Managing Student Trauma Dumps with Care with Denver Riley and Lauren Antonio

Andrea: Welcome to those who can't do, I'm your host, Andrea Forcum. And today I have two of my favorite humans with me, Denver Riley and Lauren Antonio. Hi you guys. 

Denver: Hi sisters. Hello, 

Andrea: hello. Right at the top here, Denver, you and I had a chit chat not too long ago. about the Dust Bowl. 

Denver: We surely did, actually. We did.

Andrea: We did. Lauren, 

Denver: why are you giggling? It was a serious conversation. It was so great. Historians will look back. 

Andrea: It was my favorite. So we got a correction, actually, um, from my definition, not even from yours, because we all know that yours Mine is, 

Denver: like, 

correct. Go on. 

Andrea: A creative interpretation, um It's 

Denver: art.

Exactly. As Jennifer Serto would say. So we were wrong? 

Andrea: I wouldn't say wrong exactly. This is from a former cattle rancher. So this is a man who knows what he's doing. Okay. This is R Jackson 9962. He says, Hey guys, former cattle rancher here. Did a bit of alfalfa farming as well. This is an important distinction.

He's done both. He's a renaissance man, if you will. Um, the issue, this is again, talking about the Dust Bowl, those of you guys who maybe, if you missed that episode, Go listen to that episode 

Denver: right now. 

Andrea: Stop 

Denver: what you're doing. Go back. Exactly. 

Andrea: Exactly. We'll be here when you come back. Um, we were talking about the background of my brain was like, not, um, of mice and men.

And then I pop quiz Denver about the dust bowl. And then I gave a definition and I was not a hundred percent clear because I basically said like, you're supposed to rotate the crops, 

Denver: right? And I said, that sounds ridiculous. Correct. Sure. 

Andrea: And we just went on with it. Um, and this friend very kindly said the issue wasn't them only planting one type of crop.

The issue was they didn't understand how to heal the ground. Farmers provide certain nutrients through fertilizers to the crops. Manure is more traditional, but in order for it to happen naturally, you need crops to decompose and rain to work that decomposition into the soil. Rotating crops, right? Okay.

Basically, since they were only planting one crop. A year after the harvest soil went dry and the lack of rainfall made it very difficult to allow native grasses to grow. So basically you're supposed to like let it rest. Like let it exist for a bit. Let it 

Denver: be. Let it be, and they weren't doing that.

Andrea: Correct. Yeah. And it says, uh, combining those things led to very dusty fields, terrible growing season due to the drought, and combine that with the economic downturn of the Great Depression of the time, and the farmers didn't have resources to purchase the fertilizers and irrigation equipment. 

Denver: Okay.

Lauren: That's basically what you guys said. 

Andrea: Thank you. I think so. 

Denver: I, hey, if I, if I remember correctly, it do be dusty. It do be dusty. It do be dusty. There's no rain. 

Andrea: There's no rain. Yeah. So there you go. He also, he had, it was, uh, there's another 200 words in there, but I think we got the gist that I was a little bit wrong.

Denver: Thanks, farmer. 

Andrea: And also, I think it's fascinating that I have a farmer who farmed those things. Who's like, I need to listen. 

Denver: One is also listening. Thanks for being here. 

Andrea: I love that for us. I love 

Denver: that. 

Andrea: So, I have to tell you guys, this past week, before we hop into like, education y type stuff. Alright. So, I flew.

Denver: Are you okay? Yo, what? I'm fine. Are you good? 

Andrea: I Have you guys been to Newark, New Jersey before? Yes. Just the 

Lauren: airport, I think. 

Andrea: So I had never flown through Newark, New Jersey before, but I posted on my stories, I was like, hey guys, flying through Newark, like gonna be here for a little bit. And I had so many people that are from New Jersey message me and be like, that is a trash place.

And I was like, come on. Like it's an airport. Like we all, we are very familiar with LAX, which is brutal. Like it is. Yeah, it's a crucible to get through, right? Um, it's just huge and it's a mess and all of that. And I'm like, okay, but like, what could possibly be so bad about an airport? I'm just there for a little bit.

Denver: Right. 

Andrea: It's like, it's not like the dirtiest airport, like I've been to dirtier airports. It's nothing like that. But like everyone there is so angry. Like I went to the bathroom and I was in one of the stalls and I hear this Interaction go on outside of the stalls where a woman is like, what? And I hear this other woman go, the stall's right there.

And the woman goes, I don't need to justify to you why I need to use the handicap stall. And I was just like sitting on the toilet, like trying to be quiet. 

Denver: That sounds like a, like a sketch. There's no way people are, 

Andrea: huh? Acting this, like, unhinged, and then I'm like, okay, and the woman's like, but there's a stall right there that's open.

I'm cleaning this one. So I'm like, okay, it's a janitor talking to someone, and this woman goes, I have to pump. And I was like, oh my god. I was like, okay, first of all, context is, is important here. Like, it can physically hurt if you're in gorge. Maybe you've been on a flight for a long time, so maybe this woman is in pain, but like, She's like, do you need me to tell everyone in this bathroom?

Fine. And then she said it again and I'm just like, whoa. So apparently Newark needs to get, um, nursing mother's rooms. Yeah. The little pods. Yeah. Oh, that's cool. Yeah. They have that. They have that in a few airports. Yeah. Indianapolis has it. There's a few. Um, but it was one of those where I was just like, oh, 

Lauren: hormones are crazy.

Like they're crazy. And the pumping phase, like, I was going to say leading with 

Denver: empathy if she's doing that. Yeah. 

Andrea: And you're, you're pumping in an airport and the best place you found is the bathroom stall. You're probably in pain. You're waiting. This woman's taking forever to clean this stall. So I think it was just like all of the things, but, and I got out of there.

So quickly, like, I pulled, I was like, not my business. Like, I've been in that situation where I had to pump and I had to do it in a bathroom and it's painful and it feels gross and all of the things. Honestly, I think if I could do it over again, I would have just put a blanket over myself and pumped in the freaking lobby because whatever.

Gotta do what 

Denver: you gotta do. 

Andrea: Exactly. Was she 

Denver: alone? Was she by herself? I didn't see a baby. I didn't see 

Andrea: any of that. So she could have been traveling, you know, away from her baby, which is also sucks. 

Lauren: Also to say we have, we don't know what the other woman's face was and I react to faces 

pretty 

easily. Like if you have a face, then I'm going to talk to that face accordingly.

Andrea: Right. So that was on our way out. I had that interaction. And then I also noticed when I was waiting in line, At the little Starbucks there, um, everyone was standing very close to each other and everyone there was like, no, please, no, thank you. I hate that. And I, I realized like in that moment, I was like, oh my gosh, like Steven, I have so gotten accustomed to Midwest nice where I, I have come to expect that when I, I am where I am like getting food or drink or for some, they say hi and they smile.

Um. As like a, I kind of assume that's going to be the case. Yeah. And they did not do that. But she, after I said, thank you, she said, you're welcome. And I was like, Steven, she said, you're welcome. Like, I think I broke through. And he was like, okay. 

Denver: I don't know if it's also a California thing, because I have heard like Californians are so accustomed to you're walking down the street and you smile at someone and they smile back.

