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Education

How To Survive The Classroom

Andrea Forcum

As we all know, an educator’s career is one of prestige, respect, and authority. 

Just kidding. 

Sure, there are lesson plans and inspirational posters. Book reports and detentions. But nobody tells you it’s also parents brawling in the parking lot, students unleashing live crickets during finals, and getting evaluated for “running a tight ship” while the ceiling literally leaks onto your head.

Hosted by Andrea Forcum (aka @Educator Andrea on TikTok, former high school teacher and current professor at Indiana State University), How to Survive the Classroom is part advice column, part survival guide, and part group therapy. Each week, Andrea dons her trauma tiara to tackle call-ins and confessions from fellow educators (and brave educator allies). From hilarious war stories to brutal burnout moments, join us as we strategize, survive, and occasionally let out a good old-fashioned cathartic scream into the void.

If you’ve ever Googled “how to professionally quit mid-semester” or seriously considered hiding in a supply closet, this show’s for you. Teaching may be a noble profession… but nobility doesn’t stop your classroom from catching on fire.

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  • 27 episodes
  • weekly
  • Avg 46 min
  • English

Episodes 27

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  • Monday · 56 min

    Molly 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

  • September 14 · 36 min

    Paul 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. -- 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 1:56 - 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • September 7 · 54 min

    Girls' 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

  • August 31 · 46 min

    Help Us Save School Spirit Week

    Hey teacher besties, we're starting this one off with a real crisis, because I just found out I might have lice after spending a week in California with my whole extended family, and I am spiraling. Somehow we end up debating whether chest hair can get lice, and we also give Gerry exactly 60 seconds to nerd out about his Marvel figure collection. Then we get into some real teacher chaos: my kids catching random spiders in high school, Molly's cockroach-on-the-mouth horror story that may or may not be a lie, and an incredibly detailed debate about whether you'd rather poop your pants in public or eat a live cockroach. We also help Molly brainstorm ideas to boost school spirit at her school, swap our worst pajama day stories, and Gerry tells us about the time he dropped it low in front of his coworkers. We close it out with a hill Molly's dying on this week, that people are boring because they don't embarrass themselves enough, so go do something new. Takeaways: Lice can apparently spread through an entire extended family within days, and adults are just as vulnerable as kids. Simple, low-cost spirit week themes, like anything-but-a-backpack day or decades day, tend to get more student participation than overly complicated ones. Pajama day can create real dress code challenges for both students and teachers. Trying something new that you know you'll be bad at is a great way to build funny stories and a growth mindset. Class or grade-level competitions, like themed dress-up days tied to a fun concept, tend to build long-term school spirit and tradition -- 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 1:17 - Andrea might have lice 4:57 - 60 seconds of Spider-Man 7:24 - Homework & celebrity DMs 11:07 - Classroom pest horror stories 16:28 - Would you rather: cockroach or poop your pants 22:33 - Best & worst spirit days Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • August 24 · 1 hr

    Back to School Fears, Debunked

    Hey teacher besties, we are deep in back-to-school season! My kids are starting a brand new school after their old one shut down (yes, that's apparently a thing that can happen), and thanks to our vacation timing, they're going to miss their actual first day. Gerry and Molly assure me this is fine, and I'm choosing to believe them. We also get into Gerry's actual classroom rules, and guys, I would pay real money to be a fly on the wall when he lays down the law. We spend a good chunk of this episode trying to figure out why it works so well for him and why my crash outs just get me giggled at instead of feared. Then we get into some real advice for new teachers, because Molly and I both remember exactly how terrifying that first summer is when you don't even know what your first unit is supposed to be. We share some of our favorite first week icebreaker activities too, so steal those if you need them. And then, because we can never end an episode without at least one hill to die on, Molly gives an incredible rant about men who say creepy things to teachers, and I finally get to publicly drag my husband for something he said to me eighteen years ago about cheerleading. You're welcome. Takeaways: Gerry's classroom management style leans heavily on intimidation and clear boundaries from day one, and he swears by it. New teachers often think everyone else has it all figured out, but the reality is most teachers, even veteran ones, are making it up as they go. Simple icebreaker activities, like two truths and a lie or investigating the classroom for clues about the teacher, are great low-stakes ways to build community in the first week. Telling a teacher you would have had a crush on them if they'd been your teacher is creepy and predatory, not flattering, so please just don't. Screen time rules can and should be thrown out the window the second you're on a plane or road trip, no guilt required. -- 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 Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 2:54 - Gerry's Classroom Rules 7:04 - Is It a Gender Thing? 10:35 - Kicking Kids Out 18:09 - Missing the First Day 26:14 - New Teacher Fears 45:45 - Hills to Die On Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • August 17 · 41 min

    Are You a Good Teacher Just Because You Worried About It?

