May 11, 2026
Raising Gerry: A Mother’s Day Special
Hi friend, Andrea Forcum (aka @EducatorAndrea) here! If you’ve ever Googled “how to professionally quit mid-semester” or seriously considered hiding in a supply closet, this show’s for you. With Educator strategies and life advice — teaching may be a noble profession… but nobility doesn’t stop your classroom from catching on fire.
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May 4, 2026
Raising Andrea: A Mother’s Day Special
ORDER MY NEW BOOK (AVAILABLE NOW)!!! — https://bit.ly/49CZ5A0I have a very special guest today, the woman, the myth, the legend: my mom, Candi Neal (aka Mama Neal).Mama Neal is here to spill all the tea on what I was really like before the PhD and let's just say, eighth grade was a "spicy" season. From my mom literally snitching on my dress code violations to the principal to her calling me out for being a "pill" on a school trip, we are diving deep into my "rule-follower to a fault" childhood. Plus, I finally show off my weirdest special skill: rolling my tongue like an ocean wave.We also discuss why my husband Steven is basically the real-life Ron Swanson and how my mom used to hide rotten bananas to magically turn them into banana bread. Happy Mother's Day!
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About the Host
Andrea Forcum (@EducatorAndrea)
Educator / Influencer / Speaker / Writer / Consultant / Mom
One fine day in 2021, Andrea noticed an unforgivable gap in the online education influencer space. EVERY POST by teachers, for teachers, was so heavily polished, heavily edited, and obviously scripted that it felt superficial and fake. Inspired to do something about it and fueled by ADHD - Andrea began creating videos with the sharp, satirical lens of a real teacher. One who’d been through the gauntlet with nine years of experience both pre and post COVID (if you know… you know).
In that short amount of time, Andrea’s audience has grown to over a million devoted followers across platforms (and growing fast). But these aren’t just fans, they’re fellow teachers, pouring in to laugh with Andrea about the beautiful chaos of the classroom. Educators from across North America (and the world) took notice of this authentic voice to rally behind. One who saw their struggle and allowed them to both laugh and feel validated for their careers in one of the most profoundly challenging (albeit rebelliously hopeful) professions. From letters to comments to emails aplenty - teachers now see @EducatorAndrea as someone who “gets it” in a way few do. A creative voice who acknowledges their struggle without ever dogging the profession or punching down.
ALSO — Andrea has a doctorate and two master’s degrees which she picked up along the way to her current position as a Professor of Teaching and Learning at Indiana State AND a presenting speaker for the Indiana State Teachers Association Good Teaching Conference.