Andrea: Welcome to Those Who Can't Do,

I am Andrea Forkham, and today I have with me Leslie Robinson, who is a stand up comedian and a speaker and a teacher, and I'm so excited you're here today, Leslie.

Leslie: Glad to be here. I'm super excited.

Andrea: Yeah, we've been like internet friends for a while now. I feel like it's been like two years,

Leslie: maybe? Yeah,

Andrea: it's crazy.

Time flies. It does. It's been a minute. And we also have something else in common, is that I did some of my, like, it wasn't my student teaching, because I never did student teaching, but I did have to do that. Early on, like, what is the word for that? Like immersion experiences? Like cooperating practicum type thing.

Exactly. I had to spend, I think it was around 30 hours in a local school while I was getting my license and my master's before I got my actual emergency teaching license placement, and I did it at your school, which is crazy.

Leslie: That's insane.

Andrea: I know. That's

Leslie: so insane.

Andrea: Such a small world. Now, I, I got my, uh, bachelor's and my first master's from University of Mary Washington.

Is that where you went as well?

Leslie: Uh, no, I didn't go to University of Mary Washington. I went to Liberty. Oh, okay. But University of Mary Washington, I, yeah, right here.

Andrea: Yeah, it's right, it's right in their backyard. And although, and funny enough, I actually got my PhD from Liberty, so.

Leslie: Oh, that's funny. Well, hey, there you go.

Lots in common. I

Andrea: know. Yeah, no kidding. So now you are still teaching and what is it that you're teaching right now?

Leslie: I am teaching Family and Consumer Sciences, which used to be called Home Ec, but it's no longer politically correct to say Home Ec, so now it's Family and Consumer Sciences. But by the time you explain it, I'm like, it's Home Ec.

It's home ec. Right. Yes. There's no other way to explain it. Let's just be for real.

Andrea: Your main thing, because I, that is one of the classes that I always got really jealous of from a teacher perspective, because I feel like you get to do some really fun stuff in your class that like, I'm like, I want to go bake cookies or I want to go and like, and all this stuff that people like the kids can't use the excuse.

When am I ever going to use this? Right. Like,

Leslie: but they still try. They still try. And what's funny is, like, literally, like, um, last year I was teaching hospitality, and one of the students, no lie, I even had made, like, a post about it, because one of my kids asked me when we're gonna ever use this, and I'm like, hospitality, dude?

Like, It's the most basic thing that everybody

Andrea: has to use. Right. It's a soft skill. I still get

Leslie: that question apparently, so. Oh my gosh. So

Andrea: when you, see now I'm just thinking of all of these things that fascinate me about doing, um, and usually when I see it, people write out the, the acronym, the F A C S, right?

Like they call it FACS. When you're setting up your units, do you set up like, this is like the Like, how to do your home finances unit, how to do your, like, cooking unit, like, how do you separate that out?

Leslie: Yeah, so, I do mine a little differently, like, some of our more traditional teachers, they have it set up, um, where they actually label the units and that type of thing.

I do mine, and I kind of spice it up a bit, I'm like, this is what you'll use when you blah blah blah blah blah. Like, so the kids actually get a practical, um, way to apply it. Like, so like when we're doing our finance unit, rather than saying, um, learning about finances or whatever, I say, you're going to need an apartment.

Here's how you do

Andrea: it. Yeah.

Leslie: You're going to need a budget. Um, you're going to need car insurance and all this stuff and balancing it out. So like, I try to break it down to even smaller units within the unit so the kids get like the whole point in, you know, why we're doing it. So. Yeah.

Andrea: Yeah, do you have kids like start to panic and stress when you show them their financial future?

Leslie: You would hope that they would panic a little bit more than some of them do, but you can tell like the kids who, who live in a home where their parents are like, dude, when you're turning 18, you're out. And you can tell the kids who come from a background where it's like, I still have some time. Like I could live here till kingdom come.

My mom would love it. You know? Right. So you could, you And that also gives you an opportunity to kind of see where the kids are. Um, and you know, and their stages of life as far as like, you know, their home life. So yeah.

Andrea: So now as far as the grades, do you, is it like all grades that you have in that class?

Leslie: Yes. So I have grades 9th through 12th. Um, and so like for like things more like our sex ed and our life planning and stuff like that we type and like resume building and all those things we kind of shift towards the upper levels because 9th and 10th aren't quite there yet, nor are they mature enough to handle some of the conversation.

Um, so, but most of the other classes like the individual development, which is like adulting 101 that has all four grade levels. So, we have a variety of grade levels across the board, but it's just a matter of like 9th and 10th, or 11th and 12th, or all four. Gotcha. Okay.

Andrea: Now, so you are the one who gets to have the sex ed conversation with students?

Leslie: Yes, so our P I can't remember like if our P. E. department still does that, um, as well, actually, because I've actually been the one who done who has done it so long that, um, I know some in some areas P. E. still does it, but for us, like, it's literally just been me, like, and so I enjoy it because I want my kids to know, like, that You know, a lot of kids can't talk to their parents, but they can talk to me.

So it's a lot of fun. Like, it does. I enjoy it.

Andrea: That's so interesting. I feel like, well, now I went to a private Christian school, K 12. So, but my parents are from a medical background. So I was, my parents always were very Very detailed and up front and very medical about it, you know, like they, they explain it.

So I had no questions. I know some of my peers, that was not the case at home. So in our biology class is where they would actually explain the birds and the bees from just a very clinical standpoint. Right. But as far as like any kind of like, discussion about how to prevent pregnancy or anything like that.

Like the conversation was like, here, here are some things, but um, abstinence is the way that you should prevent pregnancy. Close those legs, baby. Like that was a lot. It was a lot of that. Um, but I just, now But that obviously was at a private Christian school and you were at a public school. So do you, do you have to do the, the thing that I feel like I've seen in a lot of movies with the banana and the condom and all that?

Now that is more

Leslie: of like the P. E., believe it or not, which is so funny to even think about now that the P. E. department was the ones who handled the, the sex ed talk. It's so weird. They're like, it's physical activity. It counts. Yeah, it's physical. It's weird. Cool education. There we go. Yeah. And like, and I guess because like they teach like the health.

Um, you know, like, some of the kids, you know, when it comes to P. E., they do half P. E., half health. And so, like, during their health time, I think, they would often cover, um, they call it family life. Um, instead of calling it sex ed. Um, and obviously, permission forms and all that stuff has to be done. But for my class, Because it is an elective, um, in my syllabus at the beginning of the year, look, I'm like, I'm covering my bases.

Mama ain't coming after me. So I put in my syllabus, these are things we talk about. And I make the parents, when they additionally sign the syllabus and, you know, the course description and all that stuff, I also have them, um, sign that it's, it's, This is what we're going to talk about and you need to be okay with it.

Andrea: Right. So if a parent says they're not okay with it, but they do want their kids to take the class for the other stuff, how do you handle that?