    Hey teacher besties, buckle up because this one starts rough. Gerry left me a voicemail after last episode that I simply had to share with all of you, and it involves Jersey Mike's, a very close call, and some deeply unhinged bathroom habits I did not know existed until today. We fully unpack the fact that Gerry takes his shirt off to poop (sometimes his pants too), and then my own kid hops on to side with Gerry and betray me completely. Once we recover from that, we get into some real talk. I rant about a Facebook quote that's been living rent-free in my head (the "if you worry you're a bad teacher, you're actually a good one" nonsense), which spirals into a genuinely great debate with Gerry and Molly about self-awareness, comedians, narcissism, and Principal Lamb’s haters. Then Molly brings the hill she's dying on this week: teenagers' out-of-control screen time and caffeine intake, and honestly, it broke my heart a little. We close it out by checking our own screen time live on air, and let's just say we are all a little ashamed (well, maybe not Gerry). 5 Takeaways: Gerry takes his shirt off (and sometimes fully undresses) to use the bathroom, and my own kid apparently agrees with him. Just because you worry about being a good teacher doesn't automatically mean you are one, some people genuinely aren't cut out for it. Principal Lamb's haters say more about themselves than they do about him, and I stand by that. Teens are averaging alarming amounts of caffeine and screen time at night, and it's genuinely hurting their ability to function at school. Content creators' screen time numbers are inflated by actual work, but scrolling is still scrolling, and we all need to check ourselves. -- 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 Chapters: 0:00 - Intro 1:08 - Gerry's Voicemail 10:48 - Molly's Master's Degree Meltdown 16:07 - The "Good Teacher" Quote That Set Andrea Off 30:33 - Kids' Screen Time Is a Real Crisis Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • August 10 · 56 min

    Why Colonoscopies Are Underrated

    Hey teacher besties! This week is a big one because Molly is officially, permanently part of the podcast now, so it's me, Gerry, and Molly for the long haul. I catch you all up on the first ever Teacher Talk Sycamore Summit I hosted (mimosas, a rage room dream for next year, and Gaspar Randazzo doing a fully clean set), and then we get into some real teacher talk: professional development horror stories, including Molly's unforgettable superintendent-with-a-50-slide-clip-art-deck story. We also swap first week of school stories, Gerry's "I'm a warden" intimidation tactics, plus Molly's mortifying tale of teaching an entire day with her sleeves completely ripped off and not knowing it. Then things get a little unhinged, because that's just how we do it. I tell you guys about the time I genuinely thought there was a man in a ski mask behind my house (spoiler: I grabbed scissors and did absolutely nothing useful with them), Gerry one-ups me with his own naked-scissors home defense story, and somehow we end up giving out medical advice about colonoscopies and IBS. We close it out with our hills to die on, because apparently off-brand crayons and back-to-school-night-the-night-before-school are both worth fighting for. It's a chaotic one, guys, but I loved it. ORDER MY NEW BOOK (AVAILABLE NOW)!!! — https://bit.ly/49CZ5A0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Takeaways: Molly is officially a permanent co-host on the podcast now, and I could not be more excited about it. Bad professional development, minor disasters, and embarrassing moments genuinely make the best content if you can laugh at yourself. Gerry's classroom management strategy involves a lot of scaring kids and occasionally flipping a desk for emphasis. Real talk: get your colonoscopy, guys, because colon cancer is scary and it's showing up younger than people think. I will always stand firm on my hill that off-brand crayons and colored pencils are simply unacceptable. -- 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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production Chapters: 1:08 - Intro 3:33 - Sycamore Summit Recap 10:23 - Gerry Gets Licensed 24:11 - First Week of School Stories 36:06 - Ski Mask Neighbor & Home Defense Chaos 42:11 - Colonoscopy PSA 48:12 - Hills to Die On Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • August 3 · 41 min

