When Teaching Gets Tough, Crack a Joke with Leslie Rob [#158] Educate & Rejuvenate

Click below to listen to episode 158, When Teaching Gets Tough, Crack a Joke with Leslie Rob:

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Key themes from When Teaching Gets Tough, Crack a Joke with Leslie Rob [#158]:

The Power of Laughter in Education- Laughter is not just entertainment—it’s a tool for connection and resilience. Leslie Robb uses humor to build student relationships, ease classroom challenges, and create a positive learning environment.
Flexibility and Connection Through Off-Script Moments- Teaching doesn’t always go as planned, and that’s okay. Embracing unexpected classroom moments can lead to deeper connections and more engaging lessons.
Building Community Through Shared Experiences- Teacher comedy creates a sense of belonging among educators. Leslie’s work helps teachers feel seen, understood, and less alone in their struggles, fostering a supportive community.

Laughter in the Classroom: An Inside Look at Teacher Comedy with Leslie Robb

What happens when you mix lesson plans and punchlines? In this episode of Educate & Rejuvenate: The Podcast, high school teacher and comedian Leslie Robb reveals how she uses humor to connect with students and handle those inevitable off-script classroom moments.

Get ready for an inspiring and hilarious conversation that’s packed with real-life stories and actionable insights. Plus, we’ll share exciting details about our upcoming Winter Educate & Rejuvenate 2024-2025 Conference!

The Power of Laughter in Teaching

Leslie Robb isn’t just a high school teacher—she’s also a comedian who’s making waves with her hilarious takes on the realities of education. From crafting relatable teacher comedy videos to performing on stage, Leslie shares how humor helps her build relationships with students and create a positive classroom environment.

“Laughter is medicine,” Leslie says. And for teachers, it’s also a tool to connect, cope, and thrive amidst the challenges of modern education.

Off-Script Moments: Embracing the Chaos

If you’ve ever had a lesson plan go completely off the rails, you’re not alone. Leslie shares a relatable story about a classroom discussion that spiraled into a debate about Big Macs—and how she used that moment to bond with her students.

“Going off script doesn’t mean you’re not teaching,” she explains. “It can actually deepen connections and make lessons more memorable.”

Turning Classroom Chaos into Comedy

Leslie’s journey from full-time teacher to viral comedian started with her students encouraging her to share her humor online. She experimented with different styles of comedy but found her niche in teacher humor. Now, her relatable content resonates with educators around the world.

Her secret? Drawing on her real-life classroom experiences and blending them into sketches that showcase the quirks of teaching. “It’s endless content,” she laughs.

Why Teacher Comedy Matters

Teaching is no joke—except when it is. Leslie discusses how her comedy has created a sense of community among educators. “Teachers message me saying my videos made them feel seen and less alone,” she shares. From teachers navigating burnout to those facing unimaginable personal challenges, her work has had a profound impact.

Sneak Peek: Winter Educate & Rejuvenate 2024-2025 Conference

Leslie isn’t just a guest on the podcast—she’s also the keynote speaker at our upcoming Winter Educate & Rejuvenate event! For the first time ever, we’re offering a free general admission option so educators everywhere can recharge and refresh without worrying about the cost.

Here’s what you can expect:

Keynote by Leslie Robb: A comedic yet practical session filled with actionable takeaways.
Workouts and Wellness: Including a yoga-dance fusion class
Community and Coaching: Join live sessions designed to help you beat the winter slump.
Platinum Pass Upgrade: Extended access, extra sessions, and exclusive bonuses, like a Vision Board Toolkit and more.

Finding Joy in the Challenges

Whether it’s laughing at classroom interruptions or navigating the unique challenges of reaching today’s students, Leslie’s perspective reminds us that humor is a powerful antidote to stress.

So, if you’re ready to learn, laugh, and refresh, join us for the Winter Educate & Rejuvenate event this January. And don’t forget to check out Leslie’s hilarious videos (we’ll link some favorites below) for a quick dose of joy.

As Leslie says, “Teaching is hard, but it doesn’t have to be joyless.” Whether you’re a classroom teacher, homeschool parent, or anything in between, take a moment to laugh, connect, and remember why you started this journey.

Ready to join us for Winter Educate & Rejuvenate? Sign up for free today and don’t miss Leslie’s keynote, along with a full lineup of amazing speakers, coaching, and fun!

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Read the transcript for When Teaching Gets Tough, Crack a Joke with Leslie Rob [#158] below:

What happens when you mix lesson plans and punch lines? High school teacher and comedian, Leslie Robb, joins us to reveal how she uses laughter to connect with her students, and handle those inevitable off script moments. Get ready for a peek behind the curtain of teacher comedy here on episode 158 of educate and rejuvenate the podcast. Welcome to educate and rejuvenate the podcast to help you revitalize your teaching, renew your spirit, and reignite your passion for life. I’m your host, Kelsey Sorensen, a former teacher, current homeschool mom, published author, and certified life coach. Whether you are a teacher in a traditional classroom, homeschool from your kitchen table, or anywhere in between, I am on a mission to help you not only survive as an educator, but thrive. Get ready to up level your skills with incredible insights from guest experts and discover the missing piece, rejuvenating yourself. Are you ready to both educate and rejuvenate? Let’s go. I am so thrilled that this episode is hitting the podcast today.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:01:08 – 00:01:50

I recorded this a few weeks before this airs. But if you’re watching this on the educate and rejuvenate app, or listening to this on your favorite podcast player right now, that means we have officially opened the doors to our winter educate and rejuvenate 2024, 2025 conference. And I am so thrilled for this event. There are some new things about it this time. For 1, we have a brand new keynote we’ve never had before. Our guest keynote is Leslie Robb, who’s also our guest here on the podcast today. We’ll be talking about humor, teaching, connecting with students, and when things go off script, you’re going to totally love this episode, but she is our guest keynote. And, of course, I’ll be doing some keynotes as usual as well.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:01:50 – 00:02:24

