How To Survive The Classroom

By Andrea ForcumEducation

How To Survive The Classroom episodes

November 02The “What Would Molly Say” Game (Part 1)
Molly is MIA so Gerry and I spiral alone. I unpack the brutal pink-eye virus that made my eyes look like the Outbreak monkey movie, we reminisce about the increasingly unhinged list of movies teachers used to just put on in class, and I confess the time I got written up for leaving my journalism class to make copies while a documentary played. Then we play a game where Gerry guesses Molly’s answers about which of us she trusts to sub, which of us she’d fire first, and which celeb she thinks she could pull. Plus Gerry has officially committed to riding the mechanical bull in Columbus this weekend after a year of weight-loss countdown, and I announce the group chat has been formally renamed from “Doo Doo Crew” to “How to Survive the Ass Room.”

Takeaways:
Pink eye can get seriously ugly in adults/

Don’t leave your class unattended for even a few minutes to run copies.

The movies teachers used to play in class are an entire shared generational memory

Setting a goal publicly works.

Dude Wipes, if you’re listening, we’re still waiting. And so is Gerry.
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Teachers’ night out? Yes, please! Come see comedian Educator Andrea…Get your tickets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠teachersloungelive.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Educatorandrea.com/tickets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for laugh out loud Education!
—
Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.comWatch on YouTube: @educatorandreaA

Chapters:
00:00 - Intro
01:14 - Where's Molly?
04:13 - Zombie Eyes
08:44 - Movies in Class
15:11 - Getting Written Up
21:33 - Guessing Molly's Game

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38 min
October 26The Confidence of a Straight White Man Teaching Barefoot
Molly survived Homecoming Week and had her teacher heart crack open watching a real-deal dance circle break out on the floor, I recorded my audiobook and realized I made up words I now have to pronounce out loud, and Gerry pitched his co-authored book idea featuring Hulk Hands as essential classroom equipment and shoes as fully optional. We also ask the elementary teachers for help with my first grader who’s already powered through 22 Magic Tree House books, catalog the increasingly concerning spiritual parallels between Gerry and my six-year-old, and let Molly and Gerry duke it out over toilet-lid etiquette and detachable shower heads. It’s exactly as unhinged as it sounds.
Takeaways:
A good DJ and the right venue can rescue a school dance.

Recording an audiobook is harder than it looks.

Advanced young readers need enrichment, not just acceleration.

A kid who’s bored but gifted may shut down the moment something feels hard.

Teacher confidence is contagious, whether it's in dance circles, in classrooms, and apparently in deciding to walk around your workplace in just your socks.
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Knoword is an online tool for creating fun vocabulary games. Visit Knoword.com to learn how it fits into your classroom.
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Teachers’ night out? Yes, please! Come see comedian Educator Andrea…Get your tickets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠teachersloungelive.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Educatorandrea.com/tickets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for laugh out loud Education!
—
Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.comWatch on YouTube: @educatorandreaA
Human Content Production

Chapter:
00:00 - Intro
04:10 - Homecoming Dance Recap
06:28 - Do Kids Still Grind?
10:08 - The Finger Lift Trick
15:45 - Recording the Audiobook
25:38 - Hulk Hands in Class
39:55 - Close the Lid

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53 min
October 19"O Captain, My Captain": A Dead Poets Society Deep Dive
This week Molly joins us in a gold chain and Miami-bright shirt from Tourist Day of homecoming week, we spiral into the John Pork meme and Gen Alpha's weird chaos humor, debate what school spirit really means for teachers, and then stand on our chairs for Mr. Keating. We rank Dead Poets Society, wrestle with the ending, reflect on Robin Williams' legacy, and Gerry weighs in with a very strong opinion about one specific forehead-kiss scene.

Takeaways:
School spirit is bigger than Spirit Week.
You don't have to dress up every day, but if Spirit Week doesn't even cross your mind as a teacher, that's probably worth examining.
Dead Poets Society holds up as one of the great teacher movies.
Keating's whole message is that art and poetry are what make life worth it.
If you or someone you love is struggling, 988 is the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
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Knoword is an online tool for creating fun vocabulary games. Visit Knoword.com to learn how it fits into your classroom.
--
Teachers’ night out? Yes, please! Come see comedian Educator Andrea…Get your tickets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠teachersloungelive.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Educatorandrea.com/tickets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for laugh out loud Education!
—
Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.comWatch on YouTube: @educatorandreaA
Human Content Production
Chapter:
0:00 - Intro
2:14 - Molly's Wild Outfit
8:17 - Homecoming Week
15:50 - School Spirit Debate
26:25 - Dead Poets Society
32:27 - Spoiler Alert
44:45 - Parenting & Mental Health
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54 min
October 12Teacher Hangovers Are Real
Molly's back in sunglasses with a full-on teacher hangover, Gerry looks incredible (his words), and I've got a 50,000-student IU football tailgate story that involves a feverish six-year-old, a college guy leaning on our truck for an hour, and the Midwestern dads who live to direct parking lot traffic. We update on Scam Gate (the PSA is officially saving people), launch a new segment where we're breaking down Dead Poets Society next episode, debate whether applesauce is actually a sauce, and I share the moment my son made walrus teeth out of Twizzlers through his tighty-whities and then started eating them. Plus Gerry's mechanical bull weight-loss countdown, he's at 317.5 and the goal is 300.

