Classroom Brew
by Olibalow Studios
Latest episode
War on Two Fronts: Google and Custodians
War on Two Fronts: Google and Custodians
About this podcast
Teacher happy hour in podcast-form! This is not your typical teacher podcast. Each week, we discuss weird and funny teacher experiences, including Weird Student Questions & Confessions, Comment Hero of the Week, Teacher Pep Talks, and more!
Episodes
The newest 50 of 483 episodes
- War on Two Fronts: Google and Custodians · 24 min · Episode 483483: We're just out here wanting clean schools and for students to do their own thinking... This week's episode, Ryan gets into the pushback on AI, Google's response, health code…
- Parent-Teacher Conference Dynamics · 23 min · Episode 482482: Ryan's week includes post-Midterm Election fallout for students, interesting parent conferences (and dynamics between parents), a blood-boiling parent email, and more!…
- Dropping a Grading Deuce · 16 min · Episode 481481: Ryan getting double and triple booked, caught in the middle of weird meeting conflict dynamics, student entitlement in the community, and much more for this week's episode!…
- World's Finest Pyramid Scheme [School Fundraising] · 15 min · Episode 480480: If the tornado doesn't hear us, maybe we're all safe... Drills, PSAT and Pre-ACT testing, and school fundraising just never seem to go how you'd like it to... Patreon…
- How 'Bout Some Resilience? · 15 min · Episode 479479: Ryan's school year, as of mid-October, is full of disconcerting themes and trends... Patreon: patreon.com/classroombrew Email us: [email protected] Instagram…
- Teacher Lanyard Key Jingle · 23 min · Episode 478478: Ryan's got a few thoughts on the woman who posed as a substitute teacher, a parent's weird confessions in an IEP meeting, a not great way for a school blood drive to end…
- Crushin' It · 19 min · Episode 477477: With the light at the end of the tunnel in sight after last week, Ryan covers a new social experiment he's going to try with his lesser-known colleagues, a starter kit for…
- Tornado Parents vs. Teachers · 29 min · Episode 476476: If you're a parent, think before you write an email to your child's teacher... Patreon: patreon.com/classroombrew Email us: [email protected] Instagram…
- Charging Students to Rent Their Desk · 18 min · Episode 475475: Amidst a good-yet-odd start to the year, Ryan covers some updates from Seattle Public Schools and Seattle Teachers' Union, preparing for paternity leave, a teacher's…
- Lernaean Hydra of Student "Requests" · 16 min · Episode 474474: The word of this week is going to make Ryan sound old and surly, but it all comes from a good place... Respect your elders, kids. Patreon: patreon.com/classroombrew Email…
- Bathroom During a Fire Drill · 29 min · Episode 473473: Ryan has some updates from Seattle, a weird lack-of-update from his own school district about him, poor timing, a new Abbott Elementary BuzzFeed quiz, and more! Patreon…
- Georgia Teacher's "Gas Station" for Farts · 25 min · Episode 472472: Education buzz words are on notice! The new school year is underway and Ryan's voice is holding up... also discussed: Seattle Teachers' potential strike, a teacher's…
- Shipping Teachers Over · 28 min · Episode 471471: Ryan's week 0 of teachers reporting ahead of the first day of school is somehow very chill, despite all the obstacles and debacles... We also take a look at a new BuzzFeed…
- Wait, I Have to Do Stuff Again? · 23 min · Episode 470470: In Ryan's final genuine summer episode of 2026, we get into checking over rosters ahead of day 1, a Comment Hero of the Week, a Buzzfeed Teacher Quiz, and more! Patreon…
- End-of-Summer Regret · 17 min · Episode 469469: Ryan has a few staffing and funding updates, some pre-school year and end-of-summer regrets, concerns, etc., and we look forward as we look back (sayin' nothing)! Patreon…
- Illinois' Cellphone Ban in Schools! · 20 min · Episode 468468: With the first episode in the new studio, Ryan covers SB2427 banning cellphones during instructional time in Illinois, Comment Heroes of the Week surrounding teacher…
- Put the "Back to School" Cardboard Away! · 20 min · Episode 467467: Just let teachers enjoy their summer! This week's episode features the big update from Ryan, the last recording in the recording studio we've been in for years, a Comment…
- Back on Track? · 23 min · Episode 466466: After a rare week off from the podcast, Ryan takes a look at AP scores, the debate surrounding Minnesota's new Social Studies standards, and more! Patreon…
- Changes Are Coming · 14 min · Episode 465465: In the midst of some life changes, Ryan looks back on this year's summer programming now that it has ended, some current events, and life updates! Patreon…
- Middle School Whimsy · 14 min · Episode 464464: Ryan's summer enrichment is primarily middle-schoolers, which has been a fun experience so far this summer... Patreon: patreon.com/classroombrew Email us…
- CPS CEO Dr. Macquline King Testifies Before Congress · 21 min · Episode 463463: Ryan's summer is off to a hot start with his new and improved summer enrichment course, while CPS CEO Macquline King takes the hot seat before congress... Patreon…
- Raccoon Dexter · 16 min · Episode 462462: Ryan's last week of the school year and first week of summer was... odd... Patreon: patreon.com/classroombrew Email us: [email protected] Instagram…
- Overzealous Classroom Pack-Up · 18 min · Episode 461461: This week's episode covers a major faux pas for teachers who share a classroom, letting seniors be seniors on their last day, gratitude for Ryan's best year in his career…
- Laugh, Students! · 21 min · Episode 460460: From a pivotal union vote on whether dues should be increased, to a lack of awareness from students during movies, to Macquline King being subpoenaed, and even some Ryan…