Leslie: Now, it just depends. So like, if it's a parent who is like, to the point where they don't want any of it discussed, because like, it's not a like, the way that I teach my class, it's not like a, Hey, this is the one unit.

And then that's it. Like I allow my students, you know, if something comes up, I know there's probably. Smack on the hand for this. But if something comes up and they're like at a party and something happens and they're like, Miss Rob, oh my gosh, um, and I, I'm sorry, I don't know like what's TMI, but you're fine.

Okay. Um, it like, cause I had one student, for example, who was like, Miss Rob, like, um, it didn't go all the way in, but, but something came out, like, is it going to blah, blah, blah, blah. And I'm like, yeah. I want them to feel free, like, because they're terrified, and who else can they go to? Our school nurse can't cover certain things because of HIPAA requirements and stuff like that.

So I just always want my kids to feel comfortable, like, they need to know, like, they can go to the health department, they need to know their resources. Um, you know, and what, what works. I mean, abstinence is great, but let's just Let's be so for real. Let's be so for real how many girls at

Andrea: my school got pregnant and then suddenly went to a different school for a bit, you know?

Yeah, and

Leslie: they disappeared. They went to go visit a distant relative.

Andrea: Yeah, it was like a real Victorian era thing where like, oh, you know, she got a case of the pregnancies and so she won't be back for a bit. Exactly.

Leslie: So, like, it's hard to do that, like, when the parents are like, Hey, I don't want my child discussing this.

Okay, fine, no problem. But what I do is I'll have that child go to another classroom. And that's, you know, how the buddy teacher system works. Yeah. You know, so we have the buddy teacher system, and I don't want the kid to feel embarrassed. So I'm like, Hey, sweetie, could you take this to Miss, um, whoever for me?

Oh, that's great. And they'll go and sit with that teacher, and they know, Me and Ms. Rob, you and I know what's going on, but they don't get embarrassed.

Andrea: Well, so, and I think it's, you know, great to be educating kids because I end up, well, obviously, literally that's the premise of everything I do. I mean, you know.

I don't want to do any hot takes here today, but I think it's great to be educating kids. I mean, it's just awesome. Awesome. About, about their bodies is where I was going, but I just stopped. I feel like I just kind of just cut it right there. Education is like good, I

Speaker 4: think. Education, I think, worked. I mean, I think it's a good

Andrea: thing.

Oh my gosh. I had somebody on a YouTube video that I posted that was talking about, like, some kid. had said that they thought, um, that they, they asked in class, like, oh, could you get pregnant from oral sex? And the, and you know, obviously I was like interacting as if I was like the teacher. No, you can't, sweetie.

And there were so many comments on that video from people. And I'm, I'm, I'm assuming children, I'm assuming these are unsupervised kids on my page. One girl said, no, it depends on the order it's happened. And I was like, See, in that moment where you tilted your head and you thought about it, and you thought about the order, there is no order.

Leslie: Is there an order? I'm like, hold

Andrea: on, let me just If you had it, you know, there is no order in my head.

Leslie: I'm like, so could you like maybe move a little note to the left?

Andrea: I don't know. I can't fathom. I cannot fathom. But I feel like it's like when, when we were in high school, there was like that you could get pregnant from a toilet seat or you could get pregnant for, and I had what, like what you said your student asked about like, oh, it didn't go in, but it like, you know,

Speaker 5: I had a girl,

Andrea: yeah, there was a girl I went to school with and we were like in high school and she.

I remember we were talking and somebody made a comment about like it going in and she's like, wait, it goes, it goes inside. And I was like, girl, she's like, I thought it was like a hot dog in a bun situation. It's just placed right there. Hot dog in the bun. And I was like, no, no, baby, no. She was so mortified.

Because again, like my, I had just a very clinical understanding of it from a very young age where my parents were like, this is it. And then this happens. And like, my parents met in PA school. So like, it was never so, That's something that I didn't understand. Like I don't remember a time where I didn't feel like I could ask my parents about that, which is amazing, incredible.

And at the time I was like, well, of course you can. But now having worked with so many kids, I realized like, It is very uncomfortable for a lot of people to have those conversations. And my husband always gets, it's always like cringing because my daughter is six now and she will ask me questions and I'll answer her very, very frankly about them.

Um, and there was, we were at a public restroom and she saw like the tampon dispenser, right? And she asked me, she's like, Oh, what are those? And I was like, well, those are tampons. And she's like, what are they for? Um, I guess after this week, now we know that they're for poisoning us. I don't know if you saw the arsenic in tampons.

Uh, Google metals in tampons. Shut up! Yeah, a big thing just came out about it. It's terrifying. Oh wow, I'll have to look that up. Yeah, look it up. Uh, but my daughter was like, um, I was like, well, girls, um, when they, you know, hit puberty, they start to bleed and we had a little conversation about that. And she was like, Why?

And I'm like, well, that's how, you know, girls pretend to be, like, begin to get ready to become a mom. And she's like, does it happen to boys? And I'm like, no. And she's like, well, that's not fair. You're like, I agree. Yes. And then she asked me if it hurts and I'm like, well, yeah, it does. But I live in fear.

Like, I've had students who haven't. known what was coming and then it happened and it was very traumatic so I'm always very much like let's make sure she kind of has an idea of of what our bodies are gonna do and all that but I, I because I had such a good relationship with my parents, I didn't feel like I had to Talk to a teacher about it as much.

What do you do in your classroom to kind of establish that relationship so your students feel like they can have that conversation? Cause I know there are a lot of teachers that wouldn't feel comfortable necessarily answering some questions like that.

Leslie: Yeah. And it's so funny because like one of the teachers, she tells me all the time, she's like, um, I'm glad that's you.

And it's not me because I could not. Um, but that's the thing. It's like, I establish a relationship from, with my students from the jump, like from day one, like I give like, um, one of my favorite things to do on the first day of school is I show, um, I get, pass out the lyrics to This Is Me. And, um, I play the clip from The Greatest Showman, um, where I'm like, The song, This Is Me, and the kids read the lyrics first, and then they watch the video, and then we talk about it, and I would tell each and every one of them, I don't want you to be anybody but yourself, like, whatever, whoever yourself is, I want you to be that, and it just like, you can see, like, oh my gosh.

And not physically, but you can almost see like the weight lifted, like, because the kids are like, this, in a society that's so social media driven and so compete, comparison driven, I want these kids to just truly learn to embrace who they are. And I want them to know that I embrace who they are. So I try to establish that from the beginning.

And so, You know, that initially is what I can't say that breaks the ice, but then I pay attention and I'm present. Like, I want to make sure that my kids all feel seen, they feel loved on, that we have some type of connection, even if it's a strange connection, like, um, especially the kids who, who come off as like, yo, I'm hard, you ain't gonna come for me, Ms.

Rob. Yeah. Okay. I'm gonna win you over. Right. Like, those are the ones that I get excited about most because I'm like, you just wait, you're going to love me. Right. Appreciate it.