And we have an incredible line of a lineup of speakers. Too many for me to name just on this episode. So you’re really going to wanna go to the page to check out all the incredible speakers that we’ve got this year. Now, the other two new things are first, that the event is going to be hosted in our mobile app. So you’re going to be able to watch or listen to the sessions on the go easier than ever. We cannot wait for this. And this is the big one. It is the first time ever that we are hosting an educate and rejuvenate event with a free option.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:02:24 – 00:02:57

That is right. We know a lot of you are struggling right now. And also, a lot of us are pinching pennies and just budgeting for the holidays. So this event, there is a free option for you, so you have no reason not to come and join us. And that is why we did this. It’s really our gift to you to be able to come and attend this event, and we didn’t want money to get in the way of that. That said, there is an awesome Platinum Pass upgrade, if you decide you want to do it. There are so many bonuses in there, and you’ll get to watch the event during your whole winter break, instead of starting January 3rd, and all the way through June 30th.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:02:57 – 00:03:37

So you’ll have a lot more time, if you decide to upgrade. And but if not, you’re still going to have access for a full week starting on January 3rd, and you’ll get to enjoin live on the December 31st day, where we have a yoga and 20 24 reflection too. So it’s going to be such a great time. It’s really a winter recharge. That’s the other thing that’s a little bit different than the summer event. The summer event, we had a lot of content specific ones. We still have some here, like, we definitely have all the categories, but just a few key speakers in each one, so it’s not so overwhelming. And also, a lot of it is really about, how do I refresh my centers? How do I refresh this? Again, we’re keeping in mind that mid year slump a lot of us are feeling like we’re in.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:03:37 – 00:04:04

And we’re also going to laugh. We’re going to have a lots of our coaching like we always do. We are going to have the booty yoga class, which the reason I picked this is actually the instructor I go to twice a week in person. I love her so much. And booty yoga is like dance and yoga together. So usually, we have a cardio and we have a yoga, and so since we’re only going to have room for one workout this time, I’m, like, let’s do the combo. It’s gonna be a lot of fun. I’m sharing my normal yoga teacher with all of you, so it’s going to be such a great time.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:04:04 – 00:04:37

Her name is Madeline Buckwalter, and you’re going to love her. So I cannot wait. I again, you really don’t have a reason not to join us. It’s completely free to join us on the general admission, or upgrade to platinum for tons of additional perks. And if you’re an Educate Rejuvenate club member, again, those platinum perks are included for you already. So really thrilled for this event. I hope to see you there, but for now, we’ve got an awesome podcast for you. But real quick before we dive into that, another quick thing, we are still seeing some awesome reviews come in for my brand new book, Educate and Rejuvenate.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:04:38 – 00:05:19

I wanna read this one that came in from KT. It was like letters KT. It says, a must read for educators everywhere. This book is a perfect resource for burned out teachers seeking rejuvenation and inspiration. I particularly appreciated the chapter on intentional scheduling, especially the concept of the urgency matrix. I’ve been creating my ideal week each week, and I found it incredibly helpful in planning my time and setting priorities. I highly recommend this book to anyone, especially educators and homeschool parents, who want to prioritize their well-being. I love reading each and every review, and I so love that the concepts in the book have helped KT to be able to create an ideal week, and to be able to be intentional with her schedule.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:05:19 – 00:05:49

I love that it’s given her the gift of more time in her life that I’m sure she’s using in ways that she would love. So without further ado, if you haven’t grabbed your copy yet, you can find it on Amazon. There’s a link in the show notes. It’s a great way to dive deeper into these concepts, more so than I can get into just on the podcast. And a way for you to have something to help you feel inspired if you’re already starting to feel that slump, or are then isn’t happening quite yet. Great winter break read as well. So be sure to check it out. And if you’ve been reading the book or you already have a copy, make sure to leave a review on Amazon.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:05:49 – 00:06:33

Only a small fraction of people leave reviews on books. And, I mean, I know, because I read a lot of books, and I don’t always review them. But it really does make such a difference, and we are, actually, sending things to our email list rewards as we hit different tiers. So as soon as we hit 50 reviews, we’ll be sending another full product to our email list. And for our club members, we’ll be posting a Starbucks card in the club member section of the app because our members already could have the resource. So we have to do something extra for them. We want to reward you for the collective effort of all of us leaving reviews on the book to help us reach more educators. And if you are so excited be able to attend the winter event for free, it would mean the world to me if you took just a moment to leave a review and check out the book.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:06:33 – 00:07:09

Okay. Let’s get into today’s interview with Leslie. And I’m gonna actually, because I’ve talked so long, I’m not gonna read her full bio here. She tells a little bit about herself here. Go to the event page, and you will see her full bio, and how incredible and amazing she is, and all the places she’s been featured, and why it’s so cool that we got her for the event. So make sure to head on over to the page to check that out. Welcome to the podcast, Leslie. We are so excited to have you here at educate and rejuvenate the podcast.

Leslie Rob 00:07:09 – 00:07:11

Well, I am super excited to be here.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:07:12 – 00:07:27

And the reason you’re here is because we just recently announced that you are the keynote speaker at our winter educate and rejuvenate event, which we are so thrilled about. And if you’re watching this if you’re watching the video version, you’ll see that we’re getting all excited about it. I

Leslie Rob 00:07:27 – 00:07:29

think it’s the first door.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:07:30 – 00:07:42

But, sis, you haven’t been on the show before. You haven’t been and been at our events before. Can you tell our listeners or our and our viewers a little bit about yourself, what you do, what you teach, your comedy, all of that?