    Welcome Back To School

    We are BACK, teacher besties, and I have SO much to catch you up on. It's the season three premiere of How to Survive the Classroom, and Gerry has arrived with a NEW nose ring, a PASSED edTPA, and a very concerning number of years since his last dentist appointment. Buckle up. We recap Gerry's full edTPA journey and then get into a real conversation kicked off by my 100-year-old grandpa, who was a teacher for seven years before he quit, largely because he was frustrated that pay was tied to years of service instead of actual skill. Fifty years later, that same debate is still going, and we dig into merit-based pay, the limits of standardized testing, and why electives teachers get left out of the conversation entirely. Then we jump into back-to-school fan questions: what NOT to do your first year, the worst icebreakers ever, and how new teachers can actually protect their time. Plus, an unhinged Two Truths and a Lie round where Gerry casually mentions being present for an Easter Sunday prison riot and I have some follow-up questions. ORDER MY NEW BOOK (AVAILABLE NOW)!!! — https://bit.ly/49CZ5A0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Takeaways: Do NOT coach your first year of teaching. Even if you love the sport, the workload will bury you. Wait until year two if you can. Please do not become a teacher just because you want to coach. Coaching is its own career path, teaching kids just to earn a whistle isn't fair to the students in your classroom. Watch your icebreakers. Two Truths and a Lie in a class of 30 will take the entire period AND leave you exposed to whatever wild thing a student wants to reveal. Choose carefully. Do the work at school. Grading, prep, and lesson planning inside the building beats opening your laptop at 9 PM every night. Protect your home time. The teacher pay debate has been the same conversation for 50+ years. Both skill and years of service matter, but standardized test scores mostly measure the poverty level of an area, so any "merit-based" system needs a smarter way to measure real impact. -- 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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • June 29 · 51 min

    edTPA Survival Guide

    Teacher besties, we made it. This is the season finale of How to Survive the Classroom, and we're going out with a BIG one. Gerry has NEWS, he submitted his edTPA. Like, two hours before the Pacific Time deadline news. (He fully Patoka'd it.) He walks me through his 4 Ps of marketing lesson plan, we trauma-bond over watching yourself teach on video, and he reveals that his comedy tell when a joke bombs is just saying "Hell yeah" into the mic, which will now live rent-free in my head for the rest of my life. Then we tackle fan questions. How to actually land a teaching job, what to ask in the interview, and which AI tools and books are actually worth your time. We also get into the Roast of Kevin Hart and why lazy jokes never land, why Tires might be the funniest sitcom on TV right now, and the ongoing saga of my mom genuinely believing Gerry has face tattoos. Gerry's hill to die on this week: the edTPA needs to go. Mine: every single teacher is allowed to COUCH ROT this summer with zero guilt. We'll see you back in August for the next season. ORDER MY NEW BOOK (AVAILABLE NOW)!!! — https://bit.ly/49CZ5A0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Takeaways: The "side door" is a legit way into the classroom. Subbing, long-term subbing, and instructional assistant roles can absolutely lead to full-time teaching jobs, and often build the relationships that get you hired. In a job interview, ask about adjunct duties (lunch, bus, coverage) AND whether they're paid. Knowing your district's coverage policy before you sign saves you a lot of resentment later. AI tools like Magic School AI and Diffit can be genuine time-savers for lesson planning, generating questions, and differentiating materials, as long as you're using them to support your work, not replace your thinking. The edTPA may have its place in traditional teacher prep, but for lateral-entry teachers who have already been in the classroom for years, the hoop-jumping starts to feel pointless. Worth pushing back on. Teachers: you are allowed to do absolutely NOTHING this summer. Couch rotting is a valid, evidence-based recovery method. (Source: me.) -- 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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • June 22 · 43 min

    New Teacher Survival Guide

    It is officially summer, teacher besties, and I have made a HUGE mistake. I decided I wasn't going to pay for summer camp this year, which means I'm home with my own children, who can apparently sense when I'm overstimulated and somehow get closer AND louder. This week's How to Survive the Classroom is a wide-ranging chat that takes us from Gerry's truly unhinged childhood Holocaust summer camp, to the ethics of ghost tours, to the dark history of New Orleans, to the new-teacher essentials you do (and definitely DON'T) actually need. Then I get on a soapbox about the real hill this week: the federal Department of Education said it was going away, and somehow Linda McMahon is still posting mandates on Instagram. We also briefly fall down the rabbit hole of Stone Cold Steve Austin running for office and the MMA stadium being built on the White House lawn, because of course we do. ORDER MY NEW BOOK (AVAILABLE NOW)!!! — https://bit.ly/49CZ5A0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Takeaways: New teachers, save your money. Highlighters, fancy turn-in baskets, and elaborate organizational systems are mostly overrated. Focus your energy on a bathroom-pass system you'll actually use. The most underrated new-teacher skill is teaching classroom routines on purpose. If kids walk in wrong, make them walk in again. They'll be annoyed, but it works. The "everyone else has it together" myth is a lie. Even veteran teachers are pivoting, guessing, and occasionally throwing on Shark Tank when the copies didn't get made. Year seven is when you officially become a veteran teacher, with bonus dog years for anyone who taught through the pandemic or wore multiple hats early in their career. When the federal government says it's dismantling the Department of Education but is somehow still issuing mandates, it's worth paying attention and worth pushing back, no matter where you sit politically. -- 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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • June 15 · 50 min