Takeaways:
Sharing your embarrassing moments publicly matters. Molly's "Scam Gate" PSA has already kept multiple other professionals from falling for the exact same scam. The vulnerability is worth it.

Teacher burnout isn't always about the kids. Molly's class is great, the exhaustion is coming from the extracurriculars, grad school, and the sheer sensory overload of the week. Watch for it, name it, nap through it.

Honking at strangers leaning on your car is a gendered experience. Every man said "beep the horn immediately," every woman said "I'd just freeze." Pick your side.

Take the parenting win where you can. Also, take the Twizzlers out of the child.

Next episode we're breaking down Dead Poets Society as a teacher movie. Rewatch it this week so you can play along.
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Knoword is an online tool for creating fun vocabulary games. Visit Knoword.com to learn how it fits into your classroom.
--
Teachers’ night out? Yes, please! Come see comedian Educator Andrea…Get your tickets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠teachersloungelive.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Educatorandrea.com/tickets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for laugh out loud Education!
—
Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.comWatch on YouTube: @educatorandreaA
Human Content Production
Chapter:
0:00 - Intro
3:50 - Scam Gate Returns
8:26 - IU Tailgate Chaos
24:22 - Twizzlers in the Undies
30:50 - Teacher Movie Club
36:10 - Hills to Die On
42:32 - Show & Tell
45:35 - The Bull Bet

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52 min
October 09In Memory of Brooke Eby: The ALS Advocate Who Made the World Laugh
This week we're rereleasing my interview with Brooke Eby, who passed on October 1st after her powerful public fight with ALS. Brooke turned a terminal diagnosis into a platform for humor, visibility, and fundraising.
In this conversation we talk about her journey from her first limp at 29 to diagnosis at 33, the dating-with-a-cane content that put her on everyone's TikTok, why she worked so hard to put a young face on an "old man's disease," and how a single Salesforce LinkedIn post turned into a half-million-dollar fundraiser and a nonprofit. Brooke always asked people to do one thing: give money so ALS research can finally move forward. Please donate at als.org in her memory.
Takeaways:
ALS research is still painfully underfunded.

90% of ALS cases are NOT genetic.

Brooke's genius was making a terrifying diagnosis approachable.

"You should always just ask." Brooke didn't want people walking on eggshells.

ALS Together, is a huge part of her legacy. Visit alstogether.org to learn more.
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Knoword is an online tool for creating fun vocabulary games. Visit Knoword.com to learn how it fits into your classroom.
--
Teachers’ night out? Yes, please! Come see comedian Educator Andrea…Get your tickets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠teachersloungelive.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Educatorandrea.com/tickets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for laugh out loud Education!
—
Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.comWatch on YouTube: @educatorandreaA
Human Content Production
Chapter:
0:00 - Tribute to Brooke Eby
2:15 - Meeting Brooke
4:48 - First Symptoms
8:21 - ALS Misconceptions
13:36 - Salesforce & Advocacy
26:41 - ALS Resources
36:35 - Funding & Trials
47:00 - What NOT to Say

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1 hr 1 min
October 05The Worst Depictions of Teachers in Media
The three of us are diving into everything from the trending "cringe teacher" videos going around TikTok to my viral Edgar Allan Poe lip sync to the very real truth that cringe teachers are the ONLY teachers our students actually remember 20 years later.
We also unpack the horror weekend of my life. An off-brand YMCA where I fell 20 inches off a box jump onto my back and no one came to help me, followed by a Sunday that included both kids simultaneously vomiting AND having diarrhea, every drain in my house clogging, and my dog pooping on the carpet. My voodoo doll was dipped in feces, apparently.
Then we get into the moment my six-year-old told two of my college students what he thinks is required for true love and bad teacher depictions in TV and movies
Takeaways:
Cringe teachers are memorable teachers.

Kids build their own logic from what they see.

Teachers, ask for help when you fall.