That's just like a hello. Without saying hello. And my friends that live in New York, actually New Jersey, were like, oh, people don't do that here. You don't do that. Everyone is so in their own lane and their own bubble of, I don't, I didn't smile at you. I couldn't care any less. Like, why would I do that?

Andrea: Well, and I think the thing is, too, like, because Midwesterners would consider Californians even not friendly enough, right? A little rude. 

Denver: A hundred percent. Exactly. 

Andrea: Like, huge, huge spectrum, but New Jersey is like in, in a land of its own. And so, like, that was my way out. On my way back, we're waiting to get on the flight.

Oh, that was your 

Denver: way out. 

Andrea: That was just our, that was our little layover on the way out, 

Denver: haven't even gotten to the next 

Andrea: part. So then on our way back, we're in Wilmington, North Carolina, teeny tiny airport. There's literally seven gates, right? Teeny, teeny tiny. And it's feels very Southern there. They have rocking chairs in their airport there.

Like that's the vibes, right? It's actually precious. It was so cute. Um, so we're waiting and it was so weird because they started boarding and everyone waiting to go to Newark. went up and like clustered right around the gate. And to the point where the gate agent had to say like four times, guys, you all have assigned seats.

Denver: Yeah. It's OK. It's OK. You can 

Andrea: wait. Like you can just you can get in like ever. And I was like, what is the deal? And then I realized I was like. We're going to Newark. These are New Jerseyans. They're like, let's get on this thing. We don't have time for waiting. Like, they were on and I was just like, what?

And then, and then when we landed in Newark, there was a woman who stood up immediately, you know, those people that like everyone stands at and like, she like turned around and her backpack like slammed into Steven. And I'm like, Guys, so all of that, 

Denver: I can't with that, 

Andrea: before like the chaos of Stephen and I are sitting in a gate and we see this, this entire plane like leave and there's this couple that comes off and the people at the gate say, okay, I need you to wait here because we're going to go get you a wheelchair.

And the couple clearly doesn't understand. And they start like trying to talk back and say, like, like speaking in Hindi. And the guy is like, I'll be right back. Sit, just sit, just sit. And I'm sitting there and I'm looking at Steven. And I was like, why, what is, what is happening right now? Because like these two, this, both this couple, both of them needed wheelchairs and they're like, we're going to go get you a wheelchair, like stay right there.

So they leave. But then the people sitting there are so worried because they didn't understand what happened They start like flagging down random people with wheelchairs and trying to come over and then the gate agent is like why are you here? This is not your gate and like are like yelling at them like you're in this is C gate You need to be an A and are like yelling at them and I was like guys They don't speak English like they speak Hindi like let's just use Google Translate and the guy was like, no, we're not doing that This is simple sit down.

We'll be right there and I'm like Absolutely not. So, like, I tried a little bit to use Google Translate, but the woman was, like, so upset that she couldn't, like, get hers. And, like, these were elderly people. Like, she clearly, like, she was limping. She had clearly had some pain. And I was just, I was so mad at, like, how everyone was just, like, had so little empathy.

Like, it blew my mind because I'm like, how do you not understand? That they, they literally don't know what you're saying and you're getting angry at them for not understanding, they're worried about missing their flight, they're clearly not from here, like. We, we have a phone we could use to translate? No, as 

Denver: soon as you said they didn't speak English, I was like, easy, Google Translate.

There's so many AI tools, there's so many resources available. How did no one think to do that? 

Andrea: And, like, as teachers, we've been in situations before where students come into our classrooms and they are brand new to the States and they do not speak English and we, like, I am, I only speak English, so I, you know, always am using whatever resources I have to communicate.

And so I guess maybe it came to my mind a little quicker than it would for some, but like, These people work in an international airport. Do you not always have this situation where you have to communicate with people who don't speak English? 

Denver: I guess common sense isn't that common. Like, that's insane. 

Andrea: It really annoyed me quite a bit, and I was like, this is, like, such childish, and the guy was like, no, like, it's simple, and I'm like, no, what's simple is we could just use this.

to translate because these people are confused and don't want to miss their flight. And, uh, and they weren't telling each other this information either. And so they, like the, the gay agent was like yelling at the couple for being at the wrong gate. And so myself. Which is absurd. Yeah. And myself and another guy had to be like, no, like they were just told they had to wait here for two wheelchairs.

And the guy just went to go get one of them. They're waiting for transport. And the lady's like, oh, okay. And then another person came over and it was such a disaster. I just felt so bad for them. I was like. Why can't we just be nice? Don't they have 

Lauren: like radios they can communicate what's going on with these like what?

Maybe 

Denver: we should open an airport. 

Andrea: I cannot even fathom. But good job for being, yeah good job 

Lauren: for being, you're a good Samaritan, like stepping in and helping out. I 

Andrea: feel like, like I was literally, Stephen was like sitting next to me and he's like just Just go. Like, you could feel my energy getting angrier and angrier.

Like, I'm like, I can't watch this happen when there's such an easy solution. Like, I don't want to further complicate things, but this is easy to fix. They don't understand. You're just yelling in English at them. They're not, yelling is not going to help them understand 

Denver: more. Like, what is happening? Just what a world people live into where they You know what I mean?

Like again, this makes so much common sense to us, but I wonder if we are the minority in that thinking and the rest of the world is like, I don't see anything wrong with that. Empathy is a 

Lauren: skill. Empathy is a skill. Some people don't know that. As 

Denver: we have heard from our friends. Many friends. Which is so sad.

Empathy is a skill. 

Andrea: Which, okay, so we have, just to give context to what we just said, we have a group video chat on Marco Polo, and we were talking about how empathy is a bit of a learned skill, although I will say, I think that some people get a double dose of it and don't need to be taught empathy in the same way other people do.

My daughter is the most Empathetic soul I've ever seen. 

Denver: Yeah, totally. 

Andrea: Like she, she just cares so much. Like she will bring toys to church on Sunday and she makes sure there's enough toys so that she has a toy to share with every single kid so that not anybody is left out from that. 

Denver: Where was she when I was a child?

Because we would have been best friends. 

Andrea: Well, and like, she was home, she got her tonsils and adenoids removed, and she was home for such a long time, so she created worksheets and coloring pages for her classmates because they all, like, did like a feel better soon card for her, so she then created one for every single student in her class so that they would have coloring pages because she appreciated them thinking of her, and so she created that for them, and I was just like, Like, uh, there's never been a day.

I can't, I'm 

Denver: speechless. 

Andrea: Yeah, there's never been a day I've cared. That much about other people, you know, like 

Denver: she, oh no, 

Andrea: just is that, that person. And on, on that line of thinking, um, one of the things, uh, you guys mentioned you want to talk about was talking about being as a teacher right now, the person that is carrying the burdens for so many, um, you know, we're recording this like less episode's coming out in January.

Um, so it's still very, very fresh. I posted two videos. And, um, I'm sure you've seen the video that I just posted, which was the day before, like, day of the election. So, like, had no idea who was going to win. But we know, working with students of all different backgrounds and all different beliefs, there was going to be half our students that were very upset.

And half our students that were going to be happy and we didn't know which half it was going to be. And so I basically just created video saying like, Hey, like as a teacher, it's, you know, we unfortunately have the position of being the person who they look to, to see how to act, to see how to manage our emotions and all of that.