Andrea: Yeah, so now I, I feel like one of the things I hear a lot from people is that teachers are constantly trying to push kids towards universities and colleges and all of that kind of stuff.

Um, the school district that you're in, I feel like it's a really interesting mix of And then city, like we have kids that whose parents I think have very much the expectation of college, but you also have kids who none of their family has gone to college and they want to go into a trade or agriculture or any of that kind of stuff.

How do you deal with that kind of, um, I don't even know if tension is the right word, but just like that diverse life experience that comes to your class.

Leslie: I love it. Um, because the best part about it is even though this is a diverse, like you said, area, I grew up here. I was born and raised here. My dad and mom were born and raised here.

So like, you know, these are my people. So it's easy for me to adapt in that way. Um, and I tell my kids all the time, I'm like, listen, I was the first person in my family to go to college. Like my parents barely graduated high school. Um, Like, we, I had to learn what a FAFSA was. I had to go through all the dynamics.

I said, but at the same time, I want you to be okay. And it's funny that you said that. I have a, had a student, a lover, um, Sierra. And I had Sierra a few years back and she was born and raised where we are. She's super smart, honor student. And everybody was pushing her to go to college, go to college, go to college.

And she's like, Miss Rob, I just want to work on my family farm. Like, that's all I want to do. Like, I, I know I could go to college. I know it could be something great, but. I just want to be basic and her and her boyfriend like they wanted to get married young and work the farm and live the farm life but then I had a student who struggled a lot, but she fought her way to pass and then go to college.

So, you know, I, I try to get the kids to see themselves as individuals, like not, I try to serve the individual and not the group as much as possible, which, you know, sometimes with class sizes, it can be difficult, but I want each of the kids to, to embrace their individuality and what works for them. And so I often just say, Hey, if it's working the family farm, it's working the family farm.

If it's, um, Hey, I literally like one of my boys, he's so funny. He's like, look. When I graduate, because the best part about our area is we have something called the Career and Tech Center, which is a vocational center that is tied to all five high schools. And so our kids get to go and do, um, automotive, they get to go do, uh, HVAC, uh, refrigeration, all those things.

And so for him, he's like, listen, Ms. Rob, I'm going, literally, he's like, I'm just going to go down there to the, to the tech center, I'm going to get my refrigeration license, and I'm going to do, uh, HVAC for the county, rest of my life. I'm a retiree, got me a trailer, I got some land for my daddy, and that's what I'm gonna do.

And literally, that's what he does. I see him all the time, and he's working for the county as a maintenance man. He's living his best life. Yeah. Well,

Andrea: and I, I think that's the thing that A lot of people, and I don't think it's our generation of teachers that is so single mindedly focused on sending kids only to the university system as someone who works in the university system, you know, like it's not going to be the best option for some people because at the end of the day, the kid who works in HVAC, number one, making more money than me.

Can tell you that right now. Guaranteed. Guaranteed making more money than my salary. And he would hate to sit in an office environment or have to sit completely, like he probably has a mind that wants to puzzle and wants to problem solve and move and do like all of these different tasks. And I think that for, from the teacher perspective, I, my goal was always not to tell the kids which route they should take, but to make sure they were prepared for whichever route they wanted.

Whatever. Yeah, exactly. So you have that kid that you mentioned that was really struggling and was able to crawl their way and get into college. And the other kid who, you know, school was really easy for them, but they wanted to manage the farm. And to me, I feel like there is like this misconception that you're not using your mind.

If you're working on a farm, which is, wild to me because the amount of like science and chemistry and all of that that is involved in successfully, I cannot even keep a plant in my house alive.

Leslie: Same. I just killed an orchid. I mean, my friend said you can't even kill

Andrea: an orchid. I killed an orchid. Are you sure it's dead?

Because someone gave me an orchid as a gift and I've kept it alive, but all the petals fall off and then it comes back. So maybe your orchid's still alive.

Leslie: Did you throw it away? Oh, yeah. That's what happened. All the petals fell off. And I was like, oh gosh, it away already? I threw it away. Literally two days ago.

Oh my god.

Andrea: It was probably going to come back. Because they do. They just kind of look like sticks and then the flowers come back. Yeah. Yeah. It was

Leslie: just like sticks left. So I was like, oh man. You're like, it's dead.

Andrea: No. I did it.

Leslie: I killed an orchid.

Andrea: It's dead now. Yeah, it's, uh, you're supposed to give it like, that's the only plant I've been able to keep alive as an orchid is just, and someone said, you just put an ice cube in on the soil once per week.

And I'm like, I can do that. And

Leslie: that's what I was doing. So I thought I did it. You did. I was like, it's surviving.

Andrea: You I came home and all the petals were off. You didn't kill it. You freed it. You freed it. And now it's I said it

Leslie: free. Now it's really

Andrea: free. Yeah. Now it's, maybe it'll survive in the dump, you know?

Maybe it'll just Maybe it

Leslie: will. Maybe it'll blossom. Exactly. Bring light to the dump. It's

Andrea: so sad. It's so sad. Yeah, but then we have those kids that they love that, you know, they love to try and figure out how to like make sure that the soil is exactly the right, is it acidity? I don't even know. Yeah, I don't even to start making stuff up at this point.

I'm just

Leslie: like, like,

Andrea: mmm, the precipitation, I don't know. The water cycle. Recently, okay, so this is something I just found out about, um, plants. So, like I grew up in Southern California where everything's dead all the time, right? Very dry heat. It's a desert that they've irrigated, which is why it burns down every like six to seven years, right?

Um, so now living in the Midwest, things live, things are alive around me all the time. And thankfully I don't have allergies, but I went to a fair and the local county fair. is surrounded by cornfields. And did you know that corn sweats? I did not know that. So, and before the science teachers come after me, it is a part of photosynthesis for all plants that they all exude a certain amount of moisture that is part of photosynthesis.

I posted on my stories about corn sweat and the amount of science teachers that were like, That's all plants, actually, Andrea. Like, it's not just You're like, okay, fine. You're embarrassing yourself. But I'm like, no, but like, in, in the Midwest where you have acres and acres and acres and acres of corn, it, it can really add up.

And so that is part of what causes the intense humidity in certain areas around the cornfields. Because, and it like just doesn't, lesson because you end up with, which is also, I found out why the rainforests are also partially so prone to like really intense rain showers because all those plants are like perspiring.

Yes. But they call it corn sweat. I know. I know. They call it corn sweat, which is gross, but. But hey, it is what it is. It is. And so I've, I've learned about that since moving here. Now that I'm, I'm basically a farmer at this stage is, Oh yeah, cause you're out in

Leslie: Indiana. Yeah. Yeah. You're out in

Andrea: Indiana amongst the corn sweat.

