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.

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.

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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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production

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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

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.

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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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production

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I have a confession to make: I am officially eating my words from last week. My husband, who actually went to Yale for medicine, informed me that basically everything Ms. Dugan and I said about male anatomy was 100% wrong. We had the confidence of straight white men, but we were batting zero.

In this episode, Gerry updates us on his "stroke of thunder" snow day (which was actually just a regular storm) and his new hobby of doing glamor shots for his Spider-Man "dolls", excuse me, action figures. Plus, we dive into the world of "Fuglers," which are quite possibly the most upsetting stuffed animals I’ve ever seen, yet Gerry owns five of them.

We’re also talking about the "food desert" of healthy fast food. Gerry is officially on his health king journey, but he’s ready to crash out over the fact that a side of fruit at Chick-fil-A costs more than a literal chicken combo.

Takeaways:

• The "Dolls" Photoshoot: Jerry spent his afternoon house-sitting and using "cinematic vision" to pose Marvel figurines in empty rooms.

  
  

• The Anatomy Apology: Andrea sets the record straight after her husband (the Yale-educated PA) completely obliterated her medical "facts" from the last episode.

  
  

• Winston the Mascot: Get ready for a new addition to the classroom—an English Bulldog puppy named Winston is joining the pod family.

  
  

• Stranger Danger Sex Ed: Why a certain school district brings in retired teachers to give eighth graders the birds-and-the-bees talk instead of their regular biology teachers.

  
  

• The $14 Fruit Cup: Jerry’s "hill to die on" involves the literal crime of Chick-fil-A charging $5 extra just to swap fries for grapes.

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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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production

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Today, we're joined by my fellow high school English teacher and total girl’s girl, Miss Molly Dugan. We’re diving into the absolute chaos of being a teacher on the internet, from people trying to pit us against each other to the "sourdough baddie" comments that have basically become an inside joke at this point.

We also get into the trauma of being bullied by our own students. Molly shares a story from her early teaching days about getting "dumped" and having 28 eighth graders basically tell her she’s going to die alone. Plus, Gerry explains why he crashed out in his classroom this week.

Write in and tell us: Have your students ever bullied you into changing your life?

Takeaways:

• The Comedy Trap: Andrea explains why being asked to "do a joke" in a room full of 11:00 AM business majors is actually a form of torture.

  
  

• Medical Mysteries with Gerry: Gerry realizes he might have skipped a few too many units during his time teaching health when the topic of male anatomy comes up.

  
  

• Sub Day Sabotage: Why coming back to a three-page sub note is the fastest way to make a teacher "crash out" on a Friday.

  
  

• The "Reverse Spider-Man": Andrea recounts a legendary (and slightly scarring) prank from a senior trip to Europe.

  
  

• Molly’s Student Roast: How a group of eighth graders managed to turn Molly’s breakup into a "mentor moment" that ended in them suggesting she needs therapy.

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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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production

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My kids were sick. My husband was sick. My babysitter got sick. Somehow I was the only one left standing, which honestly felt suspicious.

Meanwhile, I was traveling for shows in Washington, DC and Philadelphia, performing for teachers… and accidentally for a group of 40 people who absolutely did not know who we were.

So naturally Gerry and I had a lot to discuss. We talk about the chaos of teaching during flu season, the truly unhinged things students say to teachers’ faces, and the advice every new teacher should hear before stepping into a middle school classroom.

There’s also a heated debate about movie theater etiquette, a surprisingly philosophical conversation about insults from students, and the passive-aggressive teacher phrases that somehow become second nature after a few years in the classroom.

And somewhere in the middle of all of that… we discover that Gerry’s students think he looks like a thumb.

Takeaways:

1. The advice new teachers get before facing middle schoolers for the first time.

2. The insult students discovered about me that I didn’t even know was a thing.

3. Gerry’s experience watching a classic movie… with the worst possible audience.

4. The passive-aggressive phrases teachers secretly love using.

5. The unexpected comedy audience that had absolutely no idea who we were.

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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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production

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Gerry came to my house for the Indianapolis show, insulted my daughter’s dental hygiene via the Tooth Fairy, may or may not have been exposed to Flu B, and then drove 11 hours home fueled almost entirely by marshmallows.

So yes. We have a lot to unpack.

We talk about the Terre Haute experience (including Gerry’s pilgrimage to the Larry Bird statue), the movies Gerry somehow managed to avoid his entire life, and why he believes Monty Python and the Holy Grail might be one of the worst films ever made, which is an absolutely unhinged opinion.

There’s also a very important moment where Gerry publicly shoots his shot with one of my friends, a discussion about the truly shocking things parents would hear if they spent one day in a classroom, and multiple interruptions from my children who apparently believe recording a podcast is the perfect time to ask for snacks or show me injuries.

Takeaways:

1. The unexpected road snack that immediately became a terrible idea.

2. Gerry’s extremely controversial movie take that I refuse to accept.

3. The one thing parents would be shocked to hear happening in classrooms.

4. The on-air romantic confession I absolutely did not see coming.

5. Why recording a podcast with kids in the house is… unpredictable.

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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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production

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Teacher besties… I turned 39. Which means, naturally, I decided to spiral publicly and create “52 Weeks Until 40” as content instead of processing my feelings privately like a normal person.

This episode has everything. Gerry trying to convince me to buy Crocs as a personality pivot. A listener question about burnout that feels way too real this time of year. My best life achievement (which unfortunately involves a cafeteria and questionable liquid). A very honest conversation about doing less in your classroom and surviving licensure requirements without losing your mind. And… a confession from Gerry that I genuinely did not see coming.