Leslie Rob 00:07:43 – 00:08:02

Okay. Well, my name is Leslie Robb. For those who don’t know me, you may already follow me at Leslie Robb Comedy, where I try to bring a daily laugh or smile to teachers. That means I’m a comedian. So that is where that comes from. But I’m also a full time high school teacher, a speaker, and a PD presenter. So, yeah, that is me in a nutshell.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:08:04 – 00:08:09

Amazing. So you’re like, oh, no. The one job, like, that’s not enough. I gotta add this other job on top of it. Right?

Leslie Rob 00:08:09 – 00:08:13

Well, you know, because, you know, our future pay doesn’t quite equal up what we need.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:08:13 – 00:08:18

Right. I know. That’s what so many of us. I know. Know exactly how that goes,

Leslie Rob 00:08:18 – 00:08:21

unfortunately. Exactly. But but

Kelsey Sorenson 00:08:21 – 00:08:32

I love what you do. I love that you’re able to bring that smile and laugh to teachers. Like, I know I’ve seen a bunch of your things on Instagram. They’re probably on TikTok too. I’m just not really on TikTok. Anywhere.

Leslie Rob 00:08:33 – 00:08:36

I kinda happen to not fly every social media platform, so they’re

Kelsey Sorenson 00:08:36 – 00:08:48

all That’s smart. I need to get better at that myself. But but, yes, I love your videos and just how you offer humor, but also inspiration and lifting features up. So I I love that so much.

Leslie Rob 00:08:49 – 00:08:58

Aw. Well, I’m glad. I truly enjoy it. Not to, like, pat myself on the back by saying it’s my gift, but but literally just saying, like, it’s my gift because I love to give it. So yeah.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:08:58 – 00:09:17

Then it is a gift. Like, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with saying that either. We all have gifts. Right? Like, all of you listening, all of you teachers, you have the gift that you give your students every day. Think about what is your gift and your unique perspective that you bring. And so and and I love when we’re able to just say, yeah. This is my gift. I’m willing to offer teachers this, and I’m going to freely give it to you.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:09:17 – 00:09:20

So I I love that. It’s just such a positive vibe.

Leslie Rob 00:09:20 – 00:09:21

That’s so true.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:09:21 – 00:09:34

So how did you go from teaching in the classroom you’re a full time teacher and then ending up doing comedy too? How did that exactly happen? Was there a defining moment? Did you just make a post on Instagram? Or I don’t know. What led to all this?

Leslie Rob 00:09:34 – 00:10:06

Well, I used to honestly try to incorporate humor into my classroom and into my lessons, And I’ve always been a silly person by nature from the time I was little until now. Mhmm. But it’s just more of I tried to incorporate it in my classroom, and then I wanted to make it a career and actually become a comedian. People are like, you need to literally do something with this. So then what I did was I decided to create a social media account. And, actually, my students are the ones that, like, were like, miss Rob, you need to be on TikTok. You need to be on whatever. But then I created an account, and I started posting because initially, I was trying to figure out what my comedy niche was.

Leslie Rob 00:10:06 – 00:10:29

I tried great clean comedy. I tried some Christian comedy. I tried this other type of comedy, and it just nothing flowed right. The moment I put out a teacher video about, teacher comedy, that’s when my stuff started to grow, and it grew fast. And I was just like, woah. And so, honestly, believe it or not, I deleted that account, and I decided I’m like Oh my goodness. That doesn’t make any sense. This is never gonna go anywhere.

Leslie Rob 00:10:29 – 00:10:41

Teacher comedy. But then I ended up recreating my account and starting over again, Bound Board Teachers, and now I’m part of them as well. So, yeah, who knew teacher comedy could take you everywhere? So it’s been amazing.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:10:42 – 00:11:02

Well, I mean, I think because teaching I mean and, again, because I’m a certified life coach working with teachers. I see every day teachers from all over. It doesn’t matter where you live. We’re all feeling very stressed out. Right? There’s a lot. And so sometimes it’s like, yeah. I really wanna talk about it. I need to lean into those emotions and everything, but other times, you just need a laugh.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:11:02 – 00:11:20

You need some inspiration, and you need it from others who somebody who actually gets it. So it actually is not surprising to me at all that teacher comedy has really become this niche. I mean, there’s board teachers which you’re a part of now. They, like, did a huge comedy tour and all of that. Like, it’s a thing, and it’s because we need it.

Leslie Rob 00:11:20 – 00:11:36

Yeah. And and I get was telling my sister even just last night. I was like, teachers are everywhere. In every county, every city, every state, whatever, everywhere you go, every country, there’s a teacher. Right. And it it only makes sense that, duh, like, laughter is medicine. What better way

Kelsey Sorenson 00:11:36 – 00:11:36

Right.

Leslie Rob 00:11:36 – 00:11:40

Than to make teacher you know, give teachers that extra boost and throw a laugh.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:11:40 – 00:11:59

Yes. So that’s why, honestly, we always wanna have some sort of comedy at our events because we laugh during our coaching calls and stuff, and sometimes we can be a little funny. But, I mean, I’m not a comedian by any means. Like, we laugh together. We have fun, but I think it’s fun that twice a year, we get to bring in some sort of comedy and really, like, do this together. So it’s so fun. I’m I’m really glad you’re here.

Leslie Rob 00:12:00 – 00:12:01

That is amazing.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:12:03 – 00:12:21

Don’t go anywhere. We’ll be right back after this exciting announcement. If you’re listening to this podcast, you know how thrilled I am about our winter educate and rejuvenate event that I really want you to attend. I also just don’t want you to take my word for how awesome these events are. So here’s what some of our past attendees have had to say.

