Gollum Matters More To Me Than Taylor Swift!

Andrea: [00:00:00] I like Taylor Swift. Okay. I'm gonna establish that. First and foremost. I think it's great that they're together. Sure. Like, sure, I don't know them, you know? Um, but I truly, in my heart of hearts, am so baffled. By the way that everyone, when they found out, lost their ever loving minds. I do not understand, and I've, I've been really like, I'm not even kidding.

I've been deeply looking within because my reaction not to the engagement mind you. The engagement is their business happy for them in the same way you would if like a squirrel found a nut good for them? They seem happy.

Have you ever wondered what I would say if my mother. My administrators weren't watching every single thing I do on social media. Well, that's exactly what my standup show is, and I'm gonna be coming to a town near [00:01:00] you super soon. You can get tickets@educatorandrea.com slash tickets.

Hey, teacher Pesty, welcome to How to Survive the Classroom. Um, as I am recording this, we had some very breaking news that at this point is no longer breaking news, and that is that Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey got engaged. Um, guys, listen. Listen. Listen. Okay. First of all, I feel like it's relevant to this podcast simply because she announced it as your English teacher is marrying the gym teacher or something to that effect.

Um, which I did think was cute because I've heard from a lot of different people that like Taylor Swift in another life would've been an English teacher. Right. Um, but here, okay, listen, I like Taylor Swift. Okay. I'm gonna establish that. First and foremost, I think it's great that they're together. Sure.

Like. Sure I don't know them, you know, um, but I truly, in my heart of hearts, am so baffled. By the [00:02:00] way that everyone, when they found out, lost their ever loving minds. I do not understand, and I've, I've been really like, I'm not even kidding. I've been deeply looking within because my reaction not to the engagement.

Mind you, the engagement is their business happy for them in the same way you would if like a squirrel found a nut good for them. They seem happy. Right. Um, but it did, it's not impacting my day. Right. Um, my reaction to everyone else's reaction is, I don't wanna say disgust, but it is dancing that line a little bit and I've been trying to figure out why I feel that way, because it's, it's not a good look to be, um, like raining on someone's parade because I think it's great that people are finding things to be joyful about.

I think that's lovely. Um, but for some reason. When I saw that there was a college professor who announced the engagement to his [00:03:00] class and then canceled class because he said he could not possibly function or teach with this news in his head. I am so baffled you guys. I don't understand. Tell me what I, and like it.

You don't need to tell me how great she is. I understand objectively like, sure. Great. Awesome. Um, she's, you know, a very, very successful songwriter. She's obviously a genius with how she's done her business stuff. He does the football stuff really good, and I'm so happy for both of them. It does not impact my life and I don't, it's like I, it's kind of like to me, in the same way that I feel like if you're watching a documentary and you see people losing their minds over like Elvis or The Beatles, and these girls are crying, right?

They're weeping and you're like, what is happening there? That's how I feel. It's just general confusion at all. The [00:04:00] enthusiasm and also confusion at me that I'm not excited because here's the thing, guys, I like her music fine. I, in fact, used a picture from one of her early music videos. I don't remember which one it was, but it was the one where she had like curly updo hair, um, and she was like dressed in like a medieval dress thing.

Think 2006. Okay, 2007 timeframe. Um. And I used that picture for my hair, for my wedding. It looked nothing like that, but that was my inspiration. So again, like I've liked her stuff for a very long time, but I've, I've never gone to a concert. Um, but I, I'm not a concert girly, so I don't think, I don't know of any musician that I would lose my mind over like that.

And I like music. I just don't, I don't know guys, I. Um, I will tell you the news that I got very excited about this week, which you guys will probably not care about at all, and that is, and I hope it's true 'cause I didn't actually verify it, now that I realize it, um, [00:05:00] that Elijah Woods and Ian McClellan are going to reunite in a, um, Lord of the Rings, uh, movie about Gollum.

And Andy Circa, who played Gollum, is going to be directing it. I will tell you that impacted my day more than Travis Kelsey and Taylor Swift's engagement. Because when I was in high school, I was such a Lord of the Rings nerd. Like I was obsessed. Okay. And I think the reason I was obsessed was because like at like I went to the midnight showing of the first movie of Lord of the Rings.