We talk about burnout while trying to become a teacher, why you do not have to Dead Poets Society every single lesson, and what student behaviors absolutely would not survive in corporate America.

Somewhere in the middle of all of that, we discover that sometimes the worst day of your life is just the worst day so far.

Takeaways:

1. The 52-week challenge I may regret starting.

2. The burnout advice I give my graduate students when they’re drowning.

3. Why you absolutely do not need to grade everything.

4. The classroom behavior that would end most adult careers instantly.

5. A confession from Gerry that changes how you’ll hear the rest of this episode.

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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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production

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Matt Eicheldinger is back and somehow since the last time he was on, he’s casually signed over a dozen book contracts, written across multiple age ranges, and is now launching a dystopian trilogy. Meanwhile, I’m still over here arguing with copy editors about commas.

We talk about what self-publishing actually looks like, what happens when Kirkus reviews decide your book is either brilliant or from the devil himself, and how middle schoolers might actually be the toughest literary critics alive.

Matt shares the premise of his new YA trilogy, a flooded world, a foster teen, hardcore preppers, and a mysterious place called “The Hill”, and we get into what it feels like to pivot from autobiographical humor to dystopian survival.

Takeaways:

• The version of self-publishing nobody romanticizes.

• The Kirkus review line that absolutely sent me.

• Why Matt’s “violent” middle grade series is more autobiographical than I realized.

• The unexpected inspiration behind a flooded dystopian trilogy.

• The workplace interaction that reminded me kindness is free and somehow still controversial.

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

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Teacher besties… this episode has everything: licensure panic, conspiracy theories about teacher testing companies, medical dramas I probably shouldn’t have described in detail, and one first-year teacher who is being absolutely swarmed during passing period.

Gerry is in his final form of teacher paperwork chaos, grinding through the edTPA like it personally offended him, and I may or may not have gone on a small rant about why some of these hoops exist in the first place.

We also debate whether PE teachers really need a Praxis (Gerry has thoughts), spiral into television recommendations that absolutely should not be watched with children nearby, and answer a classroom management question that I know so many of you are living right now: how do you survive those first five minutes of class without losing your mind?

Plus, we share irrational classroom pet peeves, discuss why students absolutely cannot “just do it at home,” and Gerry unveils what might be his final, grand Potoka.

Takeaways:

• Why Gerry believes this is the edTPA’s toughest opponent yet.

• My completely unverified theory about who really benefits from teacher testing requirements.

• The one classroom management move that will instantly stop the passing-period swarm.

• The pet peeve that will make Gerry physically lock a door.

• Why “I’ll just do it at home” is one of the most dangerous lies in education.

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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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production

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Gerry is back after what can only be described as the Ice Age: Wake County Edition, we compare notes on barely meeting our students, and I realize, once again, that trusting Facebook teacher groups might be a dangerous choice.

We also talk about something huge in my life: my husband decided to try stand-up comedy for the very first time… during my show… with zero warning to anyone. Watching him crush five minutes on stage somehow made me more nervous than any set I’ve ever done myself, and Gerry’s reaction alone was worth it.

From there, we spiral (naturally) into comedy venues that feel like side quests, students who refuse to pay to see their professors perform, the deeply unserious idea of giving extra credit for attending comedy shows, and the absolute audacity of calling planning time a “gift.”

And yes, I climb onto a hill I’m fully prepared to die on, this time involving taxes, reading levels, and why being educated shouldn’t feel like a trap.

Takeaways:

• The moment I realized my husband might secretly be good at stand-up comedy.

• Why teacher Facebook groups should never be treated as primary sources.

• The phrase administrators use that makes my eye twitch instantly.

• The awkward truth about students, professors, and paid entertainment.

• The hill I’ll die on involving taxes, literacy, and common sense.

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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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production

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Teacher besties… this episode is a little heavier than usual, but it’s one I felt I needed to record exactly as it is.

Lately, the news cycle has been overwhelming, and as teachers, we don’t get the luxury of tuning it out, because our students bring it straight into our classrooms. In this episode, I talk honestly about what it feels like to be asked to “say something,” why nuance disappears online, and how impossible it can feel to hold space for kids who are scared, angry, confused, or all three at once.

I share why structure can be one of the most compassionate things we give students during chaotic times, how I’ve navigated these conversations in my own classroom, and why empathy has to come before ideology when kids are involved.

Then, we pivot, because life doesn’t stop. I respond to a first-year English teacher who is cheering out loud while grading student writing (yes, really), reflect on the power of what we say to kids, and explain why words from teachers can echo for decades.

Takeaways:

• Why “just stay neutral” isn’t as simple as people think for teachers.

• The classroom strategy that can ground students when the world feels unsafe.

• A grading moment so joyful it startled a janitor.

• The reminder of how deeply a teacher’s words can shape a student’s future.

• The grading policy hill I am fully prepared to die on.

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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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production

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I’m fresh off Teacher’s Lounge shows in Seattle and Portland (cities I was told to fear, but absolutely adored), and Gerry is coming back to work after a winter break so long it fully erased his sense of time, purpose, and identity.

We talk about Pacific Northwest vibes and play a game that asks the important question: is this a student insult… or a Portland restaurant?

Then we pivot into teacher reality: the story of a teacher arrested over a “private” Snapchat, what that means for how we vent, joke, and exist online, and why context doesn’t always save you anymore.

We also dive into the grossest things we’ve ever seen in student backpacks, hypothetical snakes in classrooms, science teachers with emotional-support lizards, and the hills we are absolutely prepared to die on as we stumble back into the school year.