- Embarc Chicago · 12 min · Episode 459459: Aside from one brief story about a careless driver in a school-zone, the main focus today is on the non-profit organization Embarc Chicago. Please consider pledging to save…
- Box of Dirt · 16 min · Episode 458458: The year is winding down... slowly... so Ryan covers some mid- and post-AP Exam approaches by students and parents, among many other things... Patreon…
- Sh*t Week · 22 min · Episode 457457: Ryan's supposed to be in almost complete victory lap mode, with 1 out of 2 AP Exams over, but this week has had drastically different plans... Patreon…
- Fool Me Four Times?! · 20 min · Episode 456456: Shame on who? Ryan gets into a fellow teacher's frustration with apathy, audacious and unannounced arrivals from students, staff members haphazardly undermining…
- WTF Is in the Water? · 19 min · Episode 455455: Kirk Moore is a hero and Ryan gets into the lack of media attention on his heroic story, as well as the audacity of students and administrative, prompting the titular…
- Dying Decrepitly (Redundantly) · 19 min · Episode 454454: Ryan's been dealing with rude coworkers, leaving to get donuts for a class, productivity walls after leaps and bounds, and more! Patreon: www.patreon.com/classroombrew Email…
- Secret File of Stank Ass · 22 min · Episode 453453: Ryan's got some updates on summer planning, the Chicago Board of Education urging Illinois' Governor Pritzker to protect public school funding, a fun idea from an Instagram…
- Parents Demanding Teacher Phone Numbers · 15 min · Episode 452452: Ryan recaps some weird moments from parent-teacher conferences, emails received during spring break, and more! Patreon: www.patreon.com/classroombrew Email us…
- Spanish with Shannon (ft. Shannon) · 38 min · Episode 451451: Shannon joins Ryan this week to talk about her career balancing act, the world of higher education, weird student behavior on zoom, and more! Use Code "BREW75" for 75% off…
- Parking Spot in a Parking Lot...? · 21 min · Episode 450450: Sometimes you have a gut instinct to not go to work... is this what happens when you don't listen..? Use Code "BREW75" for 75% off your first month of Patreon! Patreon…
- Bow to My Will, Humanities Teachers · 18 min · Episode 449449: Rogue fire alarms, audacious students/parents/teachers, and a handful to deal with: Ryan covers the latest on this week's episode! Use Code "BREW75" for 75% off your first…
- Lil' Nick Nolte · 24 min · Episode 448448: Ryan's recap of the hilariously wild sequence of events from the past few weeks, from student mishaps, to summer planning, to student observers (?), and more! Use Code…
- Cascading Weekend From Hell · 14 min · Episode 447447: Shorter episode this week... you'll see why as Ryan recounts what's been going on, but also a weird student phenomenon that we'll call "John 1, John 2." Use Code "BREW75"…
- Make Yourself Known! · 23 min · Episode 446446: Everyone's been on one this month—teachers, students, practitioners—all in the classroom, too! Use Code "BREW75" for 75% off your first month of Patreon! Patreon…
- Is This Noteworthy, Student? · 29 min · Episode 445445: The audacity of students and staff has returned (or never left), but luckily Ryan's pettiness can outpace them... Use Code "BREW75" for 75% off your first month of Patreon!…
- Social Studies Catching Strays · 25 min · Episode 444444: Ryan's weekly recap includes some audacious staff members, last minute student requests, an infuriating targeting of teachers, and more! Use Code "BREW75" for 75% off your…
- Gildan Brand AP Apparel · 23 min · Episode 443443: Ryan brings back the Comment Hero(es) of the Week, covers some annoying, disconcerting, and truly puzzling emails and updates, and more on this week's episode! Email us…
- Double-Down with Boos · 21 min · Episode 442442: Ryan's woes with CollegeBoard end anticlimactically, students let a staff member know what they think at an assembly... and they double-down, the district is tone deaf with…
- Double Copier Indulgence · 25 min · Episode 441441: Ryan's fighting off a cold but still covering topics like the Illinois State Board of Education's (ISBE) major error that caused a panic throughout the state, weird…
- Putting Up the Podcast Listener Bat Signal · 20 min · Episode 440440: Ryan's first week back after winter break had some high's, some low's, and some concerns... Email us: [email protected] Patreon: www.patreon.com/classroombrew…
- Happy New Year! · 14 min · Episode 439439: Maybe 2026 will be the year of the decrease in A.I. being shoved down our throats? This, and more, in the first episode of 2026! Patreon: www.patreon.com/classroombrew…
- Penny-Pinching School District · 25 min · Episode 438438: After some time off, Ryan closes out 2025 with a final episode, covering penny-pinching tactics that put the cart before the horse, lack of communication by other…
- Un-Joyful Morning Announcements · 23 min · Episode 437437: Ryan's school is through the thick of finals week and the grade-grubbing this year will surprise you... We also follow up on the A.I. blocking from last week's episode and…
- A War of [A.I.]tritian · 20 min · Episode 436436: As the semester winds down, Ryan has to break an egg to make an omelette... This, and more this week! Patreon: www.patreon.com/classroombrew Instagram…
- Schools Subliminally Supporting Sports Betting · 25 min · Episode 435435: This week's episode covers some logistical concerns that administrations may not be considering, frustrations about A.I. and sports betting, and the chore of teaching AP Gov…
- But First, Answer My Questions... · 5 min · Episode 434434: Never a dull moment with some parent emails... Ryan keeps this episode short and sweet for Thanksgiving. A huge thank you to you, the listener, as well as James, Lish…