'cause my brother, my older brother worked in a movie theater and so we went to the midnight showing with all my friends. And then I immediately, as soon as I watched that movie, read all the books, loved it, like had the box DVD set, listened to and watched every single extra, like behind the scenes thing ever.

So to me, the fact that they dropped the news about a Gollum focused sequel with the guy who was [00:06:00] Gollum in the original directing. I was like, oh my gosh, this is so exciting. And my husband just stared at me like I stared at all the swifties when they lost their minds. So I guess we all have our weird thing.

It's just for whatever reason, I couldn't bring myself to be like excited. And I guess the biggest difference is I have the self-awareness of knowing that no one else probably cares except for this small niche group. And unfortunately, I am very much in the minority when it comes to this swift verse and all that that entails.

In my demographic in particular, millennial women are losing their minds. Um, and so my Instagram, it's inescapable and everyone's using their engagement photo as a meme and all of that. And so it's like not caring and then just a shotgun of that content being forced into my face, you know? Um, but I wish them well.

I'm sure it's gonna be lovely. I'm sure the wedding is gonna be insanely beautiful. Good for them, you know. Glad the [00:07:00] squirrel found a nut, which sounds dirtier than I intended it. Um, also this week, I have to tell you guys, so I, my kids are five and seven now and I am really, really trying to be intentional and I want advice.

Okay, so parents of kids that are in this age or just got outta this age, I'm really struggling with figuring out how to create routines after school, because we finished school at three. I picked them up. Get home at three 30. Um, we do homework and then I don't want them just like sitting on tv. I want them to go outside and play.

So I've been trying to do like an hour timer for them to play outside and like go and do, do kid stuff. Right. Um, but then I'm also trying to take them to like. Library once a week and like get them into like, trying to remember the things that really stood out to me when I was a kid as super fun. And a lot of it was like playing with neighbor's, kids and all of that.

And that's starting to happen. Um, but I wanna know what other people's evening [00:08:00] routines are for their kids because I can't be doing everything with them because I also, like, my job doesn't kind of stop always. So I want ideas because I have some stuff kind of. In play right now, but we need to mix it up a little bit.

Okay. Because I can only say go play outside. Look at our great backyard and the play structure so many times before, um, they start to riot. So, you know, um, so that's what's going on in my life is just disgruntled side eyeing of some pop culture stuff. And then, um. Routines and structure. Okay. Breaking news.

Um, there isn't, I just got it confirmed by my producer that the Hunt for Golum is the new movie with the return of Ian McCullen and Elijah Woods. Guys, guys, guys see, and a lot of you guys are just tuned out right now 'cause you're like, who cares about that nerdy show me I care. I am, I will fan girls so hard.

I really, really, really hope that they record it in [00:09:00] New Zealand so that there's more locations for me to eventually visit. 'cause that is one of my all time places that I have to visit and still haven't made it to. So, okay, we're gonna move on. 'cause I know that I'm probably the minority for being as excited as I am about this.

But guys, it's real. It's called, it's gonna be called The Hunt for Gollum. Get excited. I have to have a watch party when that one comes out. Alright. Um, so without, um, further ranting, I think we should jump in to the voicemails that you guys sent in this week. 

Voicemail: Hey, Andrea, Kim here in Southern Utah. The kids just started yesterday.

I teach special education in grades 10 through 12. They were awesome yesterday. So I'm super excited about this new year. Um, what our kids are doing this year is, uh, boiling to death 110 degrees yesterday as we started school. So, you know, that's how we roll down here in St. George, Utah. Keep up the fun stuff that [00:10:00] teachers do 'cause you know what?

Everything you post is totally true. See you later. Thank you. Bye-bye. 

Andrea: Thank you so much, St. George, Utah. Um, I, you know, 110 degrees is criminal. I just recently had somebody message me and tell me that they had school canceled because it was 94 degrees outside, and I was very confused by that because. I was just in Tempe, Arizona with Gasper and Phil for the teacher's lounge, and it was somewhere around a hundred degrees.

It was, I don't think it was quite to a hundred when I landed. Um, but it was very, it was like 99 or 98 degrees when we landed. Um, and it stayed that hot just continually for the entire time. You just, you, you just sweat, but you, it just evaporates. So all you are left with is just this feeling of. Filth and grossness.