Speaker C 00:12:21 – 00:12:29

Really like the educate and rejuvenate events, both summer and winter. It’s just refreshing, and I come

Speaker D 00:12:29 – 00:12:30

out of it with some new ideas that

Speaker C 00:12:30 – 00:12:44

I can apply to my teaching, apply to my life. And there’s just the great community. The educate and rejuvenate events are amazing. There’s uplifts you and makes you laugh. I’m a

Speaker E 00:12:44 – 00:12:47

homeschool mom, and I love that this group is

Kelsey Sorenson 00:12:47 – 00:12:53

inclusive of both classroom teachers and homeschool teachers, and and we all just get along great. The the

Speaker F 00:12:53 – 00:12:56

conferences have so much to offer for both groups.

Speaker G 00:12:56 – 00:13:15

My favorite events are the educate and rejuvenate. They really do give you that refresh for your spirit. Everybody was hollering self care this, and it’s not just taking a bubble bath. We really need to know how to take care of ourselves as teachers, as people, as human beings.

Speaker H 00:13:16 – 00:13:29

It was through this conference that I learned how to balance my teacher and work life. I learned how to set goals for myself. I learned how to prioritize what is very important to me as a teacher and what’s very important in my life.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:13:29 – 00:14:14

So if you’re wanting 2025 to be a year where you thrive, not only in teaching, but also in your own everyday life and your goals, make sure to join us at winter educate and rejuvenate 2024 2025. It’s completely free for general admission. Go to educate and rejuvenate.com/conference to sign up for free. So one other thing I wanted to talk about is to your teacher, your comedian, and I feel like there are some things there that do go together. Like, you have to go off script a lot of times with teaching. Right? Or it’s just like, oh, I was not planning on that. So can you share a story where you had to go completely off script, not just on the stage in comedy, but in your classroom? So what happened, and how did you handle it?

Leslie Rob 00:14:14 – 00:14:18

It would probably be easier to tell you when I don’t go off script.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:14:20 – 00:14:21

Or when do I not?

Leslie Rob 00:14:21 – 00:14:29

Yeah. When do we not go off script? Like, when, like I mean, it’d probably be easy to tell you about when I do stay on script, but but, like, literally

Kelsey Sorenson 00:14:29 – 00:14:33

Like, only that time, I actually did. Like, we actually stuck to the lesson lessons.

Leslie Rob 00:14:33 – 00:15:05

Literally, that rarely, if ever happens. And that’s what makes teaching so awesome is that it can be trial and error, and you and that’s actually something I talk about in my keynote is going off script and how it’s so important to be able to go off script and not be married to your plans. At one point, I have a student had a student who is, you know, the class clown, who always wants to be the center of attention, always wants to be seen, etcetera, etcetera. And I’m doing this lesson, and you know how you get so excited. Like, oh my gosh. I worked so hard on this lesson. It’s just gonna go over so well. It didn’t.

Leslie Rob 00:15:06 – 00:15:35

And so I had one student who is I said, okay, guys. What is the answer to number 1? And he goes, number 1, like, the Big Mac meal? And I’m like, oh my goodness. And, you know, and I literally was like, embrace the interruption, Leslie. Embrace the interruption. And so I was like, oh my gosh. Yeah. You go to McDonald’s too? Do you get what do you get on your Big Mac? Do you get, like, extra Mac sauce? What do you do? And and it literally was like, wait. What? And then for a couple minutes, we talked about Big Macs and McDonald’s and what our favorite meals were.

Leslie Rob 00:15:35 – 00:15:46

And they’re like, okay, guys. No. That was fun. Alright. Let’s try to let’s try to get back, to what we’re talking about. And, literally, it cost me nothing, but it would have cost me a whole lot more if I didn’t embrace the interruption.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:15:47 – 00:15:58

I love that because you let them get it out. Right? Otherwise, they’ll be like, wait. No. I really need to say this thing or I need this not just talking about this subject matter, but actually connecting as just people who have opinions on what to put on their Big Mac.

Leslie Rob 00:15:58 – 00:16:04

Right? Exactly. So it was literally a a few minutes out of my lesson. Like you know?

Kelsey Sorenson 00:16:06 – 00:16:15

And I and then you were able to get back to it. And it’s not that that means that you weren’t able to teach them, but it means that, oh, you actually made this connection point that maybe made it easier for you to teach them.

Leslie Rob 00:16:15 – 00:16:17

Exactly. Which is why I relationship is so important.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:16:18 – 00:16:35

Yes. Absolutely. So in classroom moments like these, how often do your stand up comedy? Because your comedy is for teachers. Right? So your teacher and then your audience is teachers as well. So how often do, like, okay, this thing happened. How is it you go about turning that into a comedy sketch that you do?

Leslie Rob 00:16:35 – 00:17:20

Well, it honestly depends on the day. So, like, I try to either if something happened that day, I’ll, make note of it and then actually try to make something a video or something about it or, maybe a piece of material for a set on stage. But, honestly Mhmm. Most of the times, after it’s been 17 years of teaching, if I hear something, a voice over on social media on that’s popular about a video, I just literally critique that to shift it to teaching. Something funny about teaching. Because, honestly, there are so many ways to make teaching funny. Now as far as on the stage with material and things that happen in the classroom, oh my gosh. That is endless content and endless material because of the fact that my students are always doing something funny or something that I do and laugh at myself or at at at fellow teachers.

Leslie Rob 00:17:21 – 00:17:23

It’s literally just a full balance of everything.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:17:23 – 00:17:28

Yeah. Yeah. There’s always so much that you could get into.

Leslie Rob 00:17:28 – 00:17:29

Oh, yeah.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:17:29 – 00:17:31

And so when when you’re

Leslie Rob 00:17:31 – 00:17:31

doing

Kelsey Sorenson 00:17:31 – 00:17:37

that so you have something happen with a student. Do you change it up a little bit for your comedy skit versus, like, oh, this exact thing happened?