Takeaways:

• The restaurant names that made me question reality in Seattle and Portland.

• Why “private” messages aren’t actually private and what teachers need to consider now.

• The backpack discovery that permanently altered my brain chemistry.

• How different teachers react to wildlife in the classroom (and why some people scare me).

• The workday expectations that make absolutely no sense after a long break.

--

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

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Teacher besties… this episode is what happens when you let me and Gerry talk long enough to uncover each other’s secret side quests.

I found out Gerry is casually coaching middle school basketball, we unpack why coaching parents somehow feel less terrifying than classroom parents, and I confess that my basketball career was built almost entirely on effort, fouls, and one accidental broken nose.

We also get into musical theater respect, drama teacher burnout, the teacher red flags that instantly make you question the vibes, and the deeply humbling experience of hearing what students really think you look like.

Plus, we tackle a Would You Rather that exposes the fantasy of “saying whatever you want at work,” debate poop patrol versus state testing, and I plant my flag firmly on a hill involving people who describe themselves as “just blunt.”

Takeaways:

• The secret coaching gig that somehow flew completely under my radar.

• Why some teacher fashion choices immediately feel like a red flag.

• The student comparisons that emotionally scar you forever.

• A Would You Rather that reveals how broken school incentives really are.

• The personality trait people brag about that is actually just a warning sign.

--

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

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Teacher besties… this episode officially marks a new era, and honestly? It’s already unhinged. I’m joined by Gerry (yes, that Gerry), and we immediately get into important topics like whether Terre Haute feels like witness protection, why Florida keeps rewarding me while Jerry watches from afar, and how I accidentally ended up hanging out with an NSYNC member in a fancy room full of extremely rich people.

We also talk about New Year’s resolutions that feel suspiciously like punishment, the ongoing grading spiral, why middle school books sometimes hit harder than “grown-up” books, and the eternal debate of which boy band you’d actually want to survive a tour with.

Plus, we dive into airplane etiquette (someone flossed), teacher Would You Rather questions that reveal way too much about school systems, and why Gerry’s geography confidence remains… ambitious.

It’s chaotic. It’s conversational. And it’s exactly the energy this podcast is moving into.

Takeaways:

• The moment I realized I had crossed into a tax bracket I do not belong in.

• Why Gerry is still recovering emotionally from Florida.

• The airplane behavior that deeply horrified my husband (and will probably horrify you).

• A teacher “Would You Rather” that exposes just how broken school coverage systems are.

• The book recommendations that prove middle-grade fiction absolutely still slaps.

--

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

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Teacher besties… I am recording this episode with teeth that feel like exposed electrical wiring, so if I sound unwell, it’s because I am unwell. I decided to get my teeth professionally whitened, and let’s just say the pain level was somewhere between “natural childbirth with a broken epidural” and “why did I do this to myself.”

But vanity drama aside, this week I’m talking about the real chaos. Second graders chanting suspicious initials, a recess mystery that may or may not have involved children unknowingly shouting a swear word, the ongoing saga of my unfortunate last name, and the moment my husband revealed he once ran a black-market lamination scheme to get into a basketball game.

Plus, I’m sharing why now is the perfect time to be your classroom’s Agent of Chaos, the website that gives you instant science/math magic for K-8, and the massive show update I’ve been waiting to announce.

Takeaways:

• The cosmetic decision that almost made me collapse in the Lowe’s parking lot.

• The recess chant that had teachers whispering, “Wait… what did they just say?”

• Why my husband’s teenage criminal enterprise involved a stolen lamination machine.

• How to inject the perfect amount of chaos into your classroom to survive winter.

• The huge announcement about the future of the show (and the beloved guest joining me full-time).

--

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

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Teacher besties… this episode I’m talking about hosting nearly 30 people for Thanksgiving (including a self-appointed “Director of Thanksgiving”), discovering my husband’s family may have some intense World War II memorabilia, and the moment I suddenly had to ask, “Was he… on the right side?”

And then, because the universe wasn’t done with me, we dive into a student who shotgunned a seltzer in the middle of a lesson like he was training for a frat he cannot legally join yet… and another student who thought it would be hilarious to make his teacher’s mom his Chromebook wallpaper.

Plus, I’m climbing onto a hill that I know is going to get me fired up, because if we don’t fix this issue in education, nothing else even matters.

Takeaways:

• The unexpected family “heirloom” that made me question everything I knew about my husband’s family tree.

• The seventh grader who cracked open a seltzer like he was at a tailgate… during a lesson on industrialization.

• Why I now fully believe middle schoolers work for the FBI.

• A brain break resource that turns even high-schoolers into unhinged backup dancers.

• The one education issue that will ruin every reform effort until we actually address 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

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Teacher besties… this week I brought on one of my favorite chaotic humans: the hilarious Gerry Potoka, comedian, teacher, and man of mysteriously undefined licensure.

In this episode, Gerry and I try to pinpoint what he actually teaches, debate whether PE tests are secretly impossible, unpack his “desk art collection,” and discover that his lowercase k is actually a cursive crime.

We also react to a voice memo that had both of us questioning the ethics of having “favorite students,” accidentally stumble into a conversation about charcuterie boards and disease vectors, and play a game of Would You Rather: Teacher Edition that reveals way too much about our tolerance for cafeteria behavior.

Takeaways:

1. The shocking subject Gerry may, or may not, actually be licensed to teach.

2. Why his lowercase k started an existential crisis in the teacher’s lounge.

3. The voice memo that made us both rethink “favorite students” forever.

4. Kinder field trips vs. middle school dances: the battle of true horrors.

5. A charcuterie board, a stomach bug, and a chain reaction that absolutely nobody survived.

--

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

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This week I’m talking about the grading spiral that made me question my entire career, the wild field-trip confessions my five-year-old brought home, and the absolute unhinged energy that middle schoolers bring into any art room with a blank sheet of paper.