So I don't know if southern Utah is the same kind of dry heat from my memory. When I moved from California to Indiana and we drove through Utah, I remember it being kind of a [00:11:00] drier heat. Um. But yeah, I'm hoping as well, I've had a lot of people DM me and DM Gasper and Phil about doing teacher's lounge shows in Utah.

Um, and I have a, a very good friend who also lives there, so I have extra motive for getting there. But I would love to come and do a show in Utah. Um, I I, I know that there are a couple of places that we're looking at that are kind of in the work, so you guys gotta stay tuned for that. Um, I really hope you guys also have air conditioning.

I would hope, I would assume that without that you would literally die. So. Which is wild to live in a place that like, and, and it's probably not wild for other people to live in places where the environment could literally kill them. But as someone who grew up in Southern California, it does in fact baffle me a little bit when, even here where I live in Indiana now, where it gets to be like negative degrees outside and I'm like, why are we living in a place on purpose that can kill us?

This is outrageous behavior. Um, but that's, I think just because I grew up in Southern California, and I [00:12:00] mean, to be fair, the entire state burns down. Every couple of years there. So I don't know that we really necessarily have a leg to stand on with all of that. Um, and I also appreciate that you are a special education teacher.

Um, I love that your students are doing well this year. It's. It is, it is quite a task when you have students, um, that are grades 10 through 12, especially if you're having students that have different learning challenges and stuff. Getting 'em across that finish line can be a wild ride because there's also different rules depending on where your teaching and what levels you're teaching.

I remember when I first taught. English 12. About half of my class was, um, on an IEP of some kind, and they all had to pass the state test, which was in Virginia. Um, and it was very massive and super hard. And so sometimes I would have students all the way up until they were 21 years old in my [00:13:00] class, even though I was 26 when I started teaching.

So that was a little bit strange. Um, but thank you so much for all of your sweet words, and I hope that. You know, my videos are always encouraging. That's always the goal. Um, I know that sometimes I get somebody, it's usually elementary teachers. I love you guys so much. Um, but upper elementary teachers are the only ones that ever get upset about my videos.

Um, depicting them as being too kind, which I think is really funny. And I think it's, um. It's a symptom of the fact that upper elementary teachers are kind of like the slide into middle school teachers and there's, you know, kindergarten teachers versus middle school teachers. Very, very different. Um, but upper elementary teachers and middle school teachers, there's a lot of commonalities there.

And they're like, how dare you say that. I'm kind and sweet. I am a warrior. And I'm like, you know what? You're right. I'm so sorry. Alright, um, let's go ahead and listen to the second voice memo sent in today. 

Voicemail: I had a student that struggled today, needed a quick reset in [00:14:00] the office, not a big deal, but then the principal checked in on the kid on my lunchtime and asked how her friend was doing.

Why are we referring to behavior problems as our friend? Also, why doesn't she ask about the rest of the class, the other 23 of us that are holding down the fort after the kid is causing all the disruptions in the world? Our friend. I don't think that's the word we would need to use in this situation, scenario.

I dunno, I'm not asking for a friend, just asking for myself. Veteran teacher, 25 years shouldn't be this hard. 

Andrea: Yeah. Yeah. That's interesting. So it sounded like the admin came in and said, how's our friend doing? Referring to the student, right. Not to the behavior as like a separate friend. Is that what I'm gathering?

I think, um, you know, the way that admin. I, I feel like if they're popping in it, I mean they can't be like, how's that asshole doing? Like, I'm [00:15:00] not sure what else they could say. Um, it could have been kind of tongue in cheek. It's kind of hard to know without knowing your admin or knowing the context of the situation.

But I could very easily see it being one of those situations where, um, 'cause I do that a lot where I will, um, very knowingly label students that hate me as my best friend. Um. Even though I know they hate me, like, 'cause they tell me and they look at me in, in the eyes and they're like, I hate you. And I'm like, no you don't.

You're my best friend. And they're like, no, you're the worst. And I hate this class. And I'm like, that's crazy. Because I think actually we're getting closer. I think you're starting to enjoy this class. And they're like, no, I hate English and I hate you. And I'm like, oh, that's crazy. 'cause it, it feels like maybe we got something, you know, that maybe I'm your favorite teacher.