Leslie Rob 00:17:37 – 00:17:57

There’s a kid that I reference in my set on stage, and I actually act out like I’m him, but he’s actually a combination of, like, 4 of my male students that I’ve had over the years. So it’s not like he’s one person, but he’s a combination of different things that each of those boys have done, but I just wrapped it all into one one sector of my set.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:17:57 – 00:17:58

Yeah. That totally makes sense.

Leslie Rob 00:17:58 – 00:17:58

Yeah.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:17:58 – 00:18:12

It was kinda like, okay. These are the themes I’ve seen. Mhmm. That’s what I did in my book too when I’d be like, oh, this teacher is struggling with time management or whatever. It wasn’t just one thing. It was like, oh, this is the pattern I’ve seen. Exactly. So you kinda get to do the same thing with your comedy.

Leslie Rob 00:18:12 – 00:18:34

Yeah. Because I literally walk out like I’m literally one of the boys who don’t who refuse to to crease their shoes, but how many of our boys refuse to crease their shoes? Right. So it’s just more like a general overview, and then some of my kids were like, use me and your set. Use me and your set. So but I’m like, yeah. No. It’s usually a combination.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:18:35 – 00:18:38

That’s so funny. They’re like, no. I wanna be in it.

Leslie Rob 00:18:38 – 00:18:40

Yes. They do. They, like, steal

Kelsey Sorenson 00:18:40 – 00:18:42

the win. I love it.

Leslie Rob 00:18:42 – 00:19:07

Gosh. Yes. Because even believe it or not, even some of my tough kids that I could not reach, when they somehow they’ve stumbled across my social media, and they’re like, oh my gosh. You have a and then you I know it sounds weird, but it literally breaks the ice in a way that I did not even expect. And it’s like, you’re, like, normal like me. Like, you wanna be on TikTok like I do. You know what I mean? So to even create that sense of breaking the ice in a way that you couldn’t normally do.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:19:07 – 00:19:11

That’s so interesting because, yeah, they’re like they’re like, oh, wait. My teacher’s on TikTok, on Instagram?

Leslie Rob 00:19:12 – 00:19:13

Like Yeah. Exactly.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:19:14 – 00:19:48

Oh, that’s so funny. So I feel like as teachers, a lot of times, like I mentioned, so many who listen to this podcast are here because they want to, like, rejuvenate, because they feel so burned out as a teacher, overwhelmed all the time, but maybe they are. They’re just like, I don’t wanna feel that way. I feel like comedy, teacher comedy is one of those things that can help us too because sometimes we wanna laugh, sometimes we wanna cry. And sometimes we do need that good cry, but sometimes that laugh can really lift us up. So have you seen it’s not just about, like, a couple little laughs on an Instagram or a TikTok or whatever, but really how this humor has built something bigger. I’d love to hear about the community.

Leslie Rob 00:19:48 – 00:20:30

Oh my gosh, Kelsey. It has been amazing. The amount of teachers who have sent me messages thanking me so much for the laugh and, like, them not feeling so alone and not and that some of the stuff that they thought only happened to them that they realized through my comedy made them feel seen and made them feel like, woah. Oh my gosh. It’s not just me, or I’m not a terrible teacher, or, you know, the fact that I’m not getting a 99% pass rate like Susie Sunshine, but that there’s somebody else who can you meet me at my level. Like yeah. Like, it’s just been so nice. And just like some of the teachers, some of them have obviously, some of these are obviously rare, but just getting those stories have been amazing.

Leslie Rob 00:20:30 – 00:21:06

There is one story of a teacher whose husband was a principal, and he had committed suicide. And so she she found my videos, and they just have lifted her spirits. Another teacher who lost a student to gun violence, oh, and said that at it was the end of the school day, she knew that she could go to my comedy page and just get a laugh to just pick her up after the hard day that she had. And so those obviously are more rare, but the more common ones I get are teachers who are just like, it’s so nice. I don’t have a teacher bestie at my school, but I feel like I have a teacher bestie in you. And so it’s been amazing. The amount of messages I get, it’s just

Kelsey Sorenson 00:21:06 – 00:21:34

like it’s so hard. Always wonderful to hear that what you’re doing is making a difference, but it’s not, like, about you. Right? It’s about how we’re all able to connect. And and like you said, a big thing of what all of us want, and this is a big theme in my work too, is that we want to feel seen. We want to feel heard. We want to feel understood and have people around us who get it. And I feel like that’s what you’ve been able to build. That’s what you’ve been able to do with your platform, with the comedy, and whether it’s through, like, comedy or through what I do.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:21:34 – 00:21:56

People can feel seen when they see that, oh, yeah. There are these struggles, and I I’ve had those too. I’m not alone in this. So I feel like what you’re doing is just so powerful, and I love it. And I’m so glad that you were going to be at our event. It’s gonna be so much fun. Before we talk more about that, though, I would love to ask you. So you found a way to make teachers laugh at even the most stressful parts of their job.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:21:56 – 00:22:11

Right? There are a lot of stressful things. And I’m actually gonna go a little off script here versus what we even have here. I would love to hear, what are some of your favorite things that you’ve posted? What specific stressful things or even, like, a specific post? Like, oh, this one I posted. This was a good one.