    Winston Hodges on Working With Autistic Students & Going Viral on Funny AF

    Gerry and I are joined by Funny AF top six finalist and stand-up comedian Winston Hodges, who, before he was making Kevin Hart, Chelsea Handler, and Kumail Nanjiani laugh on Netflix, spent four years teaching at a school for kids on the autism spectrum in Virginia. Winston shares some of the wildest classroom stories I've heard on this pod, whether it's getting hit with a globe mid-Civil War lecture, becoming the school's unofficial crisis negotiator, or the one-month average staff retention that meant his coworker Marissa quit on day TWO. He also explains why special education teachers are tough as nails, and how working with kids on the autism spectrum made him weirdly elite at managing other comedians' meltdowns. Then we go fully behind the scenes of Funny AF. Who ran the light by ten full minutes and genuinely thought they killed, the conversation about his late dad that got cut, why some sets got edited harder than others, and how he handled the brutal Threads discourse around the show. ORDER MY NEW BOOK (AVAILABLE NOW)!!! — https://bit.ly/49CZ5A0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Takeaways: Special education teachers are some of the toughest, most skilled humans in the building. The "sweet and gentle" stereotype misses the patience, paperwork, and de-escalation skills the job actually demands. Crisis de-escalation is a transferable superpower. Working with autistic students made Winston better at handling hecklers, talking comics off the ledge, and the kind of active listening most people don't get in their day-to-day life. Reality TV editing is real, but Funny AF wasn't a hit piece. Winston says the team genuinely loved comedy and worked to make everyone look good, even when they could have done the opposite. Don't trust the algorithm to tell you when your favorite comic is in town. Get on their email list, or you'll be the person commenting "when are you coming to my city?" two days after they leave. Comedy used to feel like a brotherhood, comics could trash-talk each other privately but had each other's backs publicly. That solidarity is slipping, and it's a bummer for the whole craft. -- 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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • June 8 · 44 min

    Classroom Management Hacks That Backfire

    I bombed a comedy show in New Orleans this weekend, and Gerry and I are unpacking every chaotic detail on this week's How to Survive the Classroom, from the venue surprise-merging me with another show, to the broken mic, to me literally apologizing to Kevin Hart in my anxiety dream that night. Then we finally dive into the Canvas hack and how Gerry's school was down for FIVE days. We dig into how the breach actually happened, why district-issued phishing tests are honestly the pettiest thing in education, and the unhinged disgruntled-employee email saga I once lived through that the district quietly scrubbed from every inbox overnight. ORDER MY NEW BOOK (AVAILABLE NOW)!!! — https://bit.ly/49CZ5A0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Takeaways: Comedians are often nicer to you after a bad set than a good one, which honestly says everything you need to know about the industry (and frankly, teaching, too). The Canvas hack was resolved because Instructure paid up. The breach started with a free for-teacher account, so treat suspicious emails like the threat they are. "I'll wait" classroom management only works if you're ready for it NOT to work. Always have a real Plan B for the class that calls your bluff. Telling students you'll be absent is a gamble. Some classes will plan accordingly, others will use it as permission to check out before you even leave. We may need to rethink the kindergarten / fifth grade / preschool graduation industrial complex. Save the bedazzled cap energy for moments that actually mark a meaningful transition. -- 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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • June 1 · 39 min