And the voice memos? Oh, they’re next-level. One features a crime scene so disgusting I almost logged off my own podcast. The other… well, let’s just say a substitute made a choice that will go down in school-wide legend, and not in a good way.

Plus, I’m climbing up on a hill I fully expect to die on, and it involves legal loopholes, teenagers, and why this country needs to get its act together.

Takeaways:

The surprisingly delicious St. Louis food that healed my pre-show stomach disaster.

How a grading pile-up turned into a full-on identity crisis.

Why elementary crushes feel like Shakespearean monologues now.

The most unhinged classroom vandalism case I’ve ever heard—and the wild “investigation” that followed.

The legal hill I did not expect to die on this week… and why I’m standing on it anyway.

—

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

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Plus, your stories this week? Unhinged. We’re talking ski masks, mystery backpacks, “not again” from a school counselor (which is never the phrase you want to hear), and one of the wildest parent–interpreter–admin conferences I have ever imagined.

And because I can’t help myself, I’m also taking a moment to climb atop a hill I’m fully prepared to die on, one that every creative, teacher, and comedian should probably hear.

Takeaways:

The kombucha incident that nearly destroyed my dignity and a mom-and-pop gas station bathroom.

How my child chose a random truck driver as his “best friend” and shared my darkest secret.

A ski mask mix-up that absolutely no administrator wants to explain.

The classroom situation that made a counselor say, “Not again…”

Why bitterness has no place in comedy—and what I’ve learned from watching others rise. --

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

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And yes, there’s a story in here about nipples. And lotion. And regret.

Plus, I’m finally sharing the unexpected resource that has completely reshaped how I think about reading instruction… and honestly, I want to know what you think about it.

Takeaways:

• Why context is the difference between a beautiful performance… and a crime scene.

• The unexpected way a Japanese festival turned one teacher into a local legend.

• How I found myself explaining German law at 4 AM while crying in a police station.

• The moment a student’s “self-care routine” derailed an entire classroom.

• The literacy podcast that has me rethinking the way we teach reading, yes, even outside ELA.

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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.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production

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But then my kids started planning how to get rid of a body, a student declared his future as a midwife, and somehow we still managed to end with a heartwarming story about my sister’s new baby and a resource to help your students love writing again.

Takeaways:

Andrea finally admits she was wrong about Texas and Tex-Mex might be elite cuisine.

A kindergartener exposes her “husband’s other babies” in the classroom.

Andrea’s kids invent a disturbingly creative plan for “body disposal.”

A student’s career quiz leads to a midwife meltdown and a hilarious OB-GYN story.

Andrea gets personal about her sister’s baby’s birth, gratitude for NICU staff, and the importance of helping kids embrace discomfort. --

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

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In this special Thanksgiving episode I sit down with Denver Riley to dive into a blend of holiday trivia, teacher humor, and unexpected insights. As we tackle Thanksgiving history questions (with some questionable accuracy), Denver and I find ourselves navigating through fun facts, turkey anatomy, and relatable teaching stories. We also discuss Denver’s “Jersey Shore” spirit day look, the challenges of historical memory, and the little moments that make teaching worth it.

Takeaways:

Thanksgiving Fun Facts Gone Wrong: Andrea and Denver tackle Thanksgiving trivia, with some hilarious (and incorrect) guesses on everything from turkey consumption to historical dates.

Teacher Humor and Real Talk: The episode highlights the lighter side of teaching, where even everyday classroom mishaps can make for memorable stories.

Celebrating Spirit Week in Style: Denver’s “Jersey Shore” inspired spirit day outfit brings humor and nostalgia, showing the fun side of school traditions.

The Perils of Classroom Management: Through laughter, Andrea and Denver reflect on how to balance classroom humor with the need to stay grounded.

Learning Through Laughter: Even as teachers, Andrea and Denver show that learning new facts—especially holiday-related ones—can be fun, relatable, and full of surprises.

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Want to Learn more about Denver Riley?

Instagram: @keepingupwithms.b_

Tiktok: @keepingupwithms.b_

—

Don’t be shy come say hi: andrea@human-content.com and podcasterandrea.com

Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea

Listen Anywhere You Podcast: Apple, Spotify, PodChaser, etc.

—

A Human Content Production

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Then, I share the foreword from my upcoming book They Never Taught Us That, talk about what inspired it, and reveal a resource that actually helps teachers get feedback that matters. Spoiler: it’s not from your administrator.

Takeaways:

• The most uncomfortable voicemail of all time and Andrea’s horrified (but honest) reaction.

• Why middle school might just be the most chaotic age in human history.

• A sneak peek into Andrea’s upcoming book, including her emotional foreword about what teaching really teaches you.

• A resource that helps educators gather feedback that’s actually useful not just bureaucratic.

• Andrea’s reflection on surviving awkwardness, embarrassment, and burnout with humor (and caffeine).

--

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

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Then we hear from a teacher whose classroom window literally exploded mid-class (because of a rogue lawnmower rock, obviously), and I share one of my favorite free classroom tools for teaching grammar, plus the hill I will die on: college professors should be required to learn how to teach.

Takeaways:

The “anatomy conversation” that got way more detailed than Andrea intended.

Why middle school classrooms feel like a mix of chaos, zoo smells, and budding philosophers.