Leslie Rob 00:22:11 – 00:22:16

So well, I have 2. I have one that was mine and one that I made I mean, well, obviously, this one

Kelsey Sorenson 00:22:16 – 00:22:16

was mine as

Leslie Rob 00:22:16 – 00:22:24

well, but I made it for bored teachers to post. But one of my favorite videos that I’ve ever made that I made for bored teachers was the classroom interruptions video. Know that

Kelsey Sorenson 00:22:24 – 00:22:27

one. That was so good. I want to link

Leslie Rob 00:22:27 – 00:23:06

it. Oh, it is by far one of my favorite ones I’ve done. I’m so proud of that project. It’s like classroom menu options part 1 and part 2. Both of those are by far my favorite things I’ve ever done because it is something that everybody related to and was filling up the comments with more interruptions than somebody’s making part. Because it was, like, literally, all of us are in the same boat. Like, you the amount of time that is allotted in a block and the amount of time you actually spend doing what you’re supposed to do versus, like, going through an eruption is a whole another ballgame. And so it was it was hilarious the amount of responses that we got.

Leslie Rob 00:23:06 – 00:23:29

As far as one that I’ve done for myself personally, it is the one that I just posted. I have at least, actually just a couple weeks ago. It was me and my teacher, Bestia. We made a video called 2 types of teachers go headed to a faculty meeting. It is hilarious. She is, like, by far the type a, and I am type element of GP whatever. I am like, woo. And so she’s the one who’s on time.

Leslie Rob 00:23:29 – 00:23:38

And, Leslie, they said we had to do this, and I’m like, we’ll get to it. You know? And so that deal kinda shows both those personality types.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:23:39 – 00:23:56

To find all those that one. Are though those all easy for us to find so we can put it in the show notes so people can watch and listen to them? Yeah. Yes. Definitely check those out. I feel like I only saw one of the parts. I’m not sure which one of your classroom interruptions one. So I’ll have to find the other one. Yeah.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:23:56 – 00:24:12

I love it. Yeah. Okay. I know because the comedy is a way for us to come together to cope, to have resilience as teachers. So what challenges do you believe that teachers face the most today, and how can we use humor to cope with those?

Leslie Rob 00:24:12 – 00:24:41

Literally trying to reach students. That is by far, in my opinion, outside of, obviously, parent interaction, but and, but literally reaching students to me is the hardest task for teachers because of the fact that nowadays, kids don’t care. They don’t. I know it sounds crazy, and it may be an exaggeration to some people, but literally, they don’t care. I have students who will come in and tell me they’re not doing nothing to do.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:24:41 – 00:24:41

They go get. Yeah.

Leslie Rob 00:24:41 – 00:24:41

I know.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:24:41 – 00:24:42

I never would have told

Leslie Rob 00:24:42 – 00:25:03

my teacher that. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And then, like, my partner teacher, she had said one day she said that she had told one of the kids, no. You were gonna do, and he’s like, no. And she’s like, and then what do you do? Like, I can’t make you. So literally because, like, they don’t fear going to admin.

Leslie Rob 00:25:03 – 00:25:23

They don’t fear us calling home. They don’t fear any of that. So it’s not a matter of, like, trying to reach them through fear. That’s no longer a thing. It’s more of try to reach them through relationship, and that’s what I choose to do. I choose to build a relationship with my students, and then you can get them to do anything you want them to do. They are wide open to do what you want them to do. And my comedy is what helps me do that.

Leslie Rob 00:25:23 – 00:25:40

Like, no. Listen. Come on. You ain’t go you know, I try to act like them. I’ll try to make something funny. Or sometimes, like, even just a silly dad joke, I feel like, ugh. Miss Rob. So you know? Comedy breaks the ice in any setting, but especially in a classroom setting.

Leslie Rob 00:25:40 – 00:25:42

When your kids can laugh with you

Kelsey Sorenson 00:25:42 – 00:26:10

I love that I love that you were able to use comedy with your students specifically to be, like to connect with them. It’s like that popular saying connect before you correct. I mean, you probably heard that one before, but comedy is a great way to do that. And I think some teachers might know how to do that more so than other teachers. Do you have any, like, just short little tip of if a teacher is like, oh, yeah. That’s great. I can see how that works, but, like, I’m not funny or whatever. Like, what tip would you have?

Leslie Rob 00:26:10 – 00:26:28

Well, actually, something I’ve heard before is when a teacher says they’re not funny. And, actually, my friend Jack, who does freshman enrollment as well for but for middle school teachers, he is the one who helped me to figure out a way to help teachers with that. And, honestly, like he said, if you’re not funny, find somebody else who is, and then bring that into the classroom. If you’re

Kelsey Sorenson 00:26:28 – 00:26:29

trying to Yeah. Yeah.

Leslie Rob 00:26:29 – 00:26:49

Bring Bill Nye in, like, video. Yeah. Pull up a Bill Nye video. He’s funny. If you’re you as a teacher know you’re not funny. Like, you’re forced and awkward and weird. So you find a way to bring something else in. For example, for my lessons, I do a lot of TikTok videos to teach my lesson.

Leslie Rob 00:26:49 – 00:27:25

So instead of pulling some random video off of YouTube that my kids are like, miss Rob, make it stop. I make it something funny. For example, for our kitchen safety video, when I was teaching the kids about kitchen safety, I literally went was in my old apartment. I had made, a kitchen safety video in my kitchen. I had caught myself on fire pretend wise. I had done all these things, and the kids learned so much more from that video because they thought, miss Ross, what were you doing? You know? And so that’s something that any teacher who teaches kitchen safety could pull and use it in their classroom. They may not be

Kelsey Sorenson 00:27:25 – 00:27:38

the funny person, but they’re the only other thing. Easy, so doable. I also think that some teachers might be bragging themselves off a little too quickly with that too. Like, oh, I’m not funny. Really? Is that true? Maybe there are times you are funny.