    Is Anyone Thinking Critically? Homeschool and AI

    Are these new teacher red flags or green flags? This week we play a back-to-school hallway game ranking the behaviors that tell you exactly what kind of colleague you're dealing with, from Bitmoji classrooms to teachers who don't drink caffeine to anyone clickety-clacking down the hallway in stiletto heels. Then we get into a question I have been wrestling with hard: should teachers use AI to grade essays? We dig into what AI gets right, what it gets wrong, and the bigger danger of "internet consensus" quietly replacing real critical thinking in our classrooms. ORDER MY NEW BOOK (AVAILABLE NOW)!!! — https://bit.ly/49CZ5A0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Takeaways: Teacher hallway red flags are real. Lifelong-learner energy on PD day, brand-new Bitmoji classrooms in 2026, no caffeine ever, and stiletto heels in the hallway all earn the side-eye. AI essay grading (like Magic School AI) can be useful for big class loads and reducing bias, but it's a tool, not a replacement for your eyes on the page. ChatGPT is a people pleaser. It will agree with you even when it's wrong, which is exactly why teaching kids critical thinking around AI matters more than ever. If you homeschool, you should be the loudest advocate for better public schools. A strong, well-funded public education system is foundational to a strong democracy. When enrollment shrinks, push your district to keep class sizes small instead of cutting teachers. Smaller classes are a tangible win you can advocate for right now. -- 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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • May 25 · 55 min

    They Didn’t Have My Subject In School with Steven Rogers

    Have you ever booking a show in New York City only to realize there are so many comedy giants there that you can barely sell a dozen tickets ? Because that is exactly the humbling moment I’m bonding over with today's guest, the insanely talented Steven Rogers! Steven works with absolute legends like Nate Bargatze and Brian Regan (who actually produced his special), but he had to cancel a New York show tonight for the exact same reason . Talk about a fast kinship . We are diving deep into what it truly means to "work clean" in a business that often relies on shock factor, why Steven refuses to change his jokes just to fit a late-night TV slot, and don't worry, we bring it right back to the classroom . Gerry highlights how 13 years of comedy writing mirrors teaching perfectly: if you stick to the exact same routine and refuse to change with the world around you, you lose your connection with your audience. Plus, Steven shares why he was bored out of his mind in school but always got along best with his teachers, including his 10th-grade math teacher who still comes to his shows ! ORDER MY NEW BOOK (AVAILABLE NOW)!!! — https://bit.ly/49CZ5A0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Takeaways: The New York Humbling: Andrea and Steven connect over the brutal reality of trying to sell tickets in New York City, proving that even headliners get beaten up by the market . The Math of Clean Comedy: Why Steven Rogers chose to write exclusively clean sets from day one, rather than rewriting a joke 200 times just to get a late-night TV slot . Order and Chaos in Writing: Steven breaks down his loose, structured-yet-chaotic joke writing process, which involves emptying anxieties onto a notebook page so he can observe the world clearly . The Constant Lesson Plan: Gerry links Steven’s 13-year comedy journey to public education, arguing that teachers constantly have to adapt their frameworks to avoid getting left behind . Team Cat Content: Andrea tries to convince Steven to turn his hairless cats into viral content superstars because the algorithm is practically begging for it . -- 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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • May 18 · 41 min

    The Mental Resilience of Taking Big Swings

    I’m wrapping up my semester and Gerry is surviving quarter four, but honestly, we’re both just exhausted from a weekend of comedy. Gerry has been out here opening for Joe Dombrowski and doing guest spots with Josh Johnson from The Daily Show, no big deal! We’re getting real about the "success through failure" mindset and how that translates to the classroom. Sometimes you take a big swing with a lesson plan and it just... doesn't hit. We dive into the "apathy epidemic" teachers are facing right now and why some of us are just too tired to cajole students who have mentally checked out. Also, things get a little... messy. Gerry shares the most embarrassing story involving a Target, a classroom chair, and a gamble on a fart that he definitely lost. Plus, my dog may or may not have used my pant leg as a fire hydrant before I went to work. Write in and tell us: what’s the most embarrassing thing you’ve done in public while "surviving" the week? ORDER MY NEW BOOK (AVAILABLE NOW)!!! — https://bit.ly/49CZ5A0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Takeaways: Failing Upward: Why you have to fail more times than you succeed to make it in comedy or in a middle school math class. The Apathy Epidemic: Andrea and Gerry discuss the struggle of motivating students post-pandemic and why "begging and cajoling" isn't always the answer. Gerry’s Comedy Streak: From Cleveland to Columbus, Gerry recounts his weekend performing with some of the biggest names in the business. The Wrong Rental Key: A classic comedy club mishap involving Joe Dombrowski and a car key that looked right but definitely didn't start the engine. A Messy Situation: Gerry finally tells the full story of his "Target Incident" and why you should never trust a snack-sized bag of Takis. -- 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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • May 11 · 41 min