The voicemail about a lawnmower rock that shattered a teacher’s window mid-class.

A free, AI-powered grammar resource that actually works (Quill.org).

Andrea’s unfiltered hill to die on: professors should have to learn to teach, too. --

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

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Somewhere between bathroom popcorn hustles, entrepreneurial students, and emotional damage disguised as equations, we unpack why teachers are equal parts stand-up comedians and hostage negotiators.

Takeaways:

A substitute teacher’s unbelievable day: a phone, a dumbbell, and a fire alarm.

The student-run popcorn speakeasy that actually made money.

The eternal mystery of why schools shut down every student side hustle.

A math lesson that turned into an emotional roast of one missing dad.

Andrea’s take on why chaos might actually be a sign of creative genius. --

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

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Takeaways:

A choir teacher’s nightmare: a seventh grader publicly asking if she’s pregnant, complete with hand motions.

The admin advice that changed how Andrea handles those can’t-laugh-right-now moments.

Why students will always “rather seem like a badass than a dumbass.”

A “balloon” story that turned into the world’s most awkward cleanup.

The lesson every teacher learns eventually: if it’s round, floating, and suspiciously slippery… don’t kick 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

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Takeaways: Andrea opens up about getting roasted in her course evaluations and why she actually agrees with some of the criticism.

The placenta stew TikTok saga that you won’t be able to stop thinking about (for better or worse).

A hilarious (and horrifying) teacher voicemail about a car “stolen by a tow truck” and a class of sixth graders trying to cheer their teacher up.

A second voicemail that takes a wild turn when a student’s water breaks during last period.

Andrea’s final reflection on Rita Pierson’s “Every Kid Needs a Champion” TED Talk and her hill to die on: protecting kids from early internet exposure. --

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

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This week, I’m unpacking all of it . The parenting chaos, the wild road trip energy, and why sometimes, “Bless your heart” is the only thing keeping me from losing it. Plus, two hilarious teacher voicemails you have to hear, including one about a student trying to learn cursive for a very suspicious reason.

Takeaways: The “butt sniffing” confession that proves kindergarteners are just tiny, chaotic humans.

Why touring with comedians feels a lot like parenting toddlers.

The viral kindergarten water bottle mom — and what it says about modern parenting.

A voicemail about a kid learning cursive for forgery (yes, really).

An honest look at special education resources and why every teacher needs them. --

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

Takeaways:

Andrea’s surreal discovery of a Tamagotchi pop-up shop in a fully packed 90s-style mall before her Chicago show.

A run-in with a 12-year-old fan’s son who made it painfully clear parents can’t be cool no matter what.

A teacher voicemail about students obsessed with the “six-seven” trend and now, thanks to a clever colleague, saying it in Spanish.

Another voicemail featuring an 8th grader who made a slime experiment unforgettable for all the wrong reasons.

Andrea’s passionate plea for change: why student teachers deserve to be paid for their full-time classroom work. --

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

Takeaways: When your mic starts drooping mid-speech, the crowd notices… and so does your self-esteem.

Apparently, parades aren’t just floats and candy, sometimes it’s cement trucks and kraut balls.

A teacher’s slip of the tongue about “asshole pants” turned into a running gag students will never let die.

The line between “potential cocaine” and “baking powder” is scarier than you think, especially when it shows up at school.

There are things you expect to hear in driver’s ed… “I’m climaxing” is not one of them. --

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

Takeaways: Andrea’s bafflement at the internet’s collective meltdown over Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement—and her “squirrel found a nut” metaphor .

A nerdy detour into Lord of the Rings news that sparked way more joy than any celebrity couple could .

A listener voicemail about teaching in 110° heat in Southern Utah and the reality of special education across grades 10–12 .

A second voicemail that sparked a debate about admin calling a disruptive student “our friend” and how leaders should support teachers .

Andrea’s hill to die on: why charm and grit will always beat raw IQ in the long run --

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

Takeaways: The surreal moment Andrea’s TikToks were credited as an enrollment booster at a faculty meeting.

A listener voicemail about a confiscated item that had teachers questioning if it belonged in a classroom—or an entirely different store.

Another voicemail about a student’s bathroom stunt that ended with a nurse, an ambulance, and stitches in a place no one wants them.

Andrea’s own kindergartner proving poop humor is genetic.

A fiery rant about “no animal testing” labels and why Andrea doesn’t buy the hype. --

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! — Let’s give back to those who give everything to the next generation. This September, Cozy Earth is doing two special things for teachers:

You can nominate a teacher who’s made a life-changing difference—they’ll be entered to win a massive giveaway.

And, if you’re a teacher, professor, or faculty member yourself, Cozy Earth is giving you 50% off all month long.

Just head to http://www.cozyearth.com/teachers to nominate and to access your discount.

-- 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

Takeaways: Gasper’s “oblivious” Arizona bar night that turned into one of the funniest stories of the tour.

A student busted with weed and vodka—while still somehow upright in class.

The ninth grader who lit their arm on fire during a state test (and insisted it was “cool”).

Andrea’s take on marijuana legality, teacher contracts, and the double standards around what educators can do off the clock.

A fiery rant on why superintendents should never get raises when teachers don’t. --

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! —

Let’s give back to those who give everything to the next generation. This September, Cozy Earth is doing two special things for teachers:

You can nominate a teacher who’s made a life-changing difference—they’ll be entered to win a massive giveaway.

And, if you’re a teacher, professor, or faculty member yourself, Cozy Earth is giving you 50% off all month long.

Just head to http://www.cozyearth.com/teachers to nominate and to access your discount.