Leslie Rob 00:27:38 – 00:27:49

There’s different types of humor too. There’s drama humor. There’s sarcasm. There’s all types of different types of humor that you don’t may not realize you’re funny. And then if you find out that you just aren’t, then you may be okay. Fine.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:27:49 – 00:28:12

I mean, because, for example, I’m not a comedian like you are, but a lot of times we find ourselves laughing on our coaching calls. It’s like, I’m just being funny in a different way. Right? So maybe you could even just try it on, like and maybe you just wanna bring in Bill Nye or whatever, but try on, like, how is it I maybe am funny. What are somewhat things that suit my personality? Not just give you another thing to do, though, because we don’t need that. Just an idea.

Leslie Rob 00:28:13 – 00:28:16

Right. Just just an idea. Like, you know, my head is a little hard.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:28:16 – 00:28:18

Just going off script a little bit.

Leslie Rob 00:28:18 – 00:28:20

Yeah. Yeah. It’s so important.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:28:20 – 00:28:23

Just the, like, life coach in me that’s always like, well, is that actually true?

Leslie Rob 00:28:26 – 00:28:27

Yeah. Exactly.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:28:27 – 00:29:04

Oh, I love this so much. I feel like this gives everybody an awesome taste of what they’re going to get when they show up at our keynote. This has been amazing. We just breezed through those questions, which was so much fun, And I truly gave everybody an awesome peek at what your keynote is going to be, like a little bit of your personality, a little bit of your humor, and your style. I am so thrilled that you’re going to be our keynote at our winter educate and rejuvenate. To everybody listening, that is happening in January, and we, for the first time ever, have a free tier so you can sign up and come live. It’s gonna be so much fun. You’re gonna want to be there.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:29:05 – 00:29:17

We’ll have the link in the show notes for all of you to check that out. But, Leslie, can you tell us a little bit about what our listeners will get out of the keynote when they choose to attend? Because it’s free. They have nothing to lose. They they they just need to come.

Leslie Rob 00:29:18 – 00:29:34

I know. You might as well go. Yeah. Why not? So when you attend the keynote, guys well, first of all, we’re just gonna have fun. That’s that’s long. We gotta have fun. We’re gonna have some laughter. So it’s literally, guys, a comedic yet informative keynote.

Leslie Rob 00:29:34 – 00:29:55

Like, it is so much fun. You guys gonna have actual takeaways that you can leave and place in your classroom right after our session together. And the best part about it is that it’s a way my keynote is a way to help you think differently in order to teach differently in hopes of reaching today’s generation because they need a different approach, guys, and I’m here to give it to you.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:29:55 – 00:30:10

We need that. How do we reach this generation that does feel different? Right? And it is different, but we can reach them. Like you said, you’re like, oh, we figured out. Oh, will you connect? Like, it’s just it’s you can. Like and we’re we’re gonna talk about that, and we’re gonna have a lot of fun doing it.

Leslie Rob 00:30:10 – 00:30:11

Yeah. We are.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:30:11 – 00:30:11

So to close it up

Leslie Rob 00:30:11 – 00:30:12

miss it, guys.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:30:12 – 00:30:19

Let’s just do a few quick fun questions just so they can get to know you a little more. So what is your favorite school supply and why? Sharpies.

Leslie Rob 00:30:21 – 00:30:25

Okay. Okay. Actually, I I would say it’s a a tie between Sharpies

Kelsey Sorenson 00:30:25 – 00:30:27

and flare frames are pretty great. Okay.

Leslie Rob 00:30:28 – 00:30:41

Because come on. Right. We need Sharpies for, like, everything. Like, I need them it’s right on everything. And you know how it is. If you don’t label it, we lose it. Or the keypad, somebody takes it and it walks away. So Sharpies are essential.

Leslie Rob 00:30:42 – 00:30:48

And flare pins are just fun. Okay? With all the different colors, like, come on. And it’s for a brighter day.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:30:48 – 00:30:55

I I love I love the pen collection with Sharpies, flares, ink joys, all the things. Yeah. Super sticky Post

Leslie Rob 00:30:55 – 00:30:57

it notes. I had to know that I wanted

Kelsey Sorenson 00:30:57 – 00:31:01

to know. Super sticky. I only have regular Post it notes. What are these super sticky ones?

Leslie Rob 00:31:01 – 00:31:13

And I oh oh my gosh. You have to get the super sticky Post it notes. So, like, number 1, they’re multicolored, not just yellow, which is the best. They’re multicolored, and they literally stick to everything. I’m like, minor They’re the best.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:31:13 – 00:31:14

Mine are multicolored,

Leslie Rob 00:31:14 – 00:31:14

but I

Kelsey Sorenson 00:31:14 – 00:31:16

don’t know if they’re extra sticky or not.

Leslie Rob 00:31:16 – 00:31:23

I’ll do that. So you know if you look on the back, it’ll say usually, if it’s a regular post, it’ll just say post it, but the super sticky says

Kelsey Sorenson 00:31:23 – 00:31:26

post it. Maybe I just haven’t paid enough attention,

Leslie Rob 00:31:26 – 00:31:26

and I don’t have them.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:31:26 – 00:31:27

I might.

Leslie Rob 00:31:27 – 00:31:31

Yeah. And on the package, it’ll say super sticky, but the super sticky package

Kelsey Sorenson 00:31:31 – 00:31:46

is not gonna be the best. When we buy our sticky notes. Make sure they’re super sticky. Most important lesson of the day. Just kidding. Yeah. Okay. If you could magically banish 1 teacher task, what would it be? And we’ll do we’ll close off with that one.

Leslie Rob 00:31:48 – 00:32:07

Oh, my god. I hate doing data. Golly. Data. And I guess this would go with it. Smart goals. But, oh my gosh. Can I just teach? Like, why do I have to, like, make it work when it comes to data and stuff like that? Because then I’m not just, like, hey.

Leslie Rob 00:32:07 – 00:32:20

Let’s just do this for fun. It’s, like, hold on. Let me see which standard it meets, and then make sure that I assess that the standard that we did it was the what, and then to write it out and explain it. Oh my gosh. It’s exhausting.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:32:20 – 00:32:24

It’s a lot and one of my least favorite parts for sure too.