Yeah. It is very, very,

Leslie: just

Andrea: swimming through it. It is so humid. And I didn't understand like, like I've been, cause Virginia gets humid. Like, yeah, for sure. To be so for real. Like, and there's, there's cornfields in Virginia, but not like the Midwest. And it gets very, very humid there, but I feel like, I don't know, maybe this is just my memory romanticizing it, but when I lived there, I feel like we hid in the air conditioning more.

In the Midwest, people are like, you know what we should do is outside activities. It's 95 degrees and 100 percent humidity. Let's go sit out on a dirt track and stare at stuff for hours on end. It'll be great. I know. It's terrible. It's so terrible. It's so terrible. Yes, we do hide in the

Leslie: AC

Andrea: here. Right? Yes.

Like, I don't remember ever exposing myself to the elements so aggressively. I know, right? You're like, listen. Yeah. I was like, this is great. Let's, um, do outside activities in the fall. Or, you know,

Leslie: which is sustainable.

Speaker 5: Yeah,

Leslie: exactly. But yeah, no, you, but you're, but you're right though. It's funny because like it is humid here and our area is one of the, uh, I don't want to say only, but one of the few areas in Virginia that offer agriculture, um, as like a, like at most of our high schools because of the acreage, um, out here in the middle of nowhere.

You're almost in the middle of nowhere. It's so funny that it's like, It's so funny, like you were saying how diverse we are, because like, we back up to downtown, and then you go as far out as like, Spotsy, and you know, with all the open fields. So, yeah.

Andrea: So those of you guys who, I don't know if we've actually said it, like Fredericksburg, Virginia area is where we're talking about.

It's like that general area, which is the general area where I had my first teaching job. And I was actually at Leslie's school when I was in my, you know, pre service and all of that kind of stuff. But it is like, it's right along the Mason Dixon line, which people in that area know, but if you're not from that area, Mason Dixon line, like that is like the North and the South is like, that is the Mason Dixon line.

Um, And usually I felt like I knew I was like actually in this because a lot of people will say, which I take issue with, that Fredericksburg is not the South. I do say that. I disagree based on the sweet tea availability. A hundred percent. Thank you. Yes. As soon as you have once Sweet tea's available. Yes.

Without, and to like, this is sweet. This is not like the, the nesty, this is like, they got a picture. They put, they put it out like they've, they've got it already in the fridge. This is not coming from like a machine. They are, like, making true sweet tea. Mm hmm. With cups and cups of sugar. Yeah. You know you've gotten to the North once you stop somewhere and you're like, can I get some sweet tea?

And they're like, well, we have unsweetened and some sugar packets. And you're like Yeah.

Leslie: And then now, you know, like, not only are they offering sugar packets, they're offering you the syrup. The sugar syrup. Is that any better? I haven't tried that. Yeah, like, I know I'm good. Yeah. It doesn't help. Yeah. Right.

Exactly.

Andrea: Oh my gosh. All right. Well, we are going to take a quick break and we will be right back.

Welcome back. Um, I am very curious about this and I'm not sure if it's something you deal with much in the FACTS classroom, but have you ever had a class that you had to co teach. So you had like a co teacher that was in there with you and you're having to like team teach or any of that kind of stuff?

Leslie: Well, I've had, it was a long time ago. Um, for a semester I had a co teacher who was, um, a special ed teacher and that way she could work with the kids who needed a smaller group setting. Um, I, I had that once for half a year.

Andrea: So this is on my mind because a couple of schools that I am familiar with, they're not trying to increase, increase, increase class sizes, um, but what they're trying to do is bring in.

The, uh, students who are on an IEP or a 504 plan that are normally in self contained and they're trying to bring them into the general ed classroom because we always, you know, per the law, we want to have the least restrictive environment, which is legally what we are supposed to be doing. And so one of the ways they're trying to address that is they are then bringing these kids in and are having the special educator teachers come in and basically help co teach.

Uh, that's, that was my experience. That was my experience when I first started teaching in Virginia. I feel like they do that a lot. Um, in California, I did not see it nearly as much, but in Virginia, one of the things that they often will do is they will have a class where they've got students, a lot of students that have different kind of learning needs, and they'll put two teachers in there.

And the idea or the goal is that there is a cap on how many students who have IEPs or 504s are in that class. And then there's an overall cap on the classroom size. But what ends up happening in my experience is that they don't pay attention to those caps. And so you end up having 35 kids in the class.

I never had 35 in Virginia. I'll you'll have to, I think the biggest I ever had in Virginia was 29 kids. 21 of them had different learning needs that were pretty intense. Um, and usually, and these, the ones I taught as well were seniors. So these kids have had learning challenges, their entire, their educational careers.

And so they've got all of these behaviors that a lot of times come along with some of those learning needs because they're coping and trying to not feel uncomfortable in a classroom setting. And so you have this group of kids who are doing just the most all the time. And then you have yourself and a co teacher.

And for me, I think that's the I had such a hard time, first of all, as a first year teacher, I didn't know what I was doing, but then different teaching styles that the teacher I was working with was very strict and very tense and all of that, and I was just like me, so I was less of that. And so then there was like this weird dichotomy where like they felt like I was like the fun mom and then like she was like the mean mom and I didn't know how to bridge that.

So I didn't know if you have taught any classes where you felt like there was just a really good mesh and you were able to co teach really successfully.

Leslie: Well, this, even though it was only my own. The one experience I had, it was actually pretty good, like, because the teacher was like, listen, she established from the beginning, she was like, listen, I know this is your class, and I'm, I'm here as a guest, and she's like, and you just tell me in what dynamic and what my role is.

So, like, the fact that she let me define her role was great, but then you have, like, some people whose teachers that they got assigned to were like, coming in thinking they running the show and then telling you where to go, how to get there, and how to come back. Um, and so that definitely shifts the whole atmosphere of the classroom, the whole environment.

Um, but the fact that she came in and she was literally like, Hey, you just tell me what I need to do. And then we worked together, but it was almost like she took on an assistant role, which I know that's not, You know, heaven forbid, but that was just with her. She was willing to do that, like to take a step back because she wanted me to make sure that I was comfortable.

This is a new thing for me, new thing for her. But she's like, just let's see how it works. So it was good.

Andrea: Well, and I think that one of the things, like, I feel like when people hear that, right? Like that, oh, she took on an assistant role, they would think that's like a negative thing. To me. As, like, the, the, you know, course subject teacher having a special educator in the classroom, I am always trying to be cognizant of their load that they have because every SPED teacher that I've worked with has not only had to be subject matter experts in the, the field of special education, and I don't know if people know this or not, but as a special education teacher, you are licensed for K 12 SPED, which means, You could be in an 11th grade math class, or you could be in a 2nd grade classroom.

And you better be able to do all of it. That's insane to me. Yes! And that is so crazy to me, the expectations on special educators, that they have to be proficient in every single subject, every single grade. And manage an insane amount of cases. And, by the way, you're in charge of the IEPs. You've got to differentiate for all of these classes.