    Raising Gerry: A Mother’s Day Special

    We are back with part two of our Mother's Day special, and this time the spotlight is on Gerry’s mom, Melanie Potoka!. Not only is she the woman who raised Gerry, but she’s also a fellow educator who’s been in the game for 10 years teaching fifth-grade math and science. Melanie drops some major truth bombs about Gerry’s childhood, including the fact that she was actually shocked he became a teacher since she figured he’d be a preacher or a sports broadcaster. We dive into Gerry’s legendary costume phase (Elvis! Pirates! The Situation from Jersey Shore!) and why he currently has five Spider-Man "dolls" within arms reach while we're recording. Plus, Melanie spills the tea on Gerry’s high school days, including the time a teacher threatened to kick him out for saying the book The Giver sucked, and honestly, Gerry still stands by that review. We also talk about the "gummy bear war" and the "little man" catchphrase that has been haunting their family car rides for years. Happy Mother’s Day to all our teacher moms out there, we hope you're getting some quiet time (and maybe a coloring book) today! ORDER MY NEW BOOK (AVAILABLE NOW)!!! — https://bit.ly/49CZ5A0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Takeaways: The Career Surprise: Why Melanie never saw Gerry's teaching career coming, despite his natural gift for gab and remembering random facts. "The Situation" at Spirit Halloween: The hilarious story of the year Gerry chose the most "wild" Halloween costume possible and ended up on the local news. The Giver Debate: Gerry recounts the first time he was almost kicked out of a classroom for his very vocal (and very negative) literary critique. The Surgery Incident: Melanie and Andrea discuss a "medicated" Gerry post-kidney surgery, involving an exposed hospital gown and some very questionable comments to the nurses. Mom as the #1 Fan (and Heckler): Why Melanie’s "delayed laugh" and tendency to guess punchlines makes her the most stressful audience member at Gerry’s comedy shows. -- 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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • May 4 · 46 min

    Raising Andrea: A Mother’s Day Special

    I have a very special guest today, the woman, the myth, the legend: my mom, Candi Neal (aka Mama Neal). Mama Neal is here to spill all the tea on what I was really like before the PhD and let's just say, eighth grade was a "spicy" season. From my mom literally snitching on my dress code violations to the principal to her calling me out for being a "pill" on a school trip, we are diving deep into my "rule-follower to a fault" childhood. Plus, I finally show off my weirdest special skill: rolling my tongue like an ocean wave. We also discuss why my husband Steven is basically the real-life Ron Swanson and how my mom used to hide rotten bananas to magically turn them into banana bread. Happy Mother's Day! ORDER MY NEW BOOK (AVAILABLE NOW)!!! — https://bit.ly/49CZ5A0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Takeaways: The Snitch on the School Board: Why Mama Neal didn't just enforce the dress code, she called the principal to make sure Andrea got busted the second she stepped out of the car. The President of South America: Gerry digs up a "subpar geography" moment from Andrea's past that involves a very embarrassing question about George W. Bush. The "Worst Student" Overachiever: How Andrea went from a disorganized middle schooler who stuffed her locker until it wouldn't shut to having a PhD and two Master's degrees. Gerry’s Exit Interview: Why Andrea's daughter gave Gerry a "condolences card" level of shade and asked him to leave their house during a Sunday hang. The Benjamin Button Finger: Andrea reveals the story behind her "child-sized" pinky and the genetic quirk she shares with her mom and daughter. -- 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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • April 27 · 45 min