Leslie Rob 00:32:26 – 00:32:27

A 100%. Okay.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:32:27 – 00:32:28

I lied about

Leslie Rob 00:32:28 – 00:32:29

you. Can I ask you one more?

Kelsey Sorenson 00:32:31 – 00:32:37

Coffee, soda, or something else for surviving the tough teaching days. You can totally say something else. Else?

Leslie Rob 00:32:39 – 00:32:51

Oh, yeah. Definitely a margarita. Yeah. What kind of something else? I’m not sure we’re gonna podcast. Oh, yeah. What do we mean by something?

Kelsey Sorenson 00:32:52 – 00:32:56

Here we go, you guys. There there aren’t children listening to this show,

Leslie Rob 00:32:56 – 00:33:05

so we are good. Yeah. That’s exactly what I was like You see you as a teacher. Like, we’re so paranoid. Grown up here. I don’t have a margarita.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:33:06 – 00:33:18

Okay. Well, thank you for being here today and laughing together, and I cannot wait to have you at our winter event. And can you tell everybody, like, why they should come? Why they should come join us?

Leslie Rob 00:33:18 – 00:33:29

Oh my gosh. Because, guys, what better PD or professional development or a chance to grow as a teacher than to have fun while you’re doing it. So you gotta come, guys. You’re gonna learn and

Kelsey Sorenson 00:33:29 – 00:33:44

have fun. Much fun. And we’ve got yoga. We’ve got comedy. We’ve got life coaching, and then we’ve got all the prerecorded sessions. And all the replays will be in the mobile app for you to check out. It’s super convenient. So make sure that you go sign up.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:33:44 – 00:33:52

And if you want extended access, we’ve got an awesome VIP platinum pass pass for you too. So if you can’t make it live, you’ll definitely wanna grab that.

Leslie Rob 00:33:52 – 00:33:54

Wow. So then it’s not a matter of why

Kelsey Sorenson 00:33:54 – 00:33:55

it should come. Why it’s

Leslie Rob 00:33:55 – 00:33:56

not come? Yeah.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:33:56 – 00:34:22

Like I mean, honestly, we made it free because we want all teachers to be able to have the educate and rejuvenate event experience, so we didn’t want money to be the reason why they didn’t come see and try it out. So that’s why. Yeah. This is the first time we’re doing a free version, and we’re just really and it’s the first time with our new mobile app. We just really wanted everyone to be able to come and see and experience. It’s like our Christmas gift is what we’re saying. It’s like our gift to teachers.

Leslie Rob 00:34:22 – 00:34:24

I love it. Alright. I love it. Thank you

Kelsey Sorenson 00:34:24 – 00:34:32

so much for your time. I cannot wait for your keynote. And to our listeners, stay tuned for way more fun together with all of us at the event.

Leslie Rob 00:34:32 – 00:34:34

Yes. Thanks for having me.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:34:37 – 00:35:21

Thank you for joining me on educate and rejuvenate the podcast today. If you love what you heard in this episode, be sure to hit subscribe so you don’t miss the next one. And if you’re hungry for even more, be sure to check out the book that I wrote. It’s called educate and rejuvenate a 3 step guide to revitalize your teaching, renew your spirit, and reignite your passion for life. It takes everything you learn here on the podcast and that I teach our members inside the educate and rejuvenate club into a guide book you can refer to again and again. One of our early readers said it was like clarity for her brain. Plus, it’s not only a book. With your purchase, you’ll get full PDF guide with exercises and links to videos and more so that you can not only consume, but apply everything that you’ve learned.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:35:21 – 00:35:37

0:00 – 35:37

If you’re ready to make, educate, and rejuvenate, not just a podcast you passively listen to, but a lifestyle that you put into action, it’s time to grab your copy on Amazon today, or head to educate imageryumate.com/book to read the first chapter and the introduction today.

More about Educate & Rejuvenate: The Podcast

Being an educator is beyond a full-time job. Whether you’re a teacher or a homeschool parent, the everyday to-do list is endless. Between lesson planning, grading, meetings, and actually teaching, it probably feels impossible to show up for your students without dropping the ball in other areas of your life.

Educate & Rejuvenate: The Podcast is the show that will bring you the teacher tips, practical strategies, and inspiration that you need to relieve the stress and overwhelm of your day-to-day. Your host, Kelsey Sorenson, is a former teacher and substitute turned homeschool mom. Tune in weekly to hear Kelsey and her guests cheer you on and help you thrive as a wife, teacher, and mommy. Because with a little support and community, you can do it all. To access every single Educate & Rejuvenate resource, join the club at educateandrejuvenate.com/club.

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Download our mobile app for podcast episodes, meditations, community, and more... right at your fingertips!

Try out the club for Just $1.99 for your First month! This March Only...

When Teaching Gets Tough, Crack a Joke with Leslie Rob [#158]

Click below to listen to episode 158, When Teaching Gets Tough, Crack a Joke with Leslie Rob:

Key themes from When Teaching Gets Tough, Crack a Joke with Leslie Rob [#158]:

Laughter in the Classroom: An Inside Look at Teacher Comedy with Leslie Robb

The Power of Laughter in Teaching

Off-Script Moments: Embracing the Chaos

Turning Classroom Chaos into Comedy

Why Teacher Comedy Matters

Sneak Peek: Winter Educate & Rejuvenate 2024-2025 Conference

Finding Joy in the Challenges

Connect with Leslie:

Take our Podcast Quiz

Connect with Kelsey:

Read the transcript for When Teaching Gets Tough, Crack a Joke with Leslie Rob [#158] below:

More about Educate & Rejuvenate: The Podcast

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