And they're like, die. Not anymore. Not when, now, now that I teach college, if they really hate me, they just don't show up to class. Um, 'cause legally we can't, like you're an adult, what are we gonna do? Um, but it does make me think [00:16:00] about the way that admin enters classrooms. And I would love to hear your guys' take on this because do you think that when an administrator visits your class, number one, how often should administrators be visiting during class time?

That's question number one, because I wanna know if you think it's good. Helpful or hurtful for admin to be in there like once a day or once a week? Um, I think once a week is great. I think once a day almost feels like, is there a, is there an issue? I mean it, and it also depends on where the teacher is at in their career.

Um, because the more kind of seasoned you are, the less you care that admin is there. And as long as they're just standing in the back and they're not like disrupting or anything like that, then it's fine. Um. But I, I mean, I know that there are some, um, some principals, and I'm thinking of, I'm trying to remember his name.

He's the principal that doesn't have an office anymore. He just has the cart and I'm, I follow him on Instagram and TikTok and he's so [00:17:00] great. But he, what he does at his school is he goes around on a cart. In the morning. Um, and he checks in and asks any of his teachers if they need anything as a part of like his morning routine.

And he sends an email every single day letting them know anything that they need to know for the day. Like that level of support to me, an administrator, a good administrator, their main focus is supporting their teachers who are on the front lines of dealing with kids, of helping with everything that needs to be done in the classroom.

They're not the ones. That should be coming in and playing like Gotcha. With behaviors or teaching strategies or anything like that. Like my best administrators that I ever had came in and would watch me teach and would do the same thing that I hope I do with my students, where it's like, okay, so hey, here were the things you did really well.

Love that for all of us. Here are some things that I could think, I think could even bring it, like elevate it a little bit more. Do you need anything from me? Can I help you [00:18:00] in any way? Right? Like that is what an administrator should do. Um. I will say that there, most of the time that's not the case with a lot of administrators, A lot of times, um, I've had administrators, especially ones who didn't spend very much time in the classroom, who felt like they were very much on a power trip, and were only there to play Gotcha.

Or to make themselves feel important because they no longer have the audience of the classroom. And they're, you know, they're sitting there with data and they're like, what should I do about this data? I can't directly impact, so I'm gonna go over and I'm gonna nitpick this teacher. Um, and that's, that's how it feels sometimes from a teacher's perspective.

I'm sure from an administrator perspective, they are feeling like they're being helpful and they're probably feeling like they're coaching. Um, but it is really difficult to take when you feel like you're drowning. Like you said, you had all these other students that you were trying to help and work with [00:19:00] and all of that, and then you had one kid.

Who was a nightmare and the admin came in and seemed only to care about the kid who was a nightmare in class. Um, and that man, I feel like that happens more often than not. Whereas teachers we're like, we have to spend so much time managing these behaviors that the kids who are there to learn and the kids who are doing better don't get as good of an education.

And I don't have a good answer for how we fix that because I, I'll be honest, the names of the kids that I remember. The most and the most clearly are the kids' names who I had to say the most because they were acting up. And that like, I, I don't know how to fix that either, where it's like, oh yeah, like I had you in my class.

Were you quiet and well behaved and hardworking. That's incredible. I love that for you. Um. What was your name again? Like, I feel so bad 'cause I know there are some teachers that have the gift of like, they will see a student and they're like, ah yes. My sweet angel. I remember you, your first and last name and the year you [00:20:00] were in my class.

Not me. And I don't know if it's an A DHD thing. This is something I've, I've really had to struggle with as well, like. When I, I go around to the comedy clubs and stuff, and I'm really trying to get to know the people who are running the clubs and who are helping us out. And I, I try and listen for their names and I, I, I will tell you, because now I'm doing this, this with Gasper and Phil, I'll have, um, like somebody will come in and these, these people are important.

Like, it's very important to, to meet these people just like in, in any business. And so they'll introduce themselves to us and shake all of our hands. And the second they walk out, I have to ask the guys, I'm like, what was his name? And they're like, are you serious? I'm like, yes. I'm sorry. Like I don't, I don't know what happens to my brain, but when I, I think because I'm trying to make sure that I am thinking of the.