-- 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

Takeaways: That one art teacher who might’ve taken “sparking creativity” way too literally.

Why some classrooms should come with fire extinguishers—and therapy vouchers.

The unforgettable chaos of Limewire and what we really found on those downloads.

How a single misstep—whether with fire or files—can change the entire vibe of a day.

The line between hilarious disaster and genuine danger in both classrooms and dial-up days. --

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

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We start with a voicemail about a beloved substitute whose first day with third graders went… let’s call it catastrophically “old-war-story meets wrong audience.” The recovery arc? Shockingly sweet—but the initial moment had my soul leave my body.

Then a second story drops: a teacher realizes a student’s casual recap might be the missing piece in an unsolved gang-related homicide near school—and suddenly she’s coordinating with investigators. It’s heartbreaking, complicated, and so real to how kids can be both soft and street-exposed at the same time.

I share how these moments rewire your teacher brain—why some “favorites” in the sub pool become targets, and why kids who brush up against gangs are often looking for the same thing we try to build in class: safety and community

Takeaways: A sub’s “discipline talk” goes wildly off-script—and proves you can bomb hard and still become that sub kids ask for years later.

A teacher hears a student’s after-school story and realizes it may matter to an active homicide investigation—so she makes the call.

Why favorite subs sometimes get terrorized more, not less—and how kids “work the room” when the regular teacher’s out.

Andrea’s take on gang-affiliated students: the classroom as a pocket of safety/community in a life that doesn’t always offer it.

A reminder that the “toughest” kids might also be the ones building blanket forts at 10am—and bringing flowers to their mom’s grave at 10pm.

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

Takeaways: The hilarious way one teacher’s totally normal day spiraled into absolute chaos.

A moment so awkward, it had the entire room frozen.

The unexpected classroom disruption that changed the whole vibe in seconds.

Why sometimes the funniest moments are the ones you can’t plan for.

Proof that teachers really do have the best (and wildest) stories.

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

We kick things off with a student cruise that takes a very unexpected turn when a principal tries to “prove a point” with confiscated brownies. Spoiler: it backfired spectacularly. Then, a mouse runs straight into class and one student’s reaction is… let’s just say not what I would’ve done.

And to balance out the chaos, I sit down with Phil Januszewski, a high-energy youth speaker, about why awkwardness and failing forward might actually be the best gift we can give our students. Takeaways: What happened when a mouse joined senior English — and why one student treated it like a pet.

How a field trip brownie left an entire school board scrambling (and a principal very high).

Andrea’s most cursed car story yet: the discovery of a rat nest… placenta included.

Why Phil Januszewski says “embrace the awkward” is the secret to building student confidence.

Andrea reflects on how naive teachers (herself included) can be when kids are high right under our noses.

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

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One caller shares how struggling in school meant being banned from every fun activity, while another almost got fired their first year for the crime of telling a kid to “sit down.” Yep. That’s it. I spiral about IEPs, incentives, dog training parallels (don’t cancel me), and whether candy counts as currency in classrooms. Spoiler: it does.

This episode is messy, hilarious, and just a little bit wise—kind of like my grout. Takeaways: Andrea’s new house adventures include grout crises, owl obsession, and a kid who roasts her comedy career.

A future teacher calls in about being barred from extracurriculars because of low grades—Andrea has thoughts.

One teacher nearly lost their job over telling a student to sit down, and the dog-training parallels get… way too real.

Candy vs. no candy: the great classroom incentive debate heats up.

Andrea drops a resource that can cut teacher prep time in half—without sacrificing sanity.

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

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Andrea meets with a room full of superintendents and gives them brutally honest feedback—some of it lands… and some of it crashes.

How a pee-in-a-bottle moment sparked a conversation about bathroom policy, trust, and what really happens in the halls.

Why today’s kids might be more germ-aware than ever—and what it has to do with sponges, pets, and pandemic toddlering.

Andrea’s unexpected new DIY assistant: ChatGPT. Find out what she’s fixing, what it told her, and what it won’t help with.

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

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First, we’ve got a teacher who meant to say “stop jacking around” and... well, you can guess how that went. I lose it (obviously), because every teacher has had one of those moments where your brain short-circuits in front of 30 teenagers.

Then, we flip the tone completely for a story that rocked me: a teacher gets repeated death threats from an anonymous student, every day, in Spanish, via Google Classroom. When the system failed her, she became her own detective, and the ending? Infuriating.

Plus, I talk about being misread online, learning Spanish for real this time, and a resource that can actually save your life when it’s time to break instructions down step-by-step for 42 different learning styles. Takeaways: A teacher’s slip of the tongue turns into a room-wide freeze frame of secondhand embarrassment.

One educator faces death threats for days—with no help from anyone but herself.

I spiral about being called racist online… for liking authentic Mexican food too much?

I commit (again) to learning Spanish—this time with Duolingo and vengeance.

My favorite AI resource to break down multi-step directions into something even a kid on zero sleep can follow.

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

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

Then we pivot—hard—to some iconic voicemail chaos, including the loudest poop story I’ve ever heard and a kid who apparently mistook the restroom for a personal performance space. And yes, I ask the most important question of the day: would you ever let one rip in your classroom?

Plus, I drop a bookish resource that I genuinely use and love (and that Courtney herself might wanna look into… just saying). Takeaways: Kourtney Kardashian said public school is “so dated”… and I might’ve blacked out from rage.

One teacher shares what happens when your students want instant grades—and zero accountability.

A bathroom story goes off the rails with moaning, shaking, and one of the weirdest hallway convos ever.

I confess my deepest fart shame—and ask if you’ve ever taken the blame for your student’s.