Um, and it was really interesting because before the election results came out, I had. Um, very little negative feedback from it, but the second the election feedback came out, I all of a sudden got a lot of hate, um, because I, the, the beginning of the video I talk about how, um, basically September 11th, when September 11th came, the person I went to that helped me feel calm was my, my teacher, and people took that to mean that I was saying that the election results were akin to 9 11, and I'm like, okay, that's not, I was saying People, when you feel chaos and I try so hard, guys, I try so hard to allow people to misunderstand me because I can't, I can't clarify to everybody, but I was literally just saying like when we're upset and we are afraid of things, like we need our adults, our people to like provide a little bit of calm, especially as 

Denver: children, you know, not knowing.

Andrea: Yeah, and I was like, listen, like when they're in our classrooms, like they need to know they're going to be okay. And what I meant by that was like, while they're with us, like we have this little bubble. And then I had a lot of, a lot of hate from people being like, well, it's not okay for some kids because of X, Y, Z.

And I'm like, I, I'm not saying like, it literally never is. Okay, for the kids in our classroom. Like for some, there's not a single day that we have a class and when we say it's going to be okay, that it means that we are ignoring the fact that, you know, they are the primary caregiver at home or fill in the blank, whatever.

Um, But, I mean, it, how has that been for you guys? Because I am a step removed in the college classroom. I did go and I visited a few students that I knew personally were going to be pretty upset by the election results, um, and kind of visited with them, chatted with them, talked to them about, you know, hey, like, you're, you know, hope you're doing okay, like, hope you're being a, like a place for the students today that is, that is calm and all of that.

Um, but I didn't have. 40 kids in my class an hour for five hours. So what was that like for you guys? 

Lauren: I mean, election aside, like, I'm not even thinking just, I feel like we're always carrying it. Like, I'm thinking about one class in particular, like, as soon as the bell rings, they're coming in. I have like a whole group of kids that stand right by my desk.

I'm saying 

all the things, all the drama, all the, and I'm like, whoa, whoa. But again, like you mentioned, sometimes. You're literally the only adult that they can trauma dump on. Yeah. And they feel comfortable doing so. 

Andrea: I just want to take a beat and say, like, she's not being hyperbolic when she says trauma dump.

Like by the most literal definition of a trauma dump, like, we truly hear some of these kids deepest traumas at 748 in the morning. 

Lauren: Yes. 

Denver: No, truly. 

Lauren: Yes. 

Andrea: It's a lot. 

Lauren: Yes, so that on top of what you're feeling personally, your own immediate family and friends, like in your inner circle, that's why it's strange to me when you're not naturally empathetic in this profession, or just as a human in general, because I feel like especially being a teacher, you should be, because you're not the same as everybody else, so like you should have that, that depth to you where like, There you might be feeling some things, so I'm going to be sensitive to that.

So it's a lot to carry for 

Andrea: sure. And Denver, you recently started like a girl club? What's it called? Girl 

Denver: Talk. It's called Girl Talk. Yeah. Which I found. Um, from a creator on TikTok. I can't remember her name, but she had a girl talk club and I thought it was the coolest thing. I reached out to her, kind of got information, tried to start it last year, but again, any new club you start, I feel like is trial and error, uh, the first few years.

So it's basically, I don't know. I advertised it last year as like a space where all the girls on campus, young women can come and just kind of like a mini sorority type deal that's not toxic and not. The stereotypical sorority, but, um, talking to our, our teacher group too, I was like, that would be kind of interesting to open it up to everybody just to advocate for women, especially young women, and to kind of let them understand why that's important.

As they continue on, not just in high school. I think for me, it was so interesting. This was the first election or first big like American political thing that I experienced in my teaching career because last election was 2020. I was still in college. So I didn't know. It was one of those things where I was like, you know, I wish this was something they taught me in high school.

My education programs, it's this stuff I want to know of, do I bring it up? Do I wait until someone mentions it? How much do I harp on it? It was just like a big question mark for me of, again, we hold space every single day and the trauma dumping is so real. Um, I mean by the hour, tears, hugging to make sure that they're okay.

I'm going to send you to your counselor, you know. All of the above. So with the election, again, it was, I knew one half was going to be thrilled. One half was going to be, um, distraught. So, I didn't explicitly get any students that came up to me and started a conversation, and I think it's one of those things, too, for me, not letting them down.

Because I don't even know. I'm 26. I'm not going to pretend like I know all the ins and outs of the political jargon and the specifics of everything. So I don't want to, I don't know, have them continue on with their day with this thing that I just pulled from thin air. Like we're both kind of learning together.

Yeah, I just remember thinking, like I asked Jen, Do I say anything? Cause no one, no one, Hey, Hey, by the way, you're going to experience a presidential election in your class. How do you respond? That was never on my test prep. So she, you know, we had a good conversation of, I think it's just important to again, hold space.

If they want to talk, let them talk. And again, just kind of remind them you're going to be okay while you're here with me, or this is a safe space, all of that. Um, cause it's just, it's so confusing already for them. And I think social media plays a big part too of telling them what to think and telling them what side of history to be on.

And so I do always like to say, when you're of age to vote, go do your own research. Whatever that looks like to you. Don't let other people influence your views, go believe what you have researched and want to believe. 

Andrea: Right. And I think one of the, the big things, especially in the district you guys are in right now, because you guys are in a Southern California school district and we, we know there's a lot of students that are first generation, you know, immigrants to the U S and we know as teachers sometimes that our students are maybe American citizens, but maybe their parents aren't.

And regardless of how you feel about the immigration. Issues in our country. There is no question that these kids, it's not that their fault, you know? Um, it is not, it was not their choice. It was not any of those things. And I think for teachers who, because I got one of the things that got pushed back about was like, Hey, like some of the things Trump has said about immigration, um, these kids have reason to worry.

And I think that. As a teacher, especially, who works with kids, who, like, I had a student who, um, she wasn't able to join the Zoom during COVID because her dad, ICE, came to her house and deported her father that morning. And that is the reality of some of these kids lives. And regardless of how you feel about immigration and immigration enforcement and all of that, one thing I think we should all be able to agree on is these poor freaking kids.

You know, and it is not their fault. They didn't make these choices. And it's so hard as a teacher, um, because you have these kids who are coming in who are like, Oh my God, like my mom is going to get sent back or my dad or, you know, and, and it is really heartbreaking from the teacher's perspective because like, number one, like it's not my job to figure out immigration law.

It's not my job to enforce immigration. It's not. My job is to love and support and teach the kids in my classroom wherever they're at, whatever they have going on to the best of my ability. And so sometimes that means that like on an election day, one way that I, I always like to hold space for my students is I would say like, Hey, I just, we're going to take a minute and I'm going to let you guys write down everything you're feeling right now, anything that you want.

And if you want to write in there that you want to see a counselor, you want to talk to me, Whatever. Like, just go ahead and write that in there. I will look over them. And if you don't want to talk, that's fine, too. Um, because sometimes when we encourage them to like, hey, why don't we talk about it? Like, there's going to be another kid in that class who's going to be like saying some things.

Denver: That's what I was going to say is there's always Those groups of kids that are like, what about what? 

