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They Never Taught Us That
Educator Andrea's Guide to Teaching, Managing the Chaos, and Keeping Your Sanity

Praise for They Never Taught Us That

“Andrea has made such a name for herself as a rare individual who can grasp the strange, tumultuous experience of school from both the student's perspective, but also the adult's! This understanding, along with her years of experience, makes her a shoe-in for anyone looking to gain insight into surviving this career. Her book They Never Taught Us That will hit home for anyone who has spent time in or around a classroom. Teachers, students, parents, creepy estranged uncles, you'll all see the benefits of letting Andrea paint the picture of the educational experience. We all want to survive being in a school, this is by far the best way to do it!”

—Tyler Jackowski, teacher and content creator (@TylerJackowskiOfficial)

“Andrea Forcum is a teacher's teacher. Her unique blend of humor, self-deprecating storytelling, and honest reflections on sustainable teaching is exactly what every new and aspiring educator needs to hear as they step into the classroom.”

—Charles Fournier, teacher and award-winning producer of Those Who Can't Teach Anymore

"Andrea blends humor and storytelling to create the book that will serve as a lifeline for every new teacher. She skips the fluff, delivers what truly matters, and somehow makes it impossible to put down."

—Philip Lindsay, teacher, comedian, and content creator (@mr_phlindsay_sped)

"Andrea Forcum is one of those rare people who can tell a classroom horror story and somehow make you laugh, cry, and feel deeply seen all in the same paragraph. I’ve known Andrea personally for years through our online friendship which then translated into a whole country comedy tour together. We have spent days and nights together traveling and doing shows and what you see on the pages is exactly who she is in real life. She is hilarious, compassionate, and relentlessly honest about what it actually means to be a teacher.

This book isn’t just a collection of ‘crazy classroom stories’ (though trust me, the crazy is absolutely there). It’s a love letter to educators who show up every day juggling chaos, kids, policies, emotions, and their own sanity and still care. Andrea has a comedian’s timing, a teacher’s heart, and a deep respect for the profession that shines through every story.

If you’ve ever taught, thought about teaching, or just wondered how teachers survive at all, this book will make you feel less alone and probably make you laugh way louder than you should. Andrea doesn’t hold back and the result is something honest, cathartic, and wildly entertaining.

I love Andrea. I love her comedy. And I love how fiercely she advocates for teachers while still finding the humor in the madness. This book is proof that the funniest stories often come from the most compassionate people."

—Gaspare Randazzo, teacher and stand-up comedian (@standuprandazzo)

“Most of the picture perfect accounts on early ‘TeacherTok’ made me feel MORE behind as a first-year teacher, until ‘Educator Andrea’ stopped my prep period doomscroll. Her signature blend of sarcasm, humor, and heart gave me permission to just survive and celebrate my small wins. Now, her book delivers the kind of advice that the veteran teachers already know but can’t always say out loud.”

—Lauren Cella, history teacher and content creator (@laurencella)

“Educator Andrea will have you breathing a sigh of relief that you’re not the only awkward teacher out there, while somehow delivering a full stand-up set between the pages. With humor, heart, and hard-earned wisdom, she speaks directly to new (and hopeful) teachers in a way that feels like a real conversation with your teacher bestie.”

—Lauran Woolley, M.Ed. (@mrs.woolleyin5th), educator and content creator

Andrea Forcum (Author)

9781394316823, Wiley

Paperback / softback, published 20 April 2026

240 pages
22.6 x 18 x 1 cm, 0.34 kg

Everything inexperienced first-year teachers need to manage the chaos of the modern classroom

They Never Taught Us That is your friendly (and slightly frazzled) guide to the hilarious realities of the classroom that teacher training left out. Veteran educator Andrea Forcum, PhD, combines laugh-out-loud anecdotes from the trenches with practical tools and strategies for everything from surviving the first day to building trust with parents and other stakeholders. The best practices in this book from experienced educators who taught before, during, and after the pandemic help readers supplement their training without having to rely solely on the break room—which sometimes ends up being an echo chamber of discontent—or unvetted online resources.

In this book, readers will learn how to:

  • Establish classroom rules that won't get trampled
  • Create a captivating lesson plan and collaborate on Individual Education Programs (IEPs)
  • Document parent contact, student behavior, grades (including failing assignments), and more
  • Navigate the paperwork avalanche without turning into a sleep-deprived zombie
  • Facilitate collaborative parent-teacher conferences

They Never Taught Us That is an essential resource (literally, essential) for early career-year teachers who are all too often scrambling for purchase on the slippery, moving, mucous-covered treadmill that is public education (said with love, of course).

Introduction

Chapter 1 Three Words: Hardworking, Alpha Male, Jackhammer. Merciless, Insatiable: Land a Teaching Job (and Get Paid for Student Teaching) 1

Chapter 2 OMG You Got an Interview!: How to Nail the Job Interview 9

Chapter 3 Doomsday Prepping: How to Prepare for Your First Day 15

Chapter 4 Icebreakers on the Titanic: Building Culture on the First Day 21

Chapter 5 Be the Fun Aunt Who Snitches: Establishing a Classroom Culture 27

Chapter 6 Trauma: The Musical: What Is Trauma- Informed, and How Do You Do It? 37

Chapter 7 Becoming the Ringleader of Your Own Circus: Classroom Management 43

Chapter 8 A Plan Is a Wish Your Heart Makes: Curriculum and Pacing Guides 51

Chapter 9 I Guess We Should Know What We’re Doing Today: Lesson Planning 57

Chapter 10 Testy, Aren’t We?: Creating Assessments 67

Chapter 11 Chaos and Snacks: Engagement Strategies and Culture Building 73

Chapter 12 Unprepared?: Teaching When You Don’t Know the Content Well 83

Chapter 13 The Magical Circle Filing Cabinet: Grading Strategies with Fidelity and Feedback 89

Chapter 14 It’s the LAW: IEPs and 504s 97

Chapter 15 CYA: Write It Down or It Didn’t Happen 103

Chapter 16 Learning in a New Language: English Language Learners 109

Chapter 17 Ya Done Messed Up: What to Do When You Make a Mistake 115

Chapter 18 The Good, the Bad, the Phone Numbers Don’t Work: Parents 121

Chapter 19 Yes, Chef: Administrators 135

Chapter 20 Squad Up: Your Teaching Community 145

Chapter 21 Are You Really Sick?: Substitutes 153

Chapter 22 Do What You Can: Supporting Student Life Balance 159

Chapter 23 You’re Not a Teacher in a Movie: Your Life Balance 165

Chapter 24 Emergency!: How to Handle Worst- Case Scenarios 173

Chapter 25 I Have Great News for You!: Trauma 181

Chapter 26 Because Crime Is Frowned Upon: Self- Care 185

Chapter 27 When to Hold Em, Fold Em, and When to Walk Away: Leaving the Profession 189

Chapter 28 Defiantly Hopeful 193

Glossary of Teacherisms 197

Appendix of Resources 209

About the Author 211

Acknowledgments 213

Index 215

Subject Areas: Education [JN]

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