This week’s resource might just rescue your classroom library—and your bank account.

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!

— Join our Book Club: www.patreon.com/thosewhocanread Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production

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And the reason they showed up? Ohhhh, you are not ready. I spiral through the possibilities, ask all the wrong questions, and react in real-time to what is possibly the most over-the-top, under-explained escalation in school discipline history.

If you’ve ever wondered what it feels like to go from supervising recess to being in the middle of a tactical operation, this one’s for you. Takeaways: A voicemail about a SWAT team storming a school sends me into a full-body spiral, because the reason? Unhinged.

Another caller shares what happened when a vending machine break-in led to a full-on student confession… and some unexpected admin energy.

We talk about what happens when the punishment doesn’t match the crime and whether schools are just winging it at this point.

I try to get serious (briefly) about boundaries, blame, and how kids process consequences even when the adults aren’t getting it right.

And for anyone trying to survive this week intact, I drop a resource that might actually help you feel like a human again. — Join our Book Club: www.patreon.com/thosewhocanread Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.com Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea A Human Content Production

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Takeaways:

• A seventh-grade bathroom scene you’ll never forget (and wish you could).

• Andrea’s hot take on the sit-or-stand bathroom debate—marriage-shaking stuff.

• A surprisingly graphic lesson on staplers and adolescent brains.

• Why your students’ Chromebooks might be trying to kill themselves.

• A legit free classroom resource that actually excites kids and might save your sanity.

—

Join our Book Club: www.patreon.com/thosewhocanread

Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.com

Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea

A Human Content Production

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We’re also unpacking some jaw-dropping listener voicemails, including one about fake TikToks that nearly cost a teacher her career and another involving a very tech-savvy middle schooler... and a VPN. Buckle up. I laughed, I cringed, I screamed internally. You will too.

Takeaways:

• A mysterious student prank reveals the dark side of digital identities.

• Why that one teacher still gives off “could’ve been in a biker gang” vibes.

• The accidental video that made students think Andrea had a secret hip-hop past.

• The story that turned one pregnancy into an emergency delivery.

• Why middle schoolers and unfiltered internet access are a terrifying combination.

—

Join our Book Club: www.patreon.com/thosewhocanread

Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.com

Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea

A Human Content Production

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You know—balance.

We’re talking about teachers surviving without running water (again), why I physically can’t handle fairs (also again), and what to actually do when a student says something so inappropriate that your prefrontal cortex short-circuits.

Plus, I’ve got updates on my DonorsChoose shoutouts, book club chaos, and what AI tool just got sneakier inside Canva (heads up, ELA folks—you’ll want to hear this).

Takeaways:

• A fourth grader makes a wildly inappropriate announcement during writing—and the class implodes.

• Teachers are once again told to hold it… because there’s no water in the school.

• Andrea accidentally tries to become a “fair girl” and it goes very, very wrong.

• Canva's new AI tool might be quietly doing your students’ writing—ELA teachers, beware.

• How Andrea’s live shows are now highlighting and funding real teachers' classroom needs.

—

Join our Book Club: www.patreon.com/thosewhocanread

Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.com

Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea

A Human Content Production

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This week, I’m unpacking end-of-year exhaustion (May energy is real and it’s violent), plus the wildest school stories you sent in—including kids confessing their sex lives mid-English class and throwing Pop-Tarts in rage. We’re also talking about failing infrastructure, disappearing school funding, and how to literally show up to your state legislature and say, “Hey boo, we gotta talk.”

And if you’ve ever asked a student a simple question and immediately regretted it… welcome. You’re home.

Takeaways:

• A student skipped class and promised to defecate on the teacher’s desk if she told. (Yes, really.)

• Why a district told teachers to use buckets because the water was off—and how that might violate health code.

• What actually happens when you show up to your state legislature to speak—and how to do it without getting immediately ignored.

• A student accidentally reveals her entire relationship drama in response to “Hey, what happened to your eye?”

• Andrea unpacks the AI writing tool hidden inside Canva—and what it means for your students' essays

—

Join our Book Club: www.patreon.com/thosewhocanread

Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.com

Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea

A Human Content Production

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But before we get there… we’ve got a classroom snake situation, an inappropriate dictionary moment, and a cooking class where a student shows up with a knife restriction and a no-females policy. What could go wrong?

From ED plans that make zero sense to policies that make teachers legally required to just stand there while it happens, we’re breaking down the bureaucratic circus one story at a time.

Stay for the music. Stay for the IEP trauma. Stay because someone said “bastard” in the most educational way possible.

Takeaways:

• A kid calls another a bastard—and the dictionary only confirms it.

• A cooking class takes a wild turn when a student shows up with a restriction against females and knives.

• I talk with Five for Fighting’s John Ondrasik about his plan to restore music teachers to underfunded schools—and how he ended up supplying Costco carts.

• A snake shows up in the classroom, and somehow, that’s not the wildest part of the episode.

• What happens when a student’s accommodation forces teachers to cross serious ethical boundaries?

—

Want more Five for Fighting:

Website: http://www.fiveforfighting.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fiveforfightingmusic/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fiveforfighting

Twitter: https://twitter.com/johnondrasik

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/fiveforfightingVEVO

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@fiveforfightingmusic

—

Join our Book Club: www.patreon.com/thosewhocanread

Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.com

Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea

A Human Content Production

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This week, I’m sharing my behind-the-scenes prep for the wildest PD gig of my life… plus two fire-filled fan submissions, literally. One backpack goes up in smoke, and another student brings lint specifically to start a fire during class. And no, that’s not a euphemism.