Lauren: Yeah, I don't wanna 

Denver: talk. There's nothing What do what? Why is everyone, you know what I mean? Just, or who purposely like 

Lauren: antagonize and wanna be that kid. So just Exactly. To to be that kid. Exactly. 

Andrea: Exactly.

Yeah. So I think that, you know, writing it a lot of times can be helpful. Have you guys found other ways to get, you know, students to, to feel a little bit more settled? Other than like writing prompt stuff or, 

Lauren: I mean this past, like this most current. No one said anything. I maybe had like one or two kids that said something after school or during one of the breaks.

They asked me who I voted like that kind of thing, but I, I don't know how y'all feel about this, but I love that they don't know about me. Yeah. And they don't know which way or any of that because again my job isn't to influence that part of their thinking. Right. My job is to be there for them and to make sure that they have the skills to think for themselves.

Andrea: Exactly. 

Lauren: So I'm not trying to use my position to do any of that, whether they're curious about it or not, like that's none of their business. You know, like it is what it is. Which I 

Denver: do, I do really like that. And again, back to the, I don't know, I just, as I need to get better at this, but I just don't know enough.

To person, like, it doesn't matter if they're my students or my group of friends, I don't want to sit there and pretend like I do have this knowledge that they don't have, 

because I 

don't. I, I might equally be as in the dark as them, selfishly, because, you know, I, I haven't done my own research, but. Yeah. I also, I had one girl say something just like, I'm scared.

And I said, you know, you're safe with me just regardless. Everything's going to be okay. But, and then I've, I heard other comments from students that you could tell they were trying to be cool, you know, of like, get her out of here. Goodbye. Like, I'm like, Did you see that on a Tik Tok and you thought it would be funny to regurgitate it?

Like, so picking and choosing battles for that. 

Lauren: That's what I love about what we do as our 10th grade team is we're not giving them what to think. We're giving them the things for them to think for themselves, which is why I like to kind of like, here you go. I'm stepping away and engaging them with journal prompts, like you said, Andrea, and just all these things.

Oh yeah. Because how are we going to maintain that safe space if they. Think we feel a certain way or we have a certain perspective They're not gonna not everybody's gonna feel totally if we are just so out Outright and then they have assumptions and they're like, oh she's that girl 

Denver: Lauren you and I do this I think we're both pretty consistent with it.

We do our wellness Wednesdays. I'm still doing that of just Every Wednesday we're either going to do, it's 99 percent um, of the time, not content related. Like the other day we went on a walk instead of journaling. Um, or we'll do like a coloring page or we'll just put our head down that little bubble, like watch bubbles, like very elementary activities, but they're like so drawn to it.

I think that just speaks to the fact that, and I say this all the time, you're children. You're not childish. But you're children and you have the right to be and continue to be children so we're gonna operate as such sometimes 

Lauren: Yeah, I 

Denver: find that I mean they love it. They eat that up. They're like, are we doing one this Wednesday today?

Because for a brief moment 

Lauren: all their drama is doesn't matter It doesn't matter that moment and I thought we need it to you know 

Andrea: Honestly. Totally. 

Lauren: Wellness Wednesday was right after the election day, so. 

Andrea: Yeah. That's perfect. Perfect timing. It was 

Denver: perfect. Yeah, I think we did some coloring on that day, so.

Andrea: Good. All right. So, we are going to take a quick break, and when we get back, we are going to give out some most likely, what is it, staff superlatives to each other? Yes. Most likely stuff. So, we'll be right back. Welcome back to Those Who Can't Do, and we are now going to take a look at some superlatives Teacher superlatives that we think maybe would fit each other.

So our 

Denver: teacher, our teacher friend groups specifically. 

Andrea: Wait, are we doing the people who aren't here? They don't get to play. 

Denver: Oh, we are making all the decisions. That's fine. Yeah, I don't care what they think about what I think. Literally, it 

Andrea: would be fun for us, but people outside of people who know us would probably be like, I don't even know who that is.

Denver: Just. 

Andrea: Just us three. Yeah. Okay. Okay. So, of the three of us, who would be most likely to lose their keys and find them in the freezer? Lauren. 

Lauren: Lose your keys would be Denver. But freezer? In the freezer, Lauren. No, Andrea. I would say Lauren. She's done shit like that. 

Andrea: I literally. You 

Denver: left your keys in the freezer?

Andrea: I've accidentally put my remote in the fridge. Oh, my gosh. So, it's that ADHD. Like, I agree, Lauren. I feel like Denver would a thousand percent lose her keys. Oh, a thousand percent. But yours would probably be, like, under the couch or something. Mine, because it, like, fell out of your bag. Mine would be in the freezer because I just put it in the freezer.

Yeah, you set 

Denver: it down. 

Andrea: I 

Denver: literally 

Andrea: was, like, put it in the freezer for Okay, okay. 

Lauren: Yeah. 

Denver: I guess I was thinking, Lauren, because of your little fridge and you're always, like, you utilize that thing. So, I'm, like, maybe she just Keys there really quick, but I need 

Lauren: to put it right on the hook as soon as I get into the room.

Um, okay. 

Andrea: Who's most likely to make their syllabus speech sound like a TED talk? 

Denver: Andrea. 

Andrea: Probably me. Lauren. Lauren is a That was in Pusan. Dude, I don't know you 

Denver: guys at all. 

Andrea: I know Denver's like, she doesn't even go here. 

Denver: I don't go. Yeah. I've never asked you guys one question about yourself. I guess I should just see myself out.

Okay. Honestly, 

Andrea: embarrassing. Yeah. No, it'd be Lauren. 

Lauren: Yeah. My intro letter is pretty, pretty like, you know, for the listeners out there. 

For the listeners 

Denver: out there, before I got hired as a full time teacher, I was Lauren's long term sub. You're so welcome, by the way. Bet you didn't know that. You're, uh, thank you because I basically took everything that you had and replaced Miss Antonia with Miss B, so that cover letter, 

Lauren: grr.

Denver: Yeah, I used it too, I used it too. 

Andrea: Do you read it though? Do you like perform it to your class or do you just hand it out? No. 

Lauren: Oh, there you go. Here's the link. I actually do read mine, so that they, like, the philosophy thing, like, I'm about it. I'm about it. Like, you matter. I love y'all. I think. 

Denver: They're like Or whatever.

Andrea: Yeah. I guess you guys are alright. Yeah. Legally mandated to be here, so. 

Denver: Yeah. You have to be here, and so do I, because I won't, you know. To do my 

Andrea: job. 

Denver: Survive. Yeah. To survive. 

Andrea: Um, who, who's most likely to have a pile of grading taller than they are? 

Denver: You. I was going to say Andrea. That's Andrea. A thousand 

Andrea: percent.

Guys, you should be so proud of me. My students are in their field right now and they have a deadline every week and I have kept up every single week. And it's like two pages of writing that I have to give like very direct feedback with every time. You're 

Lauren: so good. so much. You are a superhero. No, you really are.

You're doing great, sweetie. Thank you guys. sweetie. We're so proud of you. so 

Andrea: much. Um. That's nuts. I'm very proud of myself because it's real hard for me to sit down and actually grade. I'm the worst at that. 

Lauren: Speaking of grading, it was week 12 last week and I am still dying, so there's that. I'm 

Andrea: surprisingly done.

