How To Survive The Classroom

Human Content

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.

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    Why Is This Man Eating Placenta Soup?!

    This week started with a gut punch, my course evaluations. Let’s just say a few of my college students think I should “go back to teaching middle school.” Ouch. But you know what? They might have a point. Somewhere between grading, crying, and doom-scrolling, I stumbled into a TikTok hole about a guy making something called “perpetual stew.” (Spoiler: it involves placenta. You’re welcome.) Then I found joy again through the weirdest toy ever made, the Fugglers, and two teacher voicemails that prove no classroom (or online class) is ever boring. Oh, and a story about a teen giving birth mid-class that somehow leads to me oversharing about my own labor story. We’ll end with a TED Talk reminder about being a champion for your students… and a hill I will absolutely die on: letting kids live online before they can legally be left alone is one of the biggest mistakes we’re making as parents. 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    36 min

  2. 20 OCT

    Bless Your Heart… But You’re Wrong

    You ever have one of those weeks where your kid says something so wild you can’t even respond right away? Yeah… mine started with a confession about sniffing a friend’s butt. I also found myself on tour with two grown men who can’t remember their rental car company, and then I saw a viral video of a mom furious at her kid’s teacher… because he didn’t drink his water bottle. 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

    33 min

  3. 13 OCT

    Is “6-7” the New “Deez Nuts”?

    This week I found myself wandering through a 90s fever dream, yes, there was an actual Tamagotchi pop-up shop, before heading to Chicago for a sold-out show that brought out old students, old stories, and one deeply unimpressed middle schooler. Then, things got even more chaotic when teacher voicemails rolled in: one about 8th graders who can’t stop saying “six-seven” (and now in Spanish), and another about a slime experiment gone very, very wrong. Let’s just say it involved a phrase no one should ever hear in a science class. Add in a life-saving resource for struggling students and a hill I’m ready to die on why student teachers need to be paid and you’ve got an episode that’s equal parts nostalgia, cringe, and fire. 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

    31 min

  4. 6 OCT

    Why I Will Never Love a Parade

    I thought the mic stand was going to be my biggest battle this week… but between parades I didn’t understand, parents at my kids’ school, and voicemails that took turns I could have never prepared for, this episode had me reeling. From a teacher who declared he had his “asshole pants” on, to a locker room surprise that may or may not have been cocaine, to a student loudly announcing she was climaxing in driver’s ed, let’s just say, things escalated quickly. And yes, I have thoughts. Lots of them. 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

    33 min

  5. 29 SEPT

    Gollum Matters More To Me Than Taylor Swift!

    This week I learned that nothing divides the internet faster than Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s engagement and yes, I have thoughts. Spoiler: I’m baffled, not bitter. From my squirrel-and-nut analogies to realizing Lord of the Rings news impacts me way more than celebrity weddings, this episode is a rollercoaster of pop culture side-eye, mom-life struggles, and teacher realities. You’ll also hear listener voicemails that had me laughing and questioning admin choices, plus a resource that might actually save you grading time. 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

    34 min

  6. 22 SEPT

    Did a Kid Really Need Stitches From a Stall Hook?

    This week had me cackling, cringing, and covering my face. First up, Indiana State roasted me in the most unexpected way, and then a listener voicemail hit my inbox about a confiscated classroom “toy” that looked suspiciously like something straight out of an adult store. Add in another voicemail about a kid who ended up in the ER after a bathroom stunt went horribly wrong (yes, it’s as painful as it sounds), and I spiral into a rant about why “no animal testing” might not be the flex brands think it is. 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

    33 min

  7. 15 SEPT

    What Do You Even Say After A Student Goes Up in Flames?

    This episode has everything: a very confusing proposition for Gasper in Arizona, students showing up to class with “water bottles” that definitely weren’t water, and a kid who decided standardized testing needed more… fire. Literally. I also get into the messy overlap between teacher contracts and legal weed, why standardized tests might be measuring culture more than knowledge, and the one hill I’ll absolutely die on when it comes to superintendents. It’s chaotic, it’s real, and it might just make you grateful your worst testing day didn’t involve a human torch. 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

    31 min

  8. 8 SEPT

    When “Creative Expression” Ends in Flames

    This week I found myself caught between two very different kinds of chaos: one involving an art teacher with a flair for fire, and another that sent me spiraling back to the glory days of Limewire downloads gone wrong. I’ll just say this, what started as innocent creativity and curious music hunting turned into disasters no one saw coming. And yes, you’ll probably feel just as nervous as I did listening back. 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    40 min
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About

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.

Information

  • Channel
    Human Content
  • Creator
    Andrea Forcum
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2025
  • Episodes
    75
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Human Content, Inc. and Andrea Forcum. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    How To Survive The Classroom

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