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. PRIJE 1 H

    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

  2. 8. RUJ

    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

  3. 1. RUJ

    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

  4. 25. KOL

    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

  5. 18. KOL

    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

  6. 11. KOL

    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

  7. 4. KOL

    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

  8. 28. SRP

    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
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Opis

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.

Informacije

  • Kanal
    Human Content
  • Autor
    Andrea Forcum
  • Aktivne godine
    2024. - 2025.
  • Epizode
    69
  • Ocjena
    Korektno
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Human Content, Inc. and Andrea Forcum. All rights reserved.
  • Web‑stranica emisije
    How To Survive The Classroom

Više od: Human Content

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