Yeah, that is surprising. Good for you, Denver. Look at you. I know. Who would be the best at turning a pop quiz into a pop concert? And there's further clarification that the teacher somehow works music into every lesson. 

Denver: Oh, I don't know. This is hard. This is hard. This is hard. But I think it's, I think, is it a pop concert?

Andrea: That's what it says. Okay. I 

Denver: think for the theatrics, me, for The bass line, Lauren. 

Andrea: Yeah. 

Denver: Like working music and everything. She's gonna sing it all and she's gonna make the students each be a member from NSYNC. Oh, no, no, no, they're gonna just, they're gonna like give you your golden ticket to Hollywood. And you're like, yeah, Lauren's like, 

Andrea: hold on.

I think I might be able to, should I solo? I think I'll solo. 

Denver: I think I'll solo. Get my spotlight. 

Andrea: Ma'am, this is an Applebee's. It's so funny. No, because, uh, for the listeners, Lauren actually does have a phenomenal singing voice. And she's a pop 

Denver: star. That's 

Andrea: the headset. And she also was the lead in the high school.

That was not Lauren, just so we're clear. Mystery girl. 

Denver: That 

Lauren: was Denver. They're like, oh, someone tell her. 

Denver: No, one thing about me is I have a skill for singing really bad. Like, I can sing so bad. 

Andrea: I, one thing about you is you will turn any weakness into a strength.

Denver: That's the nicest thing you've ever said to me. You'd be 

Andrea: like, hold on, no, I'm so good at being really bad at this. No, I am, because people 

Denver: are like, listen to how bad I sing. stunning. I'm like, you're a bitch. How about that? 

Andrea: Denver, that's not a thing. No, it is. 

Denver: Oh, I can't even like sing that well. Like that's what they do.

And you're like, okay, how about you shut it? 

Andrea: Oh, man. All right. I love that for you. That was so good. Okay. Thanks. So good. Um, oh, this is an interesting one. Uh, who's most likely to set off the fire alarm during a science experiment? If you had to sub, like, let's say we were covering someone's class and there was a science experiment going on.

Denver: I'm going to go with Denver. That would be me. 

Andrea: Yeah, for sure. I'd be 

Denver: like, I don't know you guys. 

Andrea: Weren't you subbing that class when the toad got a hand scoop of ice cream in the enclosure? 

Denver: Surely I was. When I was a revolving sub, a student decided to grab a handful of a Chick fil A milkshake and put it in the snail aquarium.

And I look over and I said, what is going on on this day right now? What did you just do? And now it's dead. And I was like, I'm going to get fired because I let this dweeb put his milkshake in the aquarium. Like, I'm so 

Andrea: Isn't that kid a senior now? Yeah. You should remind him of that moment. That's crazy. 

Denver: I forgot about that.

Kids are crazy. Lauren, that was one of yours last year. Oh. He was one of yours. 

Andrea: And I remember because he had a couple of buddies that were in my class and he was doing that thing where they would just like float from all of our classes when they should be in their actual class. And Denver texted me and it was like, he, he just put a milkshake in the snail enclosure and I was like, What?

And I called him out and he's like, how did you know? Because it'd been like five minutes or something since he had done it. The snail was probably still actively dying by the time he got to my classroom. So disrespectful. The way the 

Lauren: students like trip out when they realize that we speak to each other.

They're like, wait, 

Denver: what? I'm 

Lauren: like, 

Denver: that's, do you know her? Hello? Uh, you mean my bestie? Yeah, I know her. What are you talking about? 

Andrea: work together. So, right? Um, okay. Here's a good one. Best excuse for getting out of like lunch duty or something. We don't, you guys don't really have lunch duty there, but like That kind of a thing, like getting voluntold to do something for school.

You can't do it because of X, Y, ZI 

Denver: have diarrhea. Oh, but that's a accurate for you. Temper. Gimme an 

Andrea: I guess. I guess. I guess Denver's just talking about her IBS out here. , our launch is, no, I thought it 

Denver: was, what is the best excuse and I like easy diarrhea. No one's gonna ask would best. 

Lauren: Who gives the best excuses?

Probably Denver. Probably Denver. All me. 

Andrea: Yeah. And we know that excuse kind of sad now when you really do have diarrhea, they're gonna be like. She doesn't though. She's going to have to come in anyways. They're 

Denver: going to be like, really? Let me see your underwear. Prove it. Prove it. Prove it or it didn't happen.

Lauren, what 

Andrea: would be your excuse if there was like something happening and you feel 

Lauren: like, yeah. 

Andrea: The kids are the great. Yeah. Is literally to get out of work, right? Is that not 

Lauren: it? 

Denver: I'll say that one more time for me. 

Andrea: Okay. But I. I actually was talking to one of my students today and he is finishing up his fieldwork.

So he's met a bunch of these students and he was at the mall and a kid recognized him and the parent was talking to him. He's like, Oh, that's great. Yeah. And he's like, I'm sure. And the student who's doing their fieldwork, it's a guy. And. The dad was like, you're going to have no trouble finding a teaching position.

He's like, Oh, thanks. He's like, yeah, cause they're not going to be worried about you going out on maternity leave or anything. And my student was like, what? Like, I'm sorry, I'm going to get hired because, because I'm a man. And won't have to I was like, well, that is illegal as a hiring practice, but That's 

Denver: like, that is like, I feel like I always talk about this godforsaken movie, but that's like in the Barbie movie, when he when Ken is trying to get a job, and he's like, you know, going spot to spot, and he was like, Uh, you need at least a bachelor's, whatever, whatever, and he's like, but I'm a man.

And he's like, you guys are obviously not doing patriarchy right. And the guy's like, oh no, we're doing it right. We just keep it on the down low. 

That's true life. That's what's 

Andrea: happening. It was, it was crazy. And this kid is like, number one, he's fantastic. But number two, he also is a special education teacher.

He will never, ever, not get a job. Like, he's always going to have a job forever because we are in desperate need of special education teachers in this country. Come 

Lauren: to our school, please. Please. 

Andrea: No way. I'm not sharing. He's amazing. We need him here. He's so and he wants to probably teach in, I think, his like little small town.

So, um, okay. Most likely to have do not sit in my chair written in their tombstone, basically like you don't let anyone sit in your chair or behind your desk space. 

Lauren: I kind of hate that, truthfully. I hate it when they try to, but I don't think I've ever had to tell them that, so I don't know if they know that.

Denver: I say my area is 21 and up. So that would probably be me. Oh, I like 

Lauren: that. 

Denver: Yeah, 21 and up, 21 and up. I like that. Look at the like a line 

Andrea: on the ground? No. Cause I've, I've known teachers that are like, they, they put a carpet down and they're like, you can't stand on that carpet back up. 

Lauren: No, Okay, what we have in common, what we have in common, the three of us, I feel like our students have always been super comfortable with the three Like almost probably too comfortable.

100%. Yeah. So I don't feel like that fits in. 

Andrea: And 

Denver: yeah, 

Lauren: I, I don't 

Denver: think, cause I'll get students that, you know, come in just to say hi or, and they'll sit in their seat until the, or my chair until the bell rings. And I'm not like, Get out. You know, so I, yeah, I think they're just too chill. 