Courteous thing to say next. I can't hear what they're saying when they say their name. I don't know why that is. Unfortunately, that is, um, a struggle I've had for a long time. Phil is much [00:21:00] better at it and so is Gasper. So I will give them a shout out for being much better about learning people's names and stuff.

But for me that's, that's gonna be a struggle. Um.

If you heard that noise, it was the sound tile falling off of my wall, um, that you guy, and if you're YouTube watching it, you saw it in real time. I think that's the second time we've had that happen, um, on the podcast, because I don't wanna drill into these walls. These are university walls. So I've been using, um, some double-sided tape and sticky stuff and it is not effective.

So on that note, I'm gonna share with you guys a resource that is very effective and we're gonna get to it right after this break.

Welcome back, teacher besties. I have now resecured the sound tile on my wall and it might stay, it might not. Who's, who's to say at this stage of life? We don't know. Um, alright, so the resource I wanna share with you also, just like last week, I told you [00:22:00] guys that. Teach Aid was something I was doing an ad for on my social media account, but not on here.

Same thing with this one. I am doing a, um, a little partnership with them on my social media, but just like with Teach Aid, this is another resource that I truly think could save you guys a lot of time. And so I wanted to share a little bit, um, about it with you guys. So this one, just like with Teach Aid.

Does have a free version and it has a paid version. Risk is a Chrome plugin, so it will like pop up as like a little thing, almost like Grammarly does on the bottom. Um, and it has a bunch of different, um, things that you can do with it. So the number one thing I think that I really like is that you can set it up so that it will read over all of the responses of your students and give you key takeaways of things that maybe they need to get reviewed.

Like reworked, that if your students are struggling with something specifically, it will say like, Hey, it seems like none of your students picked up on these learning [00:23:00] goals for this activity. So I, it does not take away your responsibility to grade, but if you have your students fill out an assignment, do something in class, and then you ask Chachi or the, um, sorry, not Chachi t risk to look at it, it'll give you takeaways so you know, very quickly, okay, where can I go?

From here, which I love that I am, I am all for using technology, AI tools as a way of making the practice of teaching more sustainable. And I feel like that's one way that normally would be very difficult to be able to read everything and be like, okay, you know, it's gonna take an hour. Like right? Like for looking at all of these assignments, pulling out what we need to know, all of that.

They also have something on there where you can save feedback. So while you're grading stuff, it will, it'll like kind of pull you to certain parts and then you can select specific feedback to give to that student. Um, so it can be stuff that you have. Kind of created [00:24:00] yourself. You can use the ones that Brisk have.

Um, but it kind of allows you to drive the feedback in a really meaningful way. Um, I think that the biggest challenge with something like Brisk is that in order for it to be effective, you have to be on a. A computer, your students have to be doing their work on a computer in order for it to be effective.

So then you run the risk of your students using chat, GPT or using AI to write it. And then you're using AI sometimes to give feedback, um, which is why I really do recommend starting all writing assignments on paper. And doing like very quick check-ins, like walking around the classroom and all of that, while with, when they've got paper and pen.

Now of course they can still cheat, but it's gonna be a little bit harder for them to cheat if you're doing everything on like actual paper as opposed to doing everything on a Chromebook. Um, that just gets so. Easy for them to type stuff in. Um, and I do think that we should be [00:25:00] teaching students how to use AI in responsible ways.

Um, I actually, at the university, I'm now part of a working group of university professors across the campus that are looking at AI and trying to figure out how we can use it responsibly and how we can use it in our instruction and how we can teach our students to use it. One of the things I think would be really, really cool within the AI world.

Is if I could create some sort of AI virtual reality system where it can make a new teacher feel like they're in a classroom and give scenarios, and then the, the new teacher has to respond to those scenarios, I think that would be incredibly effective because you never know how you're gonna handle something until it feels like you're in that moment.

Um. And so almost like a, a role playing game, but for new teachers, um, they already have a lot of stuff like this for within like the medical fields and stuff like that, but that to me, I think would be an incredibly powerful way to use virtual reality and AI and stuff like that. So I'll keep you [00:26:00] guys updated because I'm really nerding out and excited about the potential of, um, kind of using AI and technology to help teachers stay in the profession longer and make it a more sustainable.