You've got to understand the material well enough to differentiate it, which also is a high degree of understanding. Yep. in a senior level math class and you expect me to explain it to anyone, even like to myself. We're going to have a bad time. We're going to have a horrible time. Yeah. Yes. And I, I didn't fully understand until I started working at the university and now I'm, I was chatting with all of my future SPED teachers and we were talking about, cause my first thing, my very first, and I feel so bad about this.

I didn't know that in the state of Indiana, I don't know if it's the same as Virginia, but for. special education, they don't have grade level teaching standards. So I was like, okay, like, we need to figure out what your standards are. They didn't have them because they're all based on the IEPs. So I was like, let's do lesson plans.

You need to go on there. You need to look at a state standard, pick a state standard, create a lesson plan for it. Like that was kind of what we were working on. And they were like, we can't find any state standards. And I was like, what? I was like, that's crazy. So we're like looking through, trying to find state standards, realizing like, oh.

No, you don't have state standards because the state standards are the core subject matter material. That's the standard. And then their goals are the IEPs, the, and for those of you, yeah, the individualized education plan that helped the kid access the curriculum at a way that will make sense to them. Um, and I didn't realize that.

And then we started going through and talking about what these teachers were having to do at every level. And it, it blew my mind. It's insane. And it's why there's constantly. a shortage of special education teachers. I know. And why the teacher that you worked with probably was like, I'm fine to come in in an assistant role.

Like you tell me, I don't want to make one more decision in my day. And I, I feel like it's such a hard balance because I worked with one teacher that was very much like that. Um, but then I felt like it wasn't that helpful because I felt like I had to then make the choices For her with things that I was, and it stressed me out more because I didn't, I, at that point, I was so new, I didn't know what choices to make.

And I needed to kind of rely a little bit more on her expertise as a special education instructor. And so I had that. And then I had the other kind that was like, there was tension because she was so strict with the kids. And so I, I think that one of the things that the school districts should do without a doubt is provide time Resources and coverage for your teachers.

If you're expecting two teachers to co teach together on a course subject, give them time to talk about it. Yeah. Because I don't know about you. I found out the day before school started when the SPED teacher came in and was like, Hey, I'm teaching first period with you. And I was like, You are? What? Yay!

What do you do? Yeah, exactly. Exactly. And then also, because I didn't understand the way it worked because I started on a trans, like an emergency license, I was like, so you're a para or, and she's like, no, I'm a licensed teacher. And I'm like, oh. But you're in my, you're in my class, like that, the lack of specific instructions and specific expectations laid out was incredibly damaging to the start of the semester.

Because had somebody just been like, Hey, instead of spending two hours in this pointless professional development from a professor from a university that you're never going to see again. Why don't we instead have you actually spend that time with somebody who specializes in communication between special educators and core teachers, and can give you a couple of different ways that you can co teach successfully.

And like, wouldn't that solve so many problems of like, hey, let's actually have a conversation about, What it is to be a co teacher and don't just show us pictures of different types of co teaching models Give us time to talk about like expectations Like is your like is English something you like because if you're the sped teacher in my classroom and you hate English I'm not going to ask you to sit down and like break down I'll do that part and then you can help with something else, you know, because I just time Yeah, exactly.

Um, or just expectations on grading. Like, are we expecting these teachers to help with grading? How much are we expecting it? Um, and what does, you know, planning time look like together? I just feel like there, we are doing such a disservice in every school I've, I've worked at to the special education instructors where they are just burning out.

Leslie: For sure. And I agree with you on that, like, especially at the beginning of the year. Like, it should, like you said, it should be, like, half the time where they're explaining expectations, then, hey, now you and your co teacher, you guys would go meet and figure out what the, what the year looks like.

Andrea: Yeah. And, you know, I, I feel extra, again, I feel terrible for the special education teachers because in high school, you're talking about five different teachers then that they're going to have to meet with and discuss, you know, and, and, and, They have all the cases from all those classes, and they have all of the different paperwork, and legally they are supposed to get all that paperwork out to all of the teachers before the first day of school.

And, like, I just give so much money to the special education teachers.

Leslie: Well, yeah, and the struggle also in that is that when it comes to the IEPs and things like that, getting a general education teacher to show up to an IEP meeting during a, uh, Specific time is like literally if they can get one in, it's like finding gold for them because they send it out to all of us.

But most of us either in planning, I mean, we're not on planning. We have either a duty during that planning if we are on planning or we are in class. So like to get that general education teacher to be present in the IEP meeting is like pulling teeth. So yeah.

Andrea: Exactly. And a lot of times they want us to have data, right, of like how the kid's doing.

Are they 70 percent of the time listening to instructions on the first time? And I'm like Exactly. Mm hmm. I'm like, I'm, and this is also, this is probably a little guilt fueled of how I know how useless I probably was for these poor special education teachers. They're like, about 70 percent of the time, are they getting it right on the first or second try?

And I'm like 70%? How many times? 10. Well, we don't do it 10 times. We maybe do it like 3 or 4 times. What's 70 percent of 3? 71? Or is that 2? You

Leslie: know, like, I'm just like, I'm with you. Sometimes. Like, majority? Does that count? I mean, I don't know. Yeah, like more

Andrea: often than not. And they're like, well, we need the data.

And I'm like, I hear you. Yes, I hear you on that. Yes, you like, I understand. I know you do. I definitely get it. I'm so sorry. Unfortunately, I am profoundly ADHD, so I need an IEP just for myself, for functioning as an adult. Yes, I

Leslie: definitely could use a 504

Andrea: point, at least. Yeah, if someone could give me some accommodations and try and track.

Oh my gosh, it is so, it's just so challenging sometimes. It's

Leslie: so hard. Like, so when I hear like people say, or even my students, because my friend, um, next door, she teaches, teaches for tomorrow. So like, you know, that's a big program that has now come out because we have such a teacher shortage. They're trying to promote it beginning at the high school level.

And one of the students, this is so terrible, last year, um, They had their practicum experience where, you know, they leave the classroom, they actually go to, um, a classroom and work in the area in which they want to be in. This girl was hardcore, like, I'm gonna teach SPED. I'm gonna teach SPED. She was there all of three weeks, uh, assigned to her teacher that she'd shadow, and she was out.

She's like, I'm out. So I get it.

Andrea: I, and the horrible thing is, and this is not to discourage anyone that wants to be a special education teacher, because we don't know, but I don't know, I don't know any special education teacher that I've spoken to that would encourage a loved one to become a special education teacher.

Like, I don't know a single one. And that's awful. Especially a present

Leslie: day special education teacher. Exactly. And because it's not just data anymore, you're having to actually learn these new software systems and trackings and all these other things. It's not just, Hey, like I'm just keeping up with the kid's case.

Like it's like intent,

Andrea: which also, and if I do have any SPED teachers listening, uh, there is a tool on magic school. ai. This is in no way sponsored, but magic school. ai, it does have a creation tool for IEPs. That may save people time. Just putting that out there. Go give it a Google.