Also, I’ve got two ELA-friendly resources that won’t make you scream into the void, thoughts on classroom routines that actually work, and a major update on my teacher survival guide book (coming soon to save your first year and your mental health).

Fires. Comedy. Forced inspiration. And a dress rehearsal for getting heckled by superintendents. Let’s go.

Takeaways:

• I’m performing stand-up for a room full of local principals—and yes, I plan to give them “the gift of time.”

• A student lit lint on fire inside a classroom drain. And that’s not even the worst part.

• Another student's backpack combusted mid-class—so naturally, he just shrugged and said “You’ll smell smoke.”

• A resource that turns writing prompts into a literal game—and somehow still helps students actually write.

• I’m writing a book for new teachers that starts with everything I personally screwed up. (You’re welcome.)

—

Join our Book Club: www.patreon.com/thosewhocanread

Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.com

Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea

A Human Content Production

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After surviving Midwest storm warnings and Shrek-related trauma from a former student with a decade-long vendetta, I’m back with a full breakdown of things you can’t predict in teaching—like a kid gasping for air mid-presentation, or another casually announcing their itchy situation mid-kickball.

We’re talking magic tricks that turn into emotional damage, AI that actually helps (seriously), and the question that won’t leave me alone: should we be forcing students to present in front of the class… even if they stop breathing?

Plus: teacher confessions, wild voicemails, a PE teacher who deserves a raise, and my brain slowly unraveling over Kansas geography.

Takeaways:

• A student literally stops breathing in the middle of a class presentation—and that’s not even the wildest part.

• The return of the Shrek kid. Yes, he found me again. And yes, he’s still doing magic.

• A third grader makes an unforgettable anatomy announcement in the middle of kickball.

• I found an AI tool that might actually save you time and sanity in the classroom (and I tested it).

• Should we still be making students present in front of their classmates, or is it time for a better way?

—

Join our Book Club: www.patreon.com/thosewhocanread

Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.com

Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea

A Human Content Production

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Today, I’m kicking things off solo with chaotic home improvement updates (including which stripper works hardest) and a couple of voice memos from listeners that are… honestly, you just have to hear them to believe them. One will have you gasping, the other might make you text your admin “hazard pay?”

Then, I sit down with the brilliant Charles Fournier—creator of the hit podcast Those Who Can’t Teach Anymore—to talk about why his show is haunting the top podcast charts, how he captured an entire year of real teacher audio diaries, and why his new season might wreck you (in the best way).

If you’ve ever wanted to throw your backpack out a window, doubt your life choices mid-project, or just feel wildly validated in this teaching life—you’re in the right place.

Takeaways:

• I tried to fix a door and accidentally launched a home reno nightmare featuring citrus strippers and maybe lead poisoning.

• A student brought something to class that no one—NO ONE—was emotionally prepared for.

• What happens when you realize your friend's dad is leading a hate rally outside your school?

• Charles Fournier returns with raw teacher audio journals and a season that might just gut-punch you into catharsis.

• I’m begging you—send me your wildest confiscation stories. Because we might need a dedicated episode.

—

Join our Book Club: www.patreon.com/thosewhocanread

Don’t Be Shy Come Say Hi: www.podcasterandrea.com

Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea

A Human Content Production

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In this kickoff to the new era, I’m diving into two of the most unhinged teacher submissions I’ve ever heard—one involving a movie mishap that will haunt you and another featuring a hallway hair war that somehow became my own personal reality TV show.

Plus, I’m revealing the AI tool that actually doesn’t feel sketchy (teachers, I got you), bragging on some simulation drama happening at my university, and prepping for a secret meeting with superintendents that may or may not end in tears (theirs, not mine... probably).

If you’re into rogue four-year-olds, teacher gossip, resource hacks, and hearing someone say “nipple” way too many times on a podcast—hi, hello, press play.

Takeaways:

• That documentary you downloaded for class? Double-check the title. Seriously.

• Find out how my four-year-old gave two teachers a complex with one innocent comment.

• A battle between student barbers escalates—thanks to me. And I regret nothing.

• The AI tool that’s not sketchy, actually cites its sources, and might save your sanity.

• What I’m going to say to a room full of superintendents (yes, I want them to cry a little).

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Join our Book Club: www.patreon.com/thosewhocanread

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

Pour yourself some coffee. Grab a helmet. And settle in.

Class is officially back in session, and it’s going to get wild!

(Oh, grow up. I meant in a SFW manner… kinda…)

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Join our Book Club: www.patreon.com/thosewhocanread

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

You can take the survey here: http://survey.podcasterandrea.com/

You can join the book club at https://www.patreon.com/thosewhocanread

—

Don’t be shy come say hi: andrea@human-content.com and podcasterandrea.com

Watch on YouTube: @educatorandrea

Listen Anywhere You Podcast: Apple, Spotify, PodChaser, etc.

—

A Human Content Production

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

---

Don’t be shy come say hi: andrea@human-content.com and podcasterandrea.com

Watch on YouTube:  @educatorandrea

Listen Anywhere You Podcast: Apple, Spotify, PodChaser, etc.

—

A Human Content Production

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

---

Don’t be shy come say hi: andrea@human-content.com and podcasterandrea.com

Watch on YouTube:  @educatorandrea

Listen Anywhere You Podcast: Apple, Spotify, PodChaser, etc.

—

A Human Content Production

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

New episodes arrive April 18, 2024! 

—

Don’t be shy come say hi: andrea@human-content.com and podcasterandrea.com

Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@educatorandrea

Listen Anywhere You Podcast: Apple, Spotify, PodChaser, etc.

—

A Human Content Production

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