Bad on-screen teacher depictions have real consequences

If you can't handle a hypothetical conversation about student trauma, self-harm, or mental health crises, you cannot handle the reality of the classroom.
--
Knoword is an online tool for creating fun vocabulary games. Visit Knoword.com to learn how it fits into your classroom.
--
Teachers’ night out? Yes, please! Come see comedian Educator Andrea…Get your tickets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠teachersloungelive.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Educatorandrea.com/tickets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for laugh out loud Education!
—
Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.comWatch on YouTube: @educatorandreaA
Human Content Production
Chapter:
0:00 - Intro
3:23 - Cringe Teacher TikTok
7:23 - Is It Skin Cancer?
9:09 - YMCA Box Jump Fail
14:33 - The Weekend from Hell
23:32 - My Son Said WHAT?!
48:20 - Hill to Die On

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
58 min
September 28Teaching Kindergarten vs High School: The Overlap is Real
Hey teacher besties! This week I'm checking in with Molly on the aftermath of ScamGate, because you can't just get scammed that badly and not give the people an update. We also covered some very real scam PSAs, including the family "safe word" trick. Then Molly showed me this TikTok trend of students clowning on cringey teachers, and listen... it's a little humbling. Watching kids react to teacher enthusiasm from their POV is not for the weak.

We also got into Molly's audience question box comparing what high school teachers and kindergarten teachers actually say out loud to manage a classroom on a daily basis (spoiler: it's basically the same), and Molly detailed the specific chaos of getting handed an entire freshman class of almost all boys. As always, we closed out with our hills to die on, which somehow turned into Gerry showing me a picture I wish I could unsee (and if you're watching on YouTube, you will too).

Takeaways:
Sometimes the universe rewards you with a random celebrity sighting right when you need it most; case in point, Molly's gym run-in with Rob from Love Island.

Teachers say many of the same phrases to high schoolers that kindergarten teachers say to five-year-olds, from "keep your hands to yourself" to "don't put that in your mouth."

Viral TikToks showing students' unfiltered reactions to "cringey" teacher behavior can be a humbling mirror for educators.

All-boys classrooms tend to bring more physical horseplay, while all-girls classrooms tend to bring more emotional intensity, in our personal experience.
My hill to die on: If someone sends me something inappropriate online, I'll track down a family member with the same last name and send them a screenshot.
--
Knoword is an online tool for creating fun vocabulary games. Visit Knoword.com to learn how it fits into your classroom.
--
Teachers’ night out? Yes, please! Come see comedian Educator Andrea…Get your tickets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠teachersloungelive.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Educatorandrea.com/tickets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for laugh out loud Education!
—
Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.comWatch on YouTube: @educatorandreaA
Human Content Production
Chapter:
0:00 - Intro
1:05 - ScamGate Update
12:03 - Cringey Teachers on TikTok
24:00 - High School vs Kindergarten
33:38 - All-Boys Freshman Class Walk
43:13 - Hills to Die On

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
51 min
September 21Molly Got Scammed, Do We Laugh or Cry?
Teacher besties, buckle up for this one, because Molly got scammed (and I mean SCAMMED) out of a shocking amount of cash in one of the most diabolical phone scams I've ever heard. We're talking a fake sheriff's department, a fake warrant for her arrest, and four and a half hours of driving between Walgreens, CVS, and Walmart. Molly walks us through the entire unhinged saga blow by blow, and hopefully we can all learn something from this to protect ourselves from potential future scams.

After that, we get into something a little less terrifying and a lot more annoying: the absolutely wild hate comments we got on a video about men telling female teachers, "I wish I was your student." We break down why that phrase is creepy, not flattering, why some men got so defensive about being called out, and what actually impresses a teacher.
Takeaways:
Molly lost a significant amount of cash to an elaborate phone scam involving a fake sheriff, a fake arrest warrant, and repeated cash deposits at multiple stores.

Scammers used psychological pressure tactics, like threatening a felony charge for talking to anyone and speaking with firm authority, to keep Molly isolated and compliant during the call.

A Google search of "paying a warrant over the phone" immediately flagged it as a common scam, which is what finally ended the call.

Comments telling female teachers "I wish I was your student" cross a line because they sexualize a profession that works with children, regardless of intent.