Andrea: Have you ever had students take your phone and take pictures of themselves?

Oh, 

Denver: yes. 

Andrea: I have so many pictures and I'm actually so glad now because I didn't delete them. And so now I have pictures of some of the kids that like would come and hang out before school after school. If I left my, my phone there when I went to the bathroom or whatever. And so now I'm just like, aw. 

Denver: I've 

Andrea: had 

Denver: a student find my Venmo and Venmo requests me for 500, 000 in class.

Andrea: Wow. And I was 

Denver: like, first of all, why? Second of all, you think I'm rolling in dough like that? 

Andrea: Yeah. I, I've had a student, um, during Black History Month is this student who's black and he, uh, I think I know exactly 

Denver: who it is already. 

Andrea: Yeah, Isaiah. Um, I'll say his name. I don't care. He's, he's, he's 19 now, so it's fine.

Um, but he, and he still does every, the first day of black history month, he, uh, sends me a Venmo request for 10 for white and he, like the memo line says white guilt every single time. I love that kid. He is a 

Denver: genius. I love that kid so much. I, 

Andrea: and he actually is, you know, playing basketball in college now and he sends me his highlights and stuff.

Um, so yeah, I love, I love that kid, but he just, there are several videos that did very, very well because I literally just said something that he said with his whole chest in front of a whole class of people. He was, yeah. The confidence 

Denver: is top tier. 

Andrea: Top tier. Um, okay. Thanks I guess we could just stroke Denver's ego.

Which of us is the most likely for, to be mistaken for a student at parent teacher conferences? 

Denver: Ooh, parent teacher conferences. Definitely. Don't 

Andrea: say it like you're going to seduce the dads. What was that? Keep 

Denver: it in your pants, Riley. I was like, I wasn't thinking that. No, I'll admit it. My dream is that there's a hot single dad and he's like, Hey, a hot single 

Andrea: dad of one of your students?

Gross. 

Denver: Is that 

Lauren: problematic? Yeah. I'm not a fan. Conflict of interest a little bit? Please don't fire me. I don't think it's like a crime. Like, 

Andrea: I don't know. It's not a 

Lauren: crime. No, no, no. It's not like a 

Andrea: crime. I'm sure. And it's happened. Like literally at the school I was at before I was with you guys, there was an elementary school music teacher who met a single dad and they got married.

And they're very happy, but 

Denver: so it's not like I'm going to act upon it. Did I say I have dreams and fantasies? Don't call it that. I can't say that either. God, I can't say anything. I take it back. I would never be attracted to anyone's dad. 

Andrea: Denver is going to become a nun. She is. I'm joining a 

Denver: convent after this podcast episode.

Turning a leaf. 

Andrea: Mm hmm. 

Denver: Okay. 

Andrea: Nones can also be teachers. So 

Denver: I'm not worried about that. 

Andrea: It's the celibacy that you think is maybe going to be problematic. Okay. 

Denver: Single by choice. Okay. That's what you're asking. Okay. 

Andrea: Great. Um, okay. I, I do have a question for you guys. Did you see the video I posted that was like the, the sound that was like, um, oh gosh, Oscar.

Denver: You know that one. Okay. Yeah. Lauren, did you see that transition? 

Andrea: Okay. It's a transition and you, you like are dressed normal. Let's watch it. 

TikTok: Oscar. Listen, baby, I know I was a bad girl, but come on. You'd have to be crazy. 

Lauren: I remember now. Yes. Yes. 

Andrea: Yeah. All on whether or not to post it. I, so glad you did. And I'm still 50 50 about whether or not I like that I posted it.

As a teacher creator, it is weird and jarring for people to post something where you feel pretty. I posted something like, and there's a girl I follow and she posts videos like that all the time and her comments are just other women being like, yes, queen, get it. That's what I wanted. That's not what I got, but that's what I like.

1. It was for the girlies to get hyped up by the girlies. Right. Kind of a video. Um, and it was a lot more dudes being like, ha. And I'm like, I actually like, and, and I know no one's gonna believe me, but like, I really don't ca like, I wanted the girls to be like, yes, girl, no, I get it. I, I don't. And I felt weird about it.

And I'm like, and I still feel weird about it. I don't know, as teacher creators, can we, 'cause it wasn't like number one, my dress was. Passed my fingertips. I wasn't showing a bunch of boob. Like, it wasn't that it was a scandalous video. The audio almost is, but it's like, 

Denver: I'm sorry, it's from Shark Tales.

That audio is from Shark Tale, an animated film about fish, 

Lauren: so, that's even better, honestly, that's even better. I 

Andrea: did not know that and I love that fact so much. Her name is 

Lauren: Lola, that's the girl that's in it. Oh, I've seen it. She's the hottest fish I've ever seen. 

Denver: She is a super hot fish. She's so hot. It's, it's Angelina Jolie.

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I don't 

Andrea: know. How do we feel about me posting videos like that? Should I not? Be so honest with me. 

Lauren: I support you. Period. Because I understand wanting the reaction from your girlies. Because you got that reaction from us. Right, exactly. And you know we would be like, Andrew, what the hell was that?

Why would you post something like that? Because there is a 

Denver: difference between being like, I don't know, there are videos that I have seen of teacher influencers that post something that is like, scandalous. Not scandalous to the point where it needs to be taken down, but to the point where I'm like, I wouldn't post that.

But what you posted, I would have posted that. 

Andrea: I was gonna say, it is really strange when you are someone who usually dress, dresses extremely modestly, and then you wear a tighter shirt, or you wear something that shows your body a little bit more, the reaction is so big, as opposed to, I follow a creator who she literally is in her underwear, and she's trying on outfits, and she's like mid size, um, but like, and she's like mid size, um, but like, No, she's not a teacher.

She's what, which is part of it. Like, she's like a fashion influencer person and no one comments on her body even though she's in her underwear in these videos and I'm like, it is so fascinating how we have like this cognitive dissonance of like, if you're a teacher content creator, that is the only content that I expect and can accept from you and if you wear If you do something that just like, hey, you feel pretty and you're going to be out on a weekend with your husband, like, we don't want to see that part of who you are because it's just weird.

Or people do want to see it and they get like way out of bounds excited about it. There's always 

Lauren: this like expectation of what they want us to be. And the real human part behind it is like, that doesn't exist. Like you're not a real person outside of this bubble. 

Andrea: Right, and I was thinking about that too, and I'm like, okay, maybe by posting something like that occasionally, it reminds people that like, hey, we're actually, we're, we're people.

Yes. Like, like sometimes I go on a date night with my husband. I'm not wearing like a, what do they call the, uh, poster dresses where it's like literally a stripper dress? Like it wasn't that, like I was 

Denver: covered, you know? And that's what I feel like we've kind of talked about. Briefly, like on a few episodes of just content that I want to post, we just had this conversation the other day of just, I am a 20 something single teacher living in a like city.

There's more to my life right now than just being someone's teacher. I'm dating, I'm struggling with, you know, X, Y, and Z. I want to feel cute. I'm, I am a girly. I love, I'm a brat. Brat summer is a mindset. You know what I mean? Like, I just, this is me as my personality also. So I don't want to feel exactly Lauren, like you said of, they want to put us in a box that this is what you are 24 seven.

