide-and-seek?
It's his joke to the class: his tics make noise, so he'd give himself away every time. He uses the laugh to show the kids his condition doesn't stop him from being one of them.