The most effective way to compliment a teacher is genuine admiration and curiosity about their work, not sexualized comments tied to their job.
--
Knoword is an online tool for creating fun vocabulary games. Visit Knoword.com to learn how it fits into your classroom.
--
Teachers’ night out? Yes, please! Come see comedian Educator Andrea…Get your tickets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠teachersloungelive.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Educatorandrea.com/tickets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for laugh out loud Education!
—
Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.comWatch on YouTube: @educatorandreaA
Human Content Production
Chapter:
0:00 - Intro
2:21 - Molly Got Scammed
31:38 - "I Wish I Was Your Student"
41:40 - How to Flirt with Teachers
50:50 - Dolly Tribute

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
57 min
September 14Paul Revere is a Fraud!
Hey teacher besties, it's just me and Gerry this week since Molly's out, and we're covering a lot of ground. I got a review on my book that called out my millennial "hey besties" energy, which, fair. I also just got back from Boston, where I learned Paul Revere never actually said "the British are coming" and apparently moonlighted as a dentist between silversmithing gigs, which honestly explains a lot about colonial-era medicine. We also had to address the elephant in the room: the shirtless pooping clip has become one of our best performing clips ever, which came with its fair share of internet chaos, including someone genuinely threatening Gerry over using a handicap bathroom.

Then we get into some real teacher talk: side hustles we've actually done (technical writing, Uber driving, coaching, etc), and how my retired coworker came back to help co-teach my new class, which honestly saved me. We also get into a good debate about AI in the classroom and whether districts should be blocking Teachers Pay Teachers, and Gerry makes a point I hadn't fully considered about how getting mad at AI online just feeds the algorithm more.

Takeaways:
When a more experienced teacher offers help or shares resources with you, take it.

Teachers often have side hustles like tutoring, coaching, freelance writing, or selling resources on Teachers Pay Teachers.

Some districts block sites like Teachers Pay Teachers for legitimate cybersecurity reasons, which is valid, but I maintain that they shouldn't ban it just to restrict teacher resources.

Teachers should be trusted as professionals to choose which resources, including AI tools, work best for their own classrooms.

Publicly engaging with AI content you dislike, even to criticize it, can actually cause algorithms to push more of that content out.
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Knoword is an online tool for creating fun vocabulary games. Visit Knoword.com to learn how it fits into your classroom.
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Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.comWatch on YouTube: @educatorandrea

A Human Content Production
Chapter:
0:00 - Intro
1:56 - Harry Wong's Book
4:03 - Boston Trip & Paul Revere
9:01 - Gerry's Teaching Update & Viral Clip
13:14 - Andrea's Co-Teaching Experience
19:47 - Teacher Side Hustles
23:26 - Teachers Pay Teachers

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37 min
September 07Girls' Night: Fangirling, Laptop-in-Rice Trick, & Bed Bugs
Hey teacher besties, it's just me and Molly this week since Gerry's off doing a show, so consider this a girls' night. I'm coming off a genuinely rough first day back, because my mentor and work bestie of decades has retired, and I had to walk into work knowing she wouldn't be there. I'm now teaching her old class, trying to live up to a legacy I know I can't fully replace. We also do a very necessary lice update (still lice-free, but the vigilance continues), debate the hotel bedbug-checking habits of functioning adults, and Molly gives me a very touching pep talk about becoming the next legend myself.
Then Molly tells me about her professional development, including the incredibly humbling moment she got used as a live example of what not to do with your school laptop, twice, since she's somehow gone through three MacBooks in one year. I also share my first day activity recommendations for anyone who needs a low-stakes icebreaker, and then I tell you guys about the best night of my year: going backstage at a Bowling for Soup and Simple Plan concert, meeting one of my favorite comedians, and somehow introducing myself as "professionally a fan" of him. It did not go how I hoped, but it made for a great story, which Molly says is the lore that makes me fun to talk to.
Takeaways:
I've found that students and colleagues tend to prefer teacher names that are three syllables or fewer, which is part of why I'm comfortable going by "Ms. Forcum" instead of the longer "Dr." or "Mrs." titles.

A simple poster board rotation activity, where students respond to prompts as a group in short timed bursts, is a great low-pressure way to build classroom community on the first day.

Laptops and liquids do not mix, and putting a laptop in rice does NOT work.

Being kind and respectful to your school's IT staff and other support staff will pay off tenfold when something inevitably breaks.

Even a well-intentioned compliment can go sideways under pressure, as my "professionally a fan" moment with one of my favorite comedians proves.
--
Knoword is an online tool for creating fun vocabulary games. Visit Knoword.com to learn how it fits into your classroom.
--
Teachers’ night out? Yes, please! Come see comedian Educator Andrea…Get your tickets at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠teachersloungelive.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Educatorandrea.com/tickets⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for laugh out loud Education!
—
Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.comWatch on YouTube: @educatorandrea

A Human Content Production

Chapter:
0:00 - Intro
1:40 - Losing a Teaching Legend
10:57 - Lice Update & Bedbug Horror Stories
19:56 - Molly's First Day Back at School
23:31 - First Day Classroom Activities
28:13 - Molly's Computer Disasters
36:30 - Backstage at a Rock Concert

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
55 min