And it's just, no, I want to feel cute and go out with my girlies for a cute little drink on the weekends without being sinned. And being like, you're going to hell because you're also a teacher Monday through Friday. Right. 

Andrea: Yeah. 

Denver: And sorry, newsflash, newsflash. We have bodies. They exist. Did you know? They exist.

Yeah. 

Andrea: Yeah. It, it just honestly was so strange and has been so strange ever since I got like my mommy makeover and stuff is like, there are so many, I was telling Steven this, there are so many boobs on the internet. Yeah. Yeah. Like, there are so many boobs on the internet. So many boobs. All over the place, right?

And there's creators that wear tight shirts all the time. Yeah. And they, like, are really low cut shirts all the time. But you don't go onto their comment section if you do it all the time and see a bunch of people saying, like, oh my gosh, boobs. But then if I, because it's not my norm, yeah, I'm wearing a shirt that's a little bit tighter, people lose their minds.

So it's just, it's very strange. 

Denver: Do you think it's also the fact that, we've talked about this as well, the role of teacher is so fetishized by the majority of the public people? Yeah. 

Andrea: Yeah. I think so too. Yeah. I don't know. Okay. 

Lauren: I wonder if men get this type of, like, bubble that they, or box that they're put in.

Like, I'm wondering. I'm just wondering because we only hear R's, we don't know. Yes. No. 

Andrea: How would we feel if we saw a video of a guy? Like, who is also a teacher that we follow, like, posted a video of himself, like, even shirtless. Like, I don't think I would be like Oh, he's posting thirst traps. I would be like, oh, he's going surfing or whatever, you know, like there's a very big difference between posting a thirst trap where you're zooming in on body parts and doing all of that as opposed to the video where I literally back up and I'm like, look at my pretty dress.

Like, like it's a very 

Denver: different 

Andrea: energy. So yeah. Okay. I just was going to, I was going to ask you guys to keep me accountable if you thought I was being, um, inappropriate. We'd 

Lauren: tell you. First 

Denver: of all, let me tell you and you've been working so hard to to like look amazing and you deserve to like post something for the girlies and for you so yeah keep doing it I'm your number one fan we're your number one fans and I will be watching your videos for two hours you 

Andrea: so much.

Yeah, there were, there were a couple of comments that made me laugh that one person said, uh, cause the, the next thing I posted was like acknowledging my husband, like being a veteran and all that. And someone, someone commented, we were like, um, don't listen to her guys. She's just trying to get us to stop hitting on her or something.

So it was one of the people who commented on the previous video. I was like, my husband did work on a rifle range. So, you know, silly, you know. See, that stuff I'm fine with, like the sillies are fine, we're good. Um, okay, so I have a student, um, so as you guys know, every Friday we do a What Are Those Kids Doing?

And this Friday somebody had a student, so they're reading The Giver, Denver have you read The Giver? 

Denver: Yes. Black and white, everything's sad, color. Yeah. 

Andrea: Yep. And, uh, the students apparently kept telling each other, I need to, like, this is a quote from the book, apparently, I need to show you something, remove your tunic, which like, of course, of course they did.

Oh. Of course they did. Um, I actually, this weekend when we were at the hotel, Blazing Saddles was playing on, um, wait, no, not Blazing Saddles. Three amigos. Have you seen that one with Chevy Chase and okay in that moment like we were watching it Did you realize it is like the exact same plot as a bug's life?

Denver: Excuse me, 

Andrea: literally the same. So the plot I think it's called three amigos. Am I saying that right? Yeah, the one with like Chevy Chase and yeah all of them So, it, like, their act, I'm saying this mostly for Lauren, because Lauren hasn't seen it, but it's, there's, like, these three actors that are, they star in all of these, like, cowboy movies, and then there's this town in Mexico that are, like, oh, we need someone to save us from these really bad cowboys.

And so they call them and are, like, please save us. And so they show up to defend, well, they think they're showing up to perform, and they're actually there. It's real 

Lauren: life. 

Andrea: Yeah, and Steve Martin even gets, like, shot at one point and he's like, hold on a second, you're using live ammo, unbelievable, and like, and it's literally the plot to A Bug's Life, like, and very clearly A Bug's Life, like, did a little homage because there was one line in there that was exact, like, they first show up.

And the guy goes, man, these folks sure are hard up for entertainment, which is like the exact same quote on both, so they knew what they were doing, but it just made me really happy. I hadn't seen that movie in forever, and I did not watch the whole thing, so I don't even know if there's like super problematic parts in it, but like, as we were watching it, Stephen and I were like, this is, this 

Denver: is a 

Andrea: butt 

Denver: slice.

And then I was like, well, yeah, had a chokehold on me as a child. 

Andrea: Really? 

Denver: I loved that movie. That's 

Andrea: so interesting. Steve Martin, Martin Short. 

Denver: No, oh no, A Bug's Life. Oh. A Bug's Life. You're like, really? That's, uh. It's like these comedy legends. No, but that is my dad's, like, Niche of comedy is Chevy Chase, Steve Martin?

Um, yeah, Martin Shore. John Candy. Like he will cry laughing like it's the first time he's ever seen that. 

Andrea: Yeah, it's been a minute since Trained automobiles. I've seen those. That's 

Denver: like one of his favorite movies. Like all of those types of films. They are hilarious. Yeah, like 

Andrea: I don't even know what genre of comedy that would be, but like it's a little bit physical comedy just kind of slapstick ish, but it was very silly.

The parts that I saw, I was like, I need to actually. When I have time to sit down and watch it. Wait, 

Lauren: where were you watching? You were watching on the plane or? 

Andrea: Hotel. Oh. Yeah, we had like a little bit of time before we had to go meet up with our friends and so always just have the TV on. You haven't seen Blazing Saddles, Denver?

Denver: No, but I know that, um, in my acting class we talk about that movie all the time. 

Lauren: When you guys talk about movies and stuff, Melissa and I are like, 

Denver: why do they 

Lauren: talk about Did you not watch? Do you not watch movies? Um, I guess being, like, our parents just didn't open up that part of the world for us. 

Denver: Do you know the first movie I've watched in the theater was?

What was it? Austin Powers. At the ripe age of six. 

Andrea: That is a choice, Denver. Um, Blazing Saddles came out in 1974, so it predated all of us, but no, it's a, that one's a Mel Brooks movie. So it's like Gene Wilder was the main character in that one. Yes, yes, yes. Yeah. And Cleveland Little. It would not get made today.

I will say that. It definitely would not get made. today because there are some choices in there that I don't think would there are some definitely some jokes in there that would not really fly today although I did just watch Tropic Thunder which was not made that long ago and that one has some crazy jokes in it like I 

Denver: mean it's one of like argue the best movies of all time but it is there is meant to be offensive 

Lauren: like yeah it's meant to be I'm Regina juniors in blackface I'm re watching Glee right now and I'm 

Andrea: like, 

Lauren: oh shoot.

Denver: I am a Gleek. I love Glee, but it is so problematic. Yeah, it 

Lauren: would be canceled. 

Denver: Oh my God. 

Andrea: So I never watched it because I, My mother saw it and was like, how about we don't watch a show where the teacher is being a predator with these young children. And 

Denver: that's not what it is. He's just cringe and he's 

Andrea: Isn't there a relationship between a minor and an adult that you're kind of rooting for in the show?