Um, because that has always been the biggest issue, is like we're so many of us are leaving after three years. And just imagine the kind of loss that we're having of like experience and knowledge when we lose half our workforce like every three years. That's crazy. Um, alright, so I've already feel like pissed off enough people with.

Taylor Swift today, but I am gonna give you guys a hill that I wanna die on. Okay. Um, and here's the thing. I think that this is something that people are kind of realizing with time and seeing who is successful. Especially when you look at like the social media game. Like there's obviously the beauty.

Part of social media where like hot people can lip sync stuff and have a billion followers. That's all [00:27:00] they gotta do. Right? But the hill I'm gonna die on is that charm and grit will outpace IQ every single time. I think it is more important to learn people skills and to work hard than it is to have a hi iq.

And I think the part of the reason I feel this way is because I don't attribute any of my success or any of what I have done. Um. To a naturally high intelligence. I have a guys, I have a fine self-esteem. I think I'm of average intelligence. I have never done an IQ test. I can tell you, my mom will love this.

My mom prayed for all of her kids, all four of us, that we would be of average intelligence. She really did. I, I kid you not. She is, she's like, I prayed all of that. All of you guys would have average intelligence. And I think that that was granted. Which is so funny 'cause I feel like a lot of parents would be like, no, my kid's a genius.

Um, no, my mom's like, you guys are of average intelligence. I don't want everything to be easy for you [00:28:00] because, and I, I think this is part of also why I feel this way, that like it's more important to have integrity and to work hard and to have people skills than it is to be naturally intelligent. And I will say that some of the smartest, most like high IQ people, I know people that I went to school with that like.

They never had to study for tests. Things came very naturally to them. Um, they, they worked like probably half as hard as some of the other people that were in class with me. Um, a lot of them are deeply unhappy, right? They, uh, some went to college and not that you need to go to college to be happy at all, um, but a lot of them kind of just burned out because they didn't see the challenge in life.

For someone of an average intelligence. There is always something to that is kind of challenging, right? And there is something so gratifying about achieving something that you think is really challenging. Um, so that's the hill I'm gonna die on. I think that charm and grit outpace IQ every single [00:29:00] time.

So bite me, I'll die on that hill. Um, if you guys have thoughts about, uh, why I'm dead inside and cannot celebrate. Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey, or, um, that you think that you are so smart that it's gonna outpace somebody who has grit and charm. Um, you can let us know. You can email us, andrea@humancontent.com or at educator Andrea.

Um, oh. Also, if you haven't sent in a voice memo yet, you need to do that because the school year has started and I know those kids are acting up. I know they're acting wild. I know they are full of nonsense and I wanna hear about it. So please tell me. Okay. Um, I need to get my fix because unfortunately my college students are very respectful.

Like routinely say Good morning and make eye contact with me. Like, do something, you know, you know. Um, so I need to hear from you guys what kind of things these students are doing other than six, seven, because I am not even in those classrooms and I've heard about it so much from everyone else. It's [00:30:00] absolutely wild.

Um, oh, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey are my six seven. We've, we've solved it guys. You can also contact the whole Human Content Podcast family at Human Content Pods. Um, and you can check out our episodes. They're up every single week on YouTube. And then you could see the square that falls on me.

Sometimes a very important part of every episode is just waiting to see if one of these sound tiles is going to concuss me. Um, and thank you so much for all of the wonderful listeners who left feedback, and if you haven't done that yet, get on it. It's time, it's time. Just gimme a five star review. Just do it.

Do it. Do it. Um, and then share it with somebody else. I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you so much for listening. I am your host, Andrea Forche. Our executive producers are Aaron. Aaron, corny. I jumped to Aaron immediately. You're welcome. Aaron. Andrea Forche, Rob Goldman and Shahnti Brooke. Our editor is Andrew Sims.

Our engineer is Jason Portizo. Our music is by Omer Ben-Zvi. Our recording location is Indiana State by College of Education. To learn more about [00:31:00] our how to survive the Classrooms program, disclaimer and ethics policy and submission verification and licensing terms, you can go to podcast or andrea.com.

How to Survive the Classroom is a human content production. 

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Andrea: Thank you so much for watching. Want more of how to survive the classroom? You can watch more episodes right now. Just click on that little box over there. You see it, and if you haven't yet, please subscribe. Okay, bye.