    We Are Your Mother Now

    The box finally arrived. My book is officially here! I’ve worked on it for years, but now that I’m holding it, I’m having a total crisis.. I can’t even look at the pages without feeling nauseous.. Gerry, of course, thinks I should just popcorn read it to my students like it's a fifth-grade class and carry it around like a dictionary.. Speaking of things that make me want to disappear, we’re talking about "insane" professional development.. I’m sharing my trauma of being forced to pass Fruit Loops from person to person using a toothpick during a high school assembly, which, from a distance, looks exactly like you're making out with a 50-year-old colleague.. It was a dark time.. Plus, Gerry is coming for the "anonymous" commenters in his local teacher Facebook group.. If you’re going to talk smack about your school or your coworkers, Gerry has a message for you: put your name on it and stand on business. ORDER MY NEW BOOK (AVAILABLE NOW)!!! — https://bit.ly/49CZ5A0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Takeaways: The Book Paradox: Andrea finally has her book in hand, but the thought of actually reading it out loud or discussing it makes her feel physically sick.. The "Fruit Loop" Assembly: Why Andrea’s first year of teaching included a viral-worthy moment that made her look like she was making out with a stranger in a dusty gym.. Facebook Beef: Gerry explains why posting anonymously in a 9,000-person private forum isn't a "point of view", it’s just slander.. The $43,000 Speaker: Andrea recounts the time her school paid a speaker an entire year's teacher salary for one hour of work, only for her to never return.. Sycamore Summit: Andrea’s vision for a teacher conference that doesn't suck, featuring mimosas, bloody marys, and, hopefully a rage room for stressed educators. -- 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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • April 20 · 33 min

    Will Robots Ever Replace Teachers?

    Have you heard the news? Apparently, the First Lady thinks we might need a robot in the classroom. Today, Gerry and I are breaking down the "AI humanoid robot" pitch and why we’re a little skeptical that a faceless machine can handle a middle schooler with a paperclip and a dream. Gerry is convinced that unless the robot has lasers to keep the kids in line, it’s basically just an expensive target for classroom chaos. We also dive into the networking vibes of Gerry’s recent comedy festival, where he successfully dodged seeing any students or parents in the wild. Plus, I’m getting heated about the "subject matter expertise" myth. Just because you have a degree in biology doesn’t mean you know what to do when a student starts crawling under desks or picks a "pee corner" in your room. Write in and let us know: would you rather have a robot co-teacher or a random person off the street? Because I’m pretty sure the robot would at least follow the safety protocols while the desk is being flipped. ORDER MY NEW BOOK (AVAILABLE NOW)!!! — https://bit.ly/49CZ5A0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Takeaways: Gerry’s Comedy Showcase: How Gerry spent his weekend networking and hosting in Raleigh without getting recognized by a single student's mom. The "Robot" Teacher: Andrea and Gerry react to the White House's introduction of a humanoid AI tutor and why they think the battery would die before first period ends. Laser-Focused Management: Gerry’s "devil’s advocate" theory on why a robot with laser eyes might actually be the ultimate classroom management tool. The "Pee Corner" Reality: Why knowing the mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell won't help you when the classroom environment gets... biological. Subject Matter vs. Teaching: Andrea’s "hill to die on" regarding new state policies that think nine credits are enough to prepare someone for the chaos of K-12. -- 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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  • April 13 · 41 min

    Knife to the Heart: Kindergartner Insults with Jayson Cross

    Have you ever booked a hotel so sketchy that even the Uber driver took one look and canceled the ride? Because that was my weekend in Essington, Pennsylvania. I’m joined by Chicago-based interventionist and comedian Jayson Cross, who, despite being 47, looks like he’s microdosing youth because he hasn’t aged a day since 2001. We’re settling a major debate: is it worse to bomb in front of 30 paying comedy fans or 30 middle schoolers who have to see your face every day for the next six months?. Jayson breaks down the "cleanup crew" life of an interventionist, and Gerry admits he’s basically a classroom dictator because "whatever gets you to follow me on Instagram" is his new motto. Also, we’re back on our medical nonsense (sorry, not sorry). Gerry finally learns that he does, in fact, have a prostate, while I try to explain why a kindergartner’s insult feels like a literal knife to the heart ORDER MY NEW BOOK (AVAILABLE NOW)!!! — https://bit.ly/49CZ5A0⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Takeaways: The "Crack Den" Hotel: Andrea recounts her harrowing stay in Essington where the hotel room looked like a middle schooler’s backpack and the Uber drivers fled on sight. The Fountain of Youth: Comedian Jayson Cross reveals he’s 47, leaving Gerry and Andrea spiraling over how he looks twenty years younger than he actually is. Classroom Weapons: Andrea reveals why the humble stapler is the most dangerous item in a classroom, leading to some truly disturbing "nail bed" stories. The "Taco" Dealer: Andrea recalls a student who was running a foil-wrapped taco empire in her class—which is a much better alternative to the actual drugs teachers usually find. Gerry the Dictator: Why Gerry refuses to feel guilty about losing his temper unless he "went too hard," and why he’s leaning into his "dictator" reputation in the comments. -- 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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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