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

    What Do You Do When a Student Mentions a Murder?

    Teacher besties, this one whiplashed me from what did that sub just say? to why am I holding the phone with a detective? 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

    36 min

  2. 25 AUG

    Who Is Mr. Wilson… and Why Did We Almost Call CPS?

    I thought I’d heard it all when it comes to the chaos that happens in schools… and then this episode happened. From bizarre moments that made me question my own sanity to a story that had me laughing so hard I had to stop recording—this one is a ride. Let’s just say it involves a teacher, an unexpected interruption, and one of the most jaw-dropping moments we’ve ever had on the show. You won’t see this one coming. 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

    33 min

  3. 18 AUG

    Could You Tell If Your Students Were High?

    This week’s episode has everything: brownies gone wrong, mice turning into classroom pets, and yes… the day I realized my car had become a rat maternity ward. (Don’t eat during that part, teacher besties.) 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    47 min

  4. 11 AUG

    What Happens When Students Plot to Get You Fired?

    Between trying to deep-clean grout, almost impulse-buying enough tile to redo my whole house, and befriending an owl that definitely wants nothing to do with me, my life is chaos right now. But teacher besties, we’ve also got some insane listener stories this week. 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    35 min

  5. 4 AUG

    Should Superintendents Be Scared of Me?

    This week? Oh, I just casually FIXED EDUCATION. You're welcome. Between moving houses (but like... literally down the street?) and talking to a room full of superintendents about what teachers really want to say (spoiler: they did not love the football metaphor), it's been A Week™. Also, y'all hit me with voicemails about peeing in bottles and damp key lanyards soaked in mystery liquids and somehow I still can’t stop laughing. Did I mention the AI shower head advice? It’s chaotic, it's honest, and it's the exact emotional fruit salad my life feels like right now. Takeaways: A student handed Andrea something “wet” after the bathroom—what it was (and why it was wet) will haunt you. 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    36 min

  6. 28 JUL

    Is This the Most Mortifying Moment in Classroom History?

    This week’s episode swings wildly between "please tell me that didn’t just come out of my mouth" and "how is this legal in schools?" 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

    38 min

  7. 21 JUL

    How Did We Get from Science Class to Testicle Talk?

    I started this episode already on edge because a mysterious chip in my windshield had me spiraling into a full-blown Safelite conspiracy. And if you think that was wild, just wait until you hear what one of your fellow teacher besties found smeared under a student’s desk. (Spoiler: it’s exactly what you’re afraid it is.) Then there’s the student who decided to learn about vasectomies during class. Yes, there’s a YouTube video involved. Yes, it’s exactly as horrifying as it sounds. Add in some waxer hygiene tips I did not ask for, a nostalgic trip to my Legoland days, and a surprisingly heartfelt moment about comedy and marriage—and you’ve got an episode that’ll make you laugh, gag, and maybe cry. All in a teacher’s day’s work, right? Takeaways: A science teacher hears a student say he wants a vasectomy—and the lesson goes completely off the rails from there. A pregnant teacher can’t figure out what’s making her nauseous… until she discovers a student’s shocking bathroom habit. I spiral into a full-on existential crisis over a chip in my windshield—and what Safelite may (or may not) be hiding. We talk about stirrups, tape, and the unexpected reality of vasectomy procedures. You’re welcome? One unexpected resource turns your average Lego set into a secret STEM learning machine—if you know where to look. 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

    41 min

  8. 14 JUL

    Did Kourtney Kardashian Just Cancel Public School?

    This week I went full trash-TV-to-education-policy mode after Kourtney Kardashian called public school “dated” and bragged about homeschool like she invented it. And y’all… I have thoughts. We’re talking 1% privilege, educational history, and why calling schools outdated is actually the most outdated take of all. 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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    36 min
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Trailers

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
    67
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Human Content, Inc. and Andrea Forcum. All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    How To Survive The Classroom

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