No, no, no, no, no, no, no, 

Denver: no. That might be pretty little liars. That happens. Yeah. Got it. 

Andrea: So what's so problematic then about Glee? That was a big, heavy sigh. 

Denver: The one liners are absolutely insane. A lot of, like, I don't even know how to describe it, Lauren. 

Lauren: It's very insensitive. Very, very, very. Sue, especially.

Sue Sylvester and, like, Santana. Like the coach of the cheerleading team, but she just says, whatever, whenever. And it's funny, but also, like, whoa, she just said 

Denver: that. Like, this is so, this is so minor, but I always just think of, like, Trouty Mouth, which is Santana's. Santana gives, like, names to everybody, like, um, Kurt, he's one of the gay, he's gay in the show, and she calls him twinkle toes, like, to his face, and then she'll, like, um, Lea Michele, she'll, like, call her Fiddler on the Roof, or like, cause she's Jewish, yeah, so she'll, it's like, stuff like that.

Oh my gosh. Yeah. Okay. But it's in the context, I'm sorry, it's just so funny. Okay. It's so funny. 

Andrea: So Denver, you were antisemitic is what I just heard from that. So that is unfortunate. 

Denver: No, and I'm not. You want to know why? Because I think, I think I need to marry a nice Jewish man that lives in the East Coast.

So I can't be antisemitic. 

Lauren: I would love if you married a rabbi like in Nobody Wants to Know. 

Andrea: Now there's like, now people are just fetishizing rabbis because of 

Lauren: that. I haven't even seen that. Oh, I love it so much. All right, 

Andrea: Denver, please watch it. That's your homework. I know, Seth's whatever 

Denver: his name is, cute.

Andrea: Seth Cohen. Seth Cohen. Respect him. Respect him. Cutie. 

Denver: He's cute. 

Andrea: Adam 

Lauren: Brody. 

Andrea: Love him. All right. Um, so we are going to wrap up now. Uh, do you guys, uh, have any updates anywhere? Anything that people? Can look for you on Denver. That was such a, that was such a setup Denver. And you just, you went nowhere. 

Denver: Well, you could cut this part out because I was going to say, should we talk about our Patreon, but we'll do that soon.

Andrea: Literally, I was trying to like hand the baton to talk about the Patreon. Let's start over. No, we're not cutting any of this. This is all staying in because people need to know what your Patreon 

Lauren: is. Genuinely, Denver, have to actually read the book. Okay. Yeah. Are you going to read the book? 

Denver: Yeah, I am. And let me just say to all my haters out there, if you want to fight me, fight me, but I will read the book.

They're only saying this because they bully me because I never read our book club books and I'm going to do it this time 

Andrea: because 

Denver: I have a, I, the people want it. 

Andrea: The people want it. Uh, yeah. So what Denver, what, what are they, what are we talking about? 

Denver: Hey, so Andrea and I are starting a Patreon book club where you can come and listen to our hot takes on the books that we're reading.

Our first book is The Perfect Marriage, which I have not read, but I've heard great things. 

Andrea: You haven't started it? I sent it to you like two and a half weeks ago. 

Denver: Oh no, I know. But I'm a fast reader, so I could get it done in literally like two days. 

Andrea: Looking forward to it, 

Denver: but it's going to be such a fun time.

We're going to just be silly and chit chat and yap about the book. 

Andrea: Yep. And we're probably going to do like some bonus content for you guys. So there, the main thing is there's going to be two episodes a month that are only for our Patreon members. And we're also going to have, um, some video clips. And 

Denver: this is what I meant to say, keep going.

Thank you so much. 

Andrea: Thank you so much. Um, we're also gonna have some video clips of us like reading the first chapter of the book, all of that, giving our feedback, possibly like little screenshots of texts between Denver and I as we read the book. Um, and then hopefully I would really, really love to maybe get, um, some tidbits from the authors themselves if we, you know, can reach out to them and hear stuff.

So, uh, yeah. So that is going to be the Patreon and We will have it linked in the show notes today. So if you want to sign up, please do 

Lauren: amazing. 

Andrea: It's going to be awesome. Where can people find you if they want to follow you on socials? All that good stuff. 

Lauren: I'm at Ms. Antonio EC on IGA. I am keeping up with Miss B 

Andrea: everywhere, 

Lauren: everywhere, Instagram, and there's no underscores or anything anywhere, right?

No, because I thought, well, keeping up with Ms. 

Denver: Dobby. I got rid of the underscore because someone stole my name and I said that's disrespectful. Thieves. Thievery. Thieves. 

Andrea: Yeah. Um, yeah. So we've got that stuff coming up. I'm really excited about the Patreon. It's going to be so fun. And all my teacher besties are going to be patrons.

So if you guys come to like our live things, you guys are going to actually get to interact with all of the lovely humans that I used to work with. So I'm very excited. Yay. All right. Yay. All right, guys. Thank you so much for coming on today. It was super fun. Love you guys so much. Love you. Love you. Be right back.

Welcome back to Those Who Can't Do. I always just have the best time when I'm hanging out with Lauren in Denver. They crack me up. And I will say we were much nicer to Denver than we usually are. Usually when Lauren and I are together with Denver, we gang up on her a little bit. Um, So honestly, Denver, you're welcome for being so kind to you.

And I really hope you guys sign up for the Patreon. It's going to be so much fun. I cannot wait. It's going to have so many fun little tidbits and you're going to get to read really fun books that I just enjoy. Um, I don't think at this point we're going to do like super teachery books because, you We need, we need some fun.

So we're going to try and find books that are like fun to read and don't feel like homework. Um, that's the goal anyways. And the first book for the book club is The Perfect Marriage, like we said, and it is so good. It is. I'm reading it for the second time. I chose it ahead of time and this episode is coming out a week after I actually interviewed the author, Geneva Rose, who is, as we know, absolutely amazing.

Absolutely fantastic. So, um, I hope you check out the Patreon because it is super, super fun and exciting. If you have thoughts about what we talked about today, um, or you have suggestions on who you would like to have come on the podcast, you can hit us up, Andrea at human content. com or you can visit me at educator Andrea on all the platforms, Tik all that good stuff.

Or you can contact the human, contact the human content. Podcast family at human content pods. And thank you so much for those of you who have left really amazing reviews. It makes my day. And in particular, thank you to ranch reader who said, I love educator Andrea on Instagram and just discovered her podcast, which I am binging.

She's a wealth of knowledge, has great guests and an awesome sense of humor. Her content is helping me survive teaching high school English. Thank you so much. That absolutely made my day. I love to hear it. I do wonder if the ranch reader is the same person. that was a farmer before. I don't know if it was the same person we talked about in the episode today, but I mean, if it was, DM me and let me know because I think that'd be really cool.

You kind of got gotten the episode twice today. Um, if you want full episodes, full video episodes, they're up every week on YouTube at Educator Andrea. Thank you so much for listening. I am your host, Andrea Forkham. A very special thank you to our guest co host today, Denver Riley and Lauren Antonio. Our executive producers are Andrea Forkham, Aron Korney, 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 the Indiana State Bi College of Education. To learn more about our Those Who Can't Do's 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.