Leslie: Same with EduAid. ai.

Same.

Andrea: Yes. Yeah. Both of those. Yeah. Highly recommend. Um, I worked with some teachers recently that came to the university and they had never heard of magic school AI. They only knew kind of about chat GPT. So I brought up magic school and I brought up a couple on EduAid and I was showing them and they like minds blown.

And I was like, yes, like anything we can do to, to save time for, especially it's by teachers.

Leslie: Yeah, I actually teach PD on, um, AI now because I want teachers to understand, like, to help with teacher burnout and to help with the teacher shortage. Like, dude, this is a way to like, hey, let's not reinvent the wheel.

If it works, it works. And so for most teachers, it works for them. But yeah, AI has been essential for the classroom. Essential.

Andrea: Yeah. I love that you do that. Since, since you, since you do that, you said magic school and EduAid, are there any other ones that you are like? These were game changers for me.

Leslie: Those were the two and you nailed it.

Okay. Like Magic School tools and Edge a.ai. edge.ai. The, the reason why I'm, I'm more keen towards that is because career and technical education is included. So like, um, they have lots of resources to cover career and tech ed, which, um, magic school tools didn't have as many. Okay. So,

Andrea: yeah. Mm-Hmm. . And, you know, it's one of those things too for people that, like a lot of the people, the teachers I worked with were kind of like, oh, I just thought AI was.

It's, you know, it's cheating and it's, you know, and they'd only really heard of ChatGPT and I'm like, listen, if we want teachers to stick around, we need to use the tools available to us. Like that would be like at this point being like, well, let's not use Google to look up peer reviewed research articles.

Let's go to the library physically and physically find peer reviewed articles. I don't even know if they physically like make printed copies anymore, you know, like Let's do what we have to do as educators to make this a sustainable profession. So I absolutely use that with my students for that are going to be future teachers.

Like I have, we talk about lesson planning and curriculum and all of that. And then I have them pull up magic school AI and edu aid and look at them. And cause I don't, I don't want them like, I don't want them to be burned out in three years. I want them to be doing things to, you know, make the things that could be easy, be easy because there's enough that is always going to happen.

To be hard as educators.

Leslie: A hundred percent. And the best part I love about AI is that, like you said, it helps to reduce like that burnout to like make education easier. Um, but a lot of teachers tend to think and they get like, because they think it's going to replace us. I'm like, guys, It'll never replace us.

No. Like, they still need that physical human interaction, like, it's never gonna replace us.

Andrea: Well, and I think the thing is, too, is like, there are some kids that can learn on self paced modules on computers, which is already happening, you know, there are some highly motivated learners. Oh, yeah. But I was never that student.

Like I was not the kid that could have done that. Like just being so for real, I couldn't have, I couldn't have focused. It wouldn't have happened. Yeah, and there's always going to be a need for educators to. have the expertise to know when Chat GPT comes up with ridiculous stuff. Like I, or Magic School comes up with something ridiculous.

Like I, it was so funny. So, okay. Are you an office fan? I think you are. I feel like we've talked about this, but

Leslie: no, you're not an office fan. I've never even seen it. No, I know. Okay. I know. And it's terrible because I just did a gig a few, like a couple of years ago, I did a gig with Brie Larson. Rainn Wilson, Dwight from The Office.

Speaker 4: You did a gig with Rainn Wilson and you're not an Office fan? Leslie! And so,

Leslie: you should have seen me when I showed up. I had no idea what anybody was talking about. I was just like, yeah, totally. Leslie, that

Andrea: broke my heart. And I had no idea. Oh my gosh. Okay, well, this makes it harder to explain the AI mistake that was happening.

But there is a scene in The Office. Where, do you know who Jim is in The Office? Tall, skinny, white guy. Okay, yes. Not, not Dwight.

Leslie: No, I do know the, the, the, the actors. Okay, great. Like, based on that. If you, if you say tall, skinny, white guy, I got you. Okay, great.

Andrea: So, there was a scene in there where, to play a prank on Dwight, he had this guy come in, who is an Asian actor, Who pretended that he was Jim and he just like gaslit Dwight for, it was like an opener.

Um, and it was like a, a six minute skit or whatever. And they even like, there was even like a family photo they had replaced like Jim's face with this actor. And so it was very complex, right? And so now any, and this guy was also in the new Avengers movies and I'm blanking it on what his name was. So Rob, if you want to pop his name as the actor, um, who plays Asian Jim, I can't remember, but that guy, it's a very quick clip and I've actually heard interviews with this actor because people will yell at him out the, like out of their car windows and be like Asian Jim.

And for a long time he thought they were just being racist because there was all of this like Asian American hate recently. He didn't realize. Because it was like a one day shoot he did and he forgot about it, he didn't realize people were like fans of The Office and were excited to see him because of that, which like maybe, maybe don't yell Asian Jim out of the car door just in general.

Not during a time where it's like that. Right. So this actor, um, who I, I need to figure out what his name is, but, uh, this actor went and he did. An ad and he was interacting with, oh gosh, I can't remember who. Okay, his name is Randall Park, is this actor, and he's very, very funny, and he was in a video, and you know how on Facebook now they have all of like the AI summary of what's happening?

Yeah. Mm hmm. in, in the videos or in the comments, right? Oh,

Speaker 5: yeah.

Andrea: And because so many people referred to Randall Park as Jim from the office, the AI thought it was in fact not Jim, not Randall Park, but Jim from the office. And so the AI summary. was was saying it was and I'm what Jim from the office John Krasinski.

I'm the worst office fan John Krasinski. Um, thank you Rob. So John Krasinski is not in the video, but because Randall Park was in the video and everyone was referred to referring to him as the Jim from the office or as John Krasinski or as any of that kind? Or Asian Jim. Yeah. Or Asian Jim. The, the AI thought that it was John Krasinski in the video and oh my gosh.

Those are the things that seem like so small, but Mm-Hmm. . If, if, if we're only relying on ai legit Mm-Hmm. And we don't have the cultural knowledge to understand Mm-Hmm. Like, wait, that's not John Krasinski . Like why does the AI think that? Yeah. Because we understand like as well, I guess you wouldn't have gotten the joke because you don't.

You haven't seen The

Leslie: Office, even though you hung out with Rainn Wilson. I know, it was so funny, like literally, and it was like everybody was making all these references and stuff that he said, and I'm like, like, I had no idea. Was he nice?

Andrea: He was nice, but he's very weird. No, that's exactly what I've heard, is that there is definitely, like, the first time Rainn Wilson introduced his wife.

to the other cast members on The Office. I, I love, clearly I love The Office and have like, listened to their podcast, The Office Ladies podcast and all that. He, he introduced his wife to his, uh, colleague, says, here is my wife, bearer of my seed, because she was pregnant. It's like a

Leslie: Sheldon introduction.

That's what some Sheldon would say. I, yeah,

Andrea: he apparently is, is, you know, he's just, He's just Rainn Wilson. Yeah, he is himself. Yeah, so you need to watch it. That's your homework for the rest of summer. Yeah, that's what everybody

Leslie: always tells me. They're like, listen, just watch it. Leslie, do it for our friendship, please.

It's just the look of it. Like the mock, the mock, what do you call it? Mockumentary? Mockumentary. I don't like that look. It messes with my head. I know. You can do it. I pretty do. And then like, after you do that, you gotta do Parks and Rec. And I'm like, do I? Yeah.

Andrea: And then Abbott Elementary and Oh, I love

Leslie: Abbott Elementary.

Now that I can do. That's the same type. I know. Oh my gosh. I know. And that's the terrible part is I am like a hypocrite. Like, legit. I'm a mockumentary hypocrite.

Andrea: Oh my gosh. Okay. So one of the things we always do on the podcast is I get questions from listeners and then I have folks share their advice.

So, um, the question we got was after two years of being rated proficient, I was told I am not being recommended to continue because I am not a good fit. I am a special education teacher and fully co taught this year. I was told that because the students were talking during my observation, even though they were on topic, and she was told that this late in the year, that shouldn't be happening, like they shouldn't be talking while she's instructing.

At the beginning of the year, I said I wouldn't see students not in my caseload because it is during the, um, Multi tiered systems of support and the specific time is when I work with my IEP students. So she wasn't, she was like, I'm only going to work with my IEP students during this specific time. Um, and for those who are unfamiliar with the, this multi tiered system of supports, basically you have to try and give a little bit of support to some kids before you give them like a full IEP kind of a thing.

Right. Um, or I, I don't want to misspeak on that. I, before increasing the amount of supports for a student, you have to make sure you are adequately providing the supports at the tier that they're currently at. I think I want to phrase it that way. At their, their current level. Yeah. Yes, exactly. So I don't want to say they can't get an IEP because I think that that's, they, they absolutely can if they have their, those kind of needs.

Right. Um, But this, this teacher was like, I already have my caseload. I'm not going to work with these, these other kids. Principal said in a meeting with an interventionist that my mere presence in the room fulfills their minutes, which I'm guessing they have to do some, some form of intervention with these students.

And if they are in the room, that counts as time towards helping them. Everyone else is afraid to speak up, she says, um, for fear of losing their job. Honestly, that sounds like a win for you to not be at that school anymore, to be so personal. I'd

Leslie: be like, so happy to be out, like, clearly, that's a setup, like, what?

That is

Andrea: insane, and you're a special education teacher, just shout from a rooftop, I'm a fully licensed special education teacher and I need a job, and every school in the freakin county will be like, we'll take you. Legit. We will take it. Thank you so much. And probably give

Leslie: you an increase. Exactly. Legit.

Because I know if it's anything like here, you go to the next county over, you're going to make a ton of more money.

Andrea: Oh yeah, exactly. The more, the further, the, the further you get from Sweet Tea, the more money you end up making.

Leslie: Yeah. Yeah.

Andrea: Yeah. A hundred percent. I agree. But no, that is

Leslie: totally unfair. Yeah.

Right? Okay. Definitely girl, bye. Like, bye y'all.

Andrea: Exactly. And have the best time at your next job where you're going to be 100%. Enjoy yourself, girl. Enjoy. Exactly. Um, the other thing I do and this it's during summer. Um, so normally I, I say, you know, what are your kids doing for student, for teachers on Fridays on Instagram, but it's the middle of summer for us right now as we're recording this.

So, uh, I, I went back and I found one that then reminded me of something that happened with my own children. So somebody said a three year old peed their pants on purpose and then cried cause her pants were wet. Honestly, like, every three year old is so like that, like, no, I'm going to do this. I'm going to pee myself.

And then, like, oh, there's consequences to my actions. This is really unfortunate.

Leslie: Oh, and I believe it because I used to teach preschool.

Andrea: Yeah.

Leslie: Oh, yeah. Oh,

Andrea: 100 percent believe

Leslie: it.

Andrea: I love my small children. I don't know that I could deal with like the constant moisture involved with all the other small children.

Leslie: Which is why I now teach high school.

Andrea: Yeah, exactly. High school

Leslie: is my sweet spot. I cannot do the littles. It's,

Andrea: yeah, high school is just so much fun. I love it. I love it, yeah. The, the pee pants story did remind me, we were flying back. I was flying with my four year old and six year old. from California. And, uh, my daughter was on our way to the airport.

She started saying like, I don't feel good. Like right before we left, she asked for a trash bag for my, for my father. And I was like, Oh no, because my daughter does not, she doesn't tend to be dramatic about stuff like that. And she's like, I need a trash bag. And I'm like, Oh, okay.

So

halfway to the airport, she just opens the trash bag, pukes her guts out.

Right. And I'm like, This is gonna be a long day.

Leslie: Yeah, it's gonna be a lot longer than I thought.

Andrea: Such a long day. So we, you know, she's puking her guts out in the back. What a champion because she doesn't get anything in the rental car at all, just pukes in the bag, ties that sucker up. Well done. Right. I know.

I'm so proud. Um, and so then we, she, we get another trash bag and we're walking to the flight and then she's like, my stomach hurts. I need to go to the bathroom. Like, okay. So we go and then we go again and then we get on the flight. And I take her one more time and then we get onto the flight and I'm like, okay, like we are waiting, sitting there and they kind of start to kind of taxi around.

And then I realized like, okay, we got like 20 minutes left. And over 20 minutes since we've moved and she is sitting there and I can see her like, Mom, I gotta poop. And I'm like, Oh, no, you don't. No, you don't, baby. You don't. And she's like, I do. Mom, I do. And I am so terrified. She's going to poop her pants.

Champion, because we make it all the way up into flight and I see like the, the flight attendants unbuckle and I take her back and she makes it. Thank God. Oh my gosh. It was one of those where I, absolute champion. For sure. I was literally sitting there like, what am I going to do if she poops her pants?

This is a four and a half hour flight. I didn't bring a change of pants for her. What are we going to do? I was

Speaker 4: like, this is going to be

Andrea: so bad, but they like, thank God she made it and all of that. But I just think about all of those, you know, pre K teachers that are dealing with that kind of. I mean, I guess you could just, right, call home and be like, Hey, like,

Leslie: Yeah, well, and the best part about it for preschool is most of the time, like, we have the parents submit, uh, emergency pair of clothes in a ziplock bag at the beginning of the year.

Yeah. Now the problem is, is when they use it and the parents begin to refill it, that's the problem.

Andrea: Yeah, I was that parent a few times where then they would come home with something that said like the, the preschool written in Sharpie across the front cause we had like the loner clothes.

Leslie: You're like, okay, yeah, we gotta return those.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm

Andrea: like, I'm so

Leslie: sorry. I'm so, so sorry. But your daughter definitely deserves an award for that, because that was

Andrea: Right? She was a champion. I literally, there was one point on, as we were like lifting off, and she's like, and her eyes got really big, and I was like, she's doing it. She is pooping her pants in this flight right now.

And I, I literally like, took my hands, Pushed on either side of her butt cheeks, trying to keep her

Speaker 4: butt closed, I was like, we're not gonna move. Please do not move on this plane. She's like, squeeze your cheeks, squeeze your cheeks. I know, I was like, please don't. And she's like, I'm gonna do it. She was like shaking.

Don't

Andrea: try. I know, she's such a champion. She made it, but it was Yeah, legit, she's a pro. Oh gosh, it was rough. I was like, well, that's gonna prepare her for college one day. It's just like, booting and rallying and just, you know, making it through. Yeah.

Leslie: Learning how to squeeze the cheeks is a talent. Gotta

Andrea: learn at some age.

Leslie: It's a

Andrea: skill. Oh my gosh. Okay, well, before I let you go today, can you share what projects and stuff you have coming up where people can see you and find you and all that good stuff?

Leslie: Oh, okay. Well, um, as far as projects, nothing on the horizon other than, um, some comedy shows coming up. I'm going to be on the Board Teachers Comedy Tour again.

Um, I have four shows coming up in September, um, as far as how people can see me or find me, every day I post something to keep us all laughing, um, as far as teachers, on my social media, it's on all platforms, Leslie Robbed Comedy, um, and every day I try to either put out a piece of content that makes you guys laugh, um, or encourages you, or both, so yeah.

Andrea: Awesome. Yay. Are you going to be at the Indianapolis stop for the Bored Teacher's Comedy? No. Ugh. Leslie. I know. One of these days. We have got

Leslie: to make this work at some point.

Andrea: Yes. There's been several close I think you were in San Diego, but I had just moved or there was something like that. Yeah. But one of these days, I'm gonna, I'm gonna catch it.

You gotta make it work. That's right. If you ever come through either, because usually they make a stop in Evansville and they do Indianapolis and it usually switches off. So usually if they do. They do like a spring in Evansville ish, so I'm gonna, we're at one of these days.

Leslie: Yeah, and they're always rotating the comics, so like, you never know.

I'll catch

Andrea: you. One of these days, I will definitely catch you. Awesome. And again, guys, you can find her at Leslie Robb Comedy, and that's Instagram, TikTok, anywhere else? Yep. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, threads. Everywhere. Everywhere. Just Google her. You're going to find her everywhere.

Leslie: Perfect.

Andrea: You're going to find

Leslie: me.

Andrea: Awesome. Well, Leslie, thank you so much for coming on. I appreciate it.

Leslie: Oh, thank you so much for having me. It's been fun. Yeah. All right, guys. We will be right back.

Andrea: Bye.

Welcome back to Those Who Can't Do. I hope you enjoyed my chat with Leslie. It's so fun that she and I have so many shared experiences with me having taught in like The exact same, well, okay, so I didn't teach in the exact same district, but I did like my little practicum stuff in that district. So I feel like I really, you can understand a community in a way that I feel like other people just can't if you've not taught in it.

Because it's kind of like, I've used this before, but I feel like teaching is a lot. Like if you go to the DMV and you're sitting in a room that is just a mishmash of your community, for better and for worse. And I'm not talking about the people that work at the DMV, but like the other people that are at the DMV.

And you basically, as a teacher, that is kind of who you work with is like the mishmash of humanity from a specific community. That all has to legally be there and you get to be the worker at the DMV that is trying to convince them that they, you know, except for you actually have to make the people pretend to want to be at the DMV.

Um, which is why teaching can be so hard because you have to be the DMV worker and, uh, you have to convince everyone who has to be there that they want to be there. Um, which really, I think, explains why DMV workers tend to not be the happiest people that, I mean, maybe they are. I have a friend whose mom worked at the DMV and she was lovely, but.

Some other people have been an experience to, to come across. I don't know why this turned into like bashing DMV workers. I'm so sorry. Anyways, I hope you liked my chat with Leslie. Um, it was really, really fun. Like I said, I've been following her for a while and she has a lot of like really silly goofy stuff, um, with her teacher comedy.

I haven't seen her do her stand up yet. I'm very excited to see her when she comes through Indiana at some point. Um, she's again with board teachers, like a lot of the other comedians that I've had come through. So if you are going to be going to one of the shows, you can always email the individual comedians and say like, Hey, what are your specific dates?

Um, because a lot of times board teachers will just have dates out there and then you kind of get whoever they were able to bring in. But I've never gone to a show there and not had a really good time. So if they are coming to your city, I recommend that you try and go and see those hilarious comedians and just spending a night with like a bunch of other teachers.

Having fun is great. Fantastic. So, um, if you have thoughts about what we talked about today or suggestions on who you would like to hear on the podcast, you can hit us up at andrea at human dash content. com or on my socials at educator Andrea, that's going to be on Tik TOK on Instagram, on Facebook, or you can contact my human content podcast family at human content pods.

And thank you to the wonderful listeners who have spent the time and energy. Since I know we don't have a lot of that as educators, um, to go and write a review for the podcast. It makes my week, it makes me so happy, and it helps other people find the podcast. Just like the person whose name on there is Piglet2000, that's an adorable name, uh, Piglet2000 on Apple said, I love this woman.

I've been watching her videos on Instagram for a few years since I've transitioned to high school English. She mixes reality with sarcasm so well and doesn't take herself too seriously. The podcast is just what I need once a week to refresh. Yay. That is exactly what I'm hoping, Piglet2000, is that it is exactly that.

It makes you laugh and helps you feel refreshed and helps you feel seen with your teaching experience. And if you're not a teacher and you love the pod, then I hope it just gives you a little peek into what teachers are experiencing and going through, um, on a daily and a weekly basis. If you're wanting a full video episode so you can see my beautiful face and a lot of times my super cool shirts, like I've got this one.

Stay Gold shirt on that is a reference to the Outsiders. Then you can catch the full episodes up that are every week, up that are every week, up every week on YouTube at Educator Andrea. Thank you so much for listening. I don't know why that was so hard to say. I am your host Andrea Forgham and a very special thank you to today's co host Leslie Robb.

Our executive producers are Andrew Forkham, Aron Korney, Rob Goldman, and Shahnti Brooke. Our editor is Andrew Sims. Bless him for his good works. Our engineer is Jason Portizzo. Our music is by Omer Ben Zvi. Our recording location is the Indian State Bi College of Education. To learn more about our Those Who Can't Dos program disclaimer and ethics policy, and submission, verification, and licensing terms, you can go to PodcasterAndrea.

com. Those Who Can't Do is a human content production.

Thank you so much for watching. If you're like me and you're thinking, gosh, I really need more Those Who Can't Do in my life, You can start your binging right now by clicking on that playlist button right over there. New episodes are out every Thursday, so please subscribe and join us each week on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts.