SPEAKER_01 0:10

Hi everyone. My name is Joe Ayala. I am here with Lisa Mo, or as you may know her, as Miss Mo. And Lisa and I have been trying to get together to create this podcast for a long time. And there's been a lot of like gifts or gifts, however you want to call it, pass between text messages. A lot of great conversations. And today we're actually not ready. As you can see, like I'm not loving my lighting, and we have a uh AI created uh background of uh downtown San Jose, but we're just gonna go for it. We decided to hit record and yeah, Lisa, go ahead and take the the baton, as you say.

SPEAKER_02 0:54

Well, thank you so much, Joe. I'm so excited for us, and I think, as you said, it's taken us quite a bit to get here, but it's appropriate as we've been coming up also with our our names, so like the change agents, which we had to get here because we've also gone through a lot of change to get here. So I think that it's very appropriate. So the two people that had the idea are not the same two people, and I think that's gonna go really good with our our growth in this and bringing in other voices and hearing from others, you know, and and really really getting down to you know the good stuff on this podcast. So I'm excited.

SPEAKER_01 1:35

So Lisa, I I I have a lot of questions for you. Um we were touching base when you just finished or you were you're about to keynote for Q or join Cali or Cali Spring Conference. Um sorry, Christine. Um so please take me how much your life has changed since you walked off that keynote stage.

SPEAKER_02 2:04

Okay, so it has been like a bullet chain. Um you know, on that stage, I talked so much about embracing the now. That was like the title of my keynote, and you know, how we look at the past to kind of, you know, go forward and we plan forward for that future. But what's happening right now is what's gonna make all the difference and embracing that. And never could I imagine that my words were also something that I needed to also do, which is embrace the now. And so since then, um, I finished up my school year with my sixth graders. I'm a year-round. So we finished the very last week of June. And in that time, I was offered a position at my district to be an educational technology and innovation um teacher on special assignment. And I literally the phone call came while my students were promoting. So it was also very symbolic of like their transition, they're leaving elementary. Now I find out that the very next day is going to be my last day on this campus that I've spent the last four years on. And I was starting the very next week in my new position. So um it's been it, it's been a few weeks now, and I'm loving it. I I really, really am. One of my fears coming out of the classroom is losing my create, you know, creative brain. And um just because I feel like the kids are what keeps me so like energized and creative and uh stimulated, and going to an office, a quiet office was kind of bittersweet, scary for me, but I've quickly found that um, you could still very much be stimulated by adults and have fun with it. And uh my creativity is just only at the surface now. We're just gonna keep going and learning from other teachers and students around the entire district. So embracing the now. I'm excited.

SPEAKER_01 4:08

So, how many years were you in the classroom?

SPEAKER_02 4:11

10 years.

SPEAKER_01 4:12

10 years. And what how many grade levels did you teach?

SPEAKER_02 4:16

I taught fourth grade, fifth grade, and sixth grade.

SPEAKER_01 4:19

What was your did you have a favorite grade or did you love them all? Are you gonna give me that like perfect teacher answer? Like, Miss Honey, I loved all the kids and I loved them all sorts of people.

SPEAKER_02 4:30

But you know, I taught sixth grade my first year, and it's funny, becoming a teacher, I had subbed for several years. I ran after school programs um since I was 15 years old, like I from, you know, the city parks department. And I always said that the two that I didn't want was like first grade and sixth grade. And then when I went for my credential, I got placed in a first grade and a sixth grade classroom. And um, I loved both of them. So initially I thought coming into teaching, you know, you're you're young and you're you're new and you're like, I'll take anything. And I was set to teach second grade, and then um my principal said, You are an upper grade teacher. I could just see it. And um, I was placed, I did sixth grade, and that was so much fun, um intense, but it is their last year in my district before they go to middle school, and I think society tends to get these kids at this age this brink of being teenagers, and we kind of say, like, oh, they're at that age, and we let them get away with things, or we kind of teach them that it's okay to roll your eyes because you are that age, or you know, whatever the case is. And in the end, they're still kids and they still want to play and they still want someone to understand them, and like they don't want to grow up too quickly, that um they do want to grow up, but they also still want to be kids, and so I left from that. I was at this district, and then I moved districts the next year, and I taught fourth grade for five years, and I loved fourth grade. That was like it was so fun, and then I came back to the district and I taught fifth, which I became a teacher because of my fifth grade teachers, so that to me was like, yeah, and like you know, I brought in all American history and dressed up as Hamilton and like I just we had the best time, but I came back to sixth grade by my choice, and I've been there the last several years, and there's just nothing like those sixth graders because it is their last chance of before they where I could help them become leaders. And I always say to them, like, I'm not teaching you how to be a successful sixth grader or even be successful in middle school. I want you to be successful in life, so we're gonna work on all these different skills, but in the meantime, you're gonna go have recess and you're gonna go play and you're gonna be a kid and you're gonna soak in your childhood as much as you can, but I'm also gonna hold you up, you know, to expectations because I'm preparing you. And they come back to me and they just tell me all the time like how much that helped them, you know. Then and they're the leaders in their middle schools and high schools now, like so many of them are in charge of like ASB and their clubs and even in their athletics, and you know, just because they just needed someone to see them, you know. So sixth grade, sixth grade is to my heart.

SPEAKER_01 7:31

So it sounds like in your area that sixth grade is still part of elementary school. I know in many of the Bay Area school districts it's sixth through eight, and that's kind of like middle school. And then I knew when I was in the Central Valley, it was the same thing. It was like TK now to like sixth grade. And so when you saw your sixth graders, did you see them as like middle schoolers or do you did you still have the elementary kind of lens on them?

SPEAKER_02 7:56

Um so I kind of start their year as they're still elementary a little bit, you know. I want them like that lens, and then about halfway through, whether they're ready or not, I just we're going into middle school. And so um, I never tell them I'm gonna do this, just one day I will put on like a bell sound and I set a timer and I say, You have four minutes to pack everything up, leave this classroom, you're gonna walk like the entirety of the basketball court, and you have to be back in this classroom in new seats unpacked and ready because it's what middle school is gonna be like. And I just and that's I just start doing that in between every subject. And um, again, at first it's like the most like stressful thing, but I'm like, this is impossible, you can't do that. And then by the end of the year, it's so they figure out rather than just throwing them, you know, baptism by fire into seventh grade where they all they're not used to like having to pack everything, they start to figure out halfway through the year, maybe I don't need to carry every single thing in my backpack. Maybe I don't need all these like extra toys or things that I probably shouldn't have at school, or you know, they start to figure out, and that helps them, I think, so much as they go into middle school of that time management and like putting first things first and putting you know their things away in an organized way. Because if we're going from ELA into math, like I don't want to see ELA out anymore. So, like they know, like, okay, I and so they start to figure it out too, where they're like, I think she's gonna do it, I think she's about to do the alarm, so they start packing up and that you know, like it's so much that's a very creative way.

SPEAKER_01 9:35

I I would appreciate that because I went to a uh kindergarten eighth grade school, it was like a self-contained, and so I went from that school. I think our graduating class was 120 eighth graders to a high school that was a 1200 freshman class. And so like that was a huge transition, and I was not ready for it. And I my grades showed it, and I was like, oh my gosh, like it wasn't even so much the passing periods, but it was just like a whole new world when I was just in the small country school. And so, like, that's really creative way to to the to to even uh initialize a change that they don't even know that's gonna happen to them. So and I and the one thing I do see that I like about Bay Area schools is they start that gradually as well. Like your English teacher and your history teacher are usually the same person, or your math and science, and then so there is like less switching, but you're in and kind of in your own group, but you do do have you do have some switching, and I thought that was uh really creative. Um, but I'm gonna be selfish because this is our podcast. Um, I'm gonna go way back, okay? Because I I saw this, I've heard you speak a couple of times, and um, I want to know how did you go from being in the entertainment business as an intern, because I'm a big Conan fan, so I'm a bit jealous. I love that all his bits and everything, and like how of a brilliant mind he is, and how hard it is to be funny. So I want to hear about your experience at Conan and how that took you to where you are today.

SPEAKER_02 11:12

Yeah, well, this is fun. Um, so like you, I've always been a huge Conan fan, just entertainment in general, pop culture. I just my brain has just always felt like I love IMDB. Like that's like since I was a kid, just I can't watch a movie or anything without having to know who's in it, what's the trivia behind it. And um, I had seen years ago that a lot of these um actors on Saturday Night Live and the Office were once interns for late night. And I just was like, I'm gonna do that someday. Like that was just no brainer, and for Conan specifically, like that's who but he was in New York, and so I thought, okay, when that day comes, but when he came out to LA, it it became all the more like and at the time I was at UCLA, and that's the fun part is that like I was an anthropology major, I was running a lot of the pools for UCLA, you know, recreation. So I'm like teaching water aerobics and swim classes to the football players and you know, all of this. And I was also working in the LA and Santa Monica schools for jumpstart, like their pre-school.

SPEAKER_01 12:28

Did you did you do any theater in high school or any like like you know how we kind of like especially like especially with like I think Clueless was like a movie that highlighted it, like any as you're walking onto campus, like you have that group and that group. What group do you claim from your high school days?

SPEAKER_02 12:44

Well, I I've always been Lisa Moe, so I'm everywhere. So um I was a swimmer, I was an athlete, like I did cross country, but then I did musical theater and I did choir and I did like you know, water polo, and I did, you know, there's exactly and then my brother was in a band, a pretty successful band, and it was the perfect time um for me being in high school, um, because it was that was like the scene everyone was into. So um, you know, I would I would be at these venues that I probably shouldn't have been um at that age, but you know, just having very trusting, as they should, um parents and everything. And so my um my brother would play warp tour and he was on you know K Rock and MTV and you know, and so Can you give a shout out to his old fan? We are the arsenal, what up, guys? Um and and yeah, they had songs like that would be on like if you've ever seen the movie That Thing You Do, like the first time we heard it on the radio, like that was our family, like we were running everywhere, like turn it on, turn it on, because it was you know, just blasting it. And again, just early on, learning the business side of entertainment, and it became like a family business as well. So, like my parents would rent these huge like vans, and like the nights of these shows would just like take a bunch of kids from my high school, the surrounding high school. So I got to know a lot of kids too that way. That like maybe we weren't friends typically. Um, and like you said, like clueless, like all the groups there's like the emo kids, the gawk kids, the theater kit, and then we're all in these, you know, vans together at you know, chain reaction in you know, Anaheim or House of Blues or you know, somewhere. And it that to me, like that entertainment side, like they said, was also combined with the business side of things. So um I was just everywhere, always, and um, but then still me. So I'd be like at these emo, emo shows, and like I'm in like my peaks and my sparkles, and I'm still me. And but I'm the one they always call me the energizer bunny because you would only see my head bouncing up and down at these shows, um, jumping and I'm dancing and I'm screaming every lyric, and I'm just you know, and you're not the tallest person either.

SPEAKER_01 15:05

So you have to kind of get some like energy, some height to to be the head behind.

SPEAKER_02 15:10

Yeah, like random, random people that all of a sudden I'm just like on their shoulders because they're just like, she wants to be up there. I'm like, yeah, like and so Okay, so so that's kind of captured your background, and then you fast forward that to being in college and all this other random background that I'm doing, and I see that Conan's looking for interns, and I'm like, and again, going back to the band, we learned social media like really well, and like at the time it was my space, and that's where like you would get your fan base, and so I learned this like other side, and so I do you still remember who your top eight are for the most part, it was a devastating day when you got bumped, but see like people like in uh younger generations are not gonna know what that comment means.

SPEAKER_01 16:02

Yeah, they're gonna just google, just Google it, just Google it.

SPEAKER_02 16:05

It's uh it was a bittersweet time for us as friends and life, but I did learn coding at a very young age because of it.

SPEAKER_01 16:16

And um I think a lot of kids learn HTML because of that. Absolutely.

SPEAKER_02 16:20

Oh yeah. So you fast forward, and I it was like one night I'm like studying and I'm in my little apartment, you know, at UCLA, and I'm like, I just see that they have they're looking for interns. And I was like, I'm gonna apply. Like, I don't the worst they could say is no, like that's that's it, and then I'll never have to wonder again. But I don't want to live a life where I wondered what would have happened had I just applied. So I did, and I did not fall into any category that they were looking for, because it was like entertainment, communications, journalism, like you know, theater, drama, and then like other cultural anthropology, and like, you know, like and I swear it was like a few days later, like I had already received an email that they wanted to talk to me, and then it was because of that that they told me like I stood out to them that like I was a diverse like perspective, and so I started off, like I was so oh my god, I'm gonna be literally I don't want you to I don't want you to fast forward it.

SPEAKER_01 17:26

So, like if you can remember, how was the interview like did you how like how many steps did it take until you actually got to meet Conan? Or did it does Conan give the final approval, or you're just like, hey, you're an intern, like you're gonna get the coffee and the like they like I want to know like what's their viewpoint of uh intern.

SPEAKER_02 17:46

Yeah, well, so the interview itself, from what I could kind of remember, I think I was also blacking out because I was just like so excited, was just um initially, like, you know, why like that? Like, why do you want to interview?

SPEAKER_01 18:02

I'm I'm I'm geeking out here because I'm a big fan of late night. I've been like since like um oh gosh, what's this? I can't think of his name on the top hand. But anyways, I've been a big fan of late night. So did you go is the interview in like an office complex, or do you go down to the studio?

SPEAKER_02 18:17

Like no, it's not work it was over the phone and then it was on Skype. So like it was those two aspects of it. And then then you like, and it was just a very um general, like, like I said, like all my other jobs kind of just aligned with this at first, where I was ready to be like, what do you want me to tell you about late night? Like, I am ready for this. Like, do you want me to audition like Saturday Night Live? Do you want a character? Like, I've got this. Like, what do you want?

SPEAKER_01 18:47

You have your questions ready and you were oh, I was like, I was so ready.

SPEAKER_02 18:51

And um, but it was more just like that's one thing I will say about you, Leah.

SPEAKER_01 18:54

I really appreciate is how brave you are. I think one of my first experiences of like seeing uh Ms. Mo was on a cue advertisement, and I think you were dressed up in some kind of costume or animal.

SPEAKER_02 19:09

And I was like the car wash guys.

SPEAKER_01 19:14

So I was like, I wanna I I'm uh there's sparked a lot of curiosity. So all right, so I see happy. So you're preparing for whatever, and then it was just like a basic business interview, very business-y from what I remember, and like um just you know my school schedule, like you know, how do I feel prepared?

SPEAKER_02 19:35

What's my work experience, like things like that? And then I remember similar to these questions you're asking me now, kind of giving a background to like, you know, well, I also have like a business side of me. I've worked with, you know, so I don't know if any of that fully played into it. But then the next thing you know, they say, like, okay, you're gonna start, but it we were going into winter, so like winter break, and so you're gonna start in January. And because it's an internship, you have to get approval from like your college. And unfortunately, at first, my college, you see it, was very like I only said that because I was like, really? Um, they are you saying USC would have said yes, or no, no, no, but initially they were like, Well, this isn't your degree, like, why do you need to intern there? And I was like, and I just sold it. Like, I just like the way I still spell my youth like you know, my anthropology degree is like it's human-centered, it's human connection, and it's about learning a different culture, and this internship is going to allow me to see the perspective of like humans in a different like environment than I'm used to because I have more of an education background and you know, parks and recreational background. And so that sold it. And so then I got to go, and the very first day I was a guinea pig intern, so there was a lot of us, and um, I really wanted to see Conan, and and you you don't initially like that, you know, you're just kind of like in this kitchen area, like their intern kitchen. And um, my first thing is I had to go pretty far and go pick up um a bunt cake from Nothing Bunk Cakes, which I had never heard of at that time. I think they're pretty, pretty fresh on the market, and so that was my very first task, and I was like, but I'm doing it for Conan. Like I was so like living my life, but when I got back that day, they said, okay, take that over to dress rehearsal. And so I was like, okay, so that's where you actually go into the studio, and there's Conan. And then I was like, oh my gosh. And I that day, panic at the disco was the musical guest. So I just felt like in every way, like, uh like what's happening. Yes, like, and Conan just During dress rehearsals, very just dressed normal, just casual. Um, he always has a guitar on him. He has like his um glasses.

SPEAKER_01 22:08

Is he and is he really tall?

SPEAKER_02 22:10

He's very tall, very, very tall. In fact, there's a picture of me and him, you know, that I'll post every once in a while. And he is taller than me in it, and he's crouching, okay?

SPEAKER_01 22:24

So well, then his hair adds like an extra foot, like like with the angle.

SPEAKER_02 22:28

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 22:29

I'm not I'm not jealous or anything coming.

SPEAKER_02 22:30

No, no. But like, and he is brilliant, he's truly brilliant. I got to see in live time what the writers are creating, and he'll be like, I'm gonna say something different, and he'll just like in the moment say, and it's like it's so funny and it's so genius, but he's also very you could see like processing everything, like he but he's so nice, and that to me, I think was the biggest relief just because you hope someone is the way that they are, and like he's even better, like he he's just so wonderful, and so he came and introduced himself to all of us as interns, and like he's welcoming to us, and it was by the end of the week, somewhere in the digital department, they needed which there's a whole other story there that I could share too because Mark Wahlberg was coming, and that was like the whole goal for me. But for my sister and I was that I meet Mark Wahlberg, and in the first week he was coming, and so but they needed something in digital that they didn't, and I can't fully remember what it was, but they didn't know how to do it. And they came over to our department and they said, like to us interns, do any of you know how to do this? Like our current intern doesn't know how we need someone else. And I was like, I do, and it was again going back to like those years with my brother, like the social media aspect. And from that point forward, I was immediately brought into their digital department, which was Team Coco, which is what he continues to have to this day, and amazing people in that department. And I think for me, behind the scenes, too, without knowing where my life would be headed, I learned early too, like the computer science, the like engineering, the like the jobs that are out there in this entertainment industry that helped make things successful and you know, get things running. And so I was so impressed with that as well. And just talking to these podcasting was somewhat new too. So there was a different podcast that not Conan's, but it was a Team Coco podcast, and they had like they would interview employees, they'd interview actors, and that was kind of when I had listened to it, and they had um interviewed someone that was running the intern program, and that's kind of what I've listened to a few months prior to. So when I met them, I'm like, oh, I listened to you. Like, I know I know who you are.

SPEAKER_01 25:01

Do you do you remember that what that task was that the other intern couldn't do?

SPEAKER_02 25:06

Not fully. I know it had something to do with ironically enough, gifts or gifts. I know it was something like that. It was something with like a screen screen grabbing in live time. So when they're actually doing the live showing, um you're that became part of my job. I remember that much. Is that during live shows, you're watching scene by scene, but you're looking at it as like what's gonna be like a meme?

SPEAKER_01 25:33

What's gonna become like and so you're wow, they were they were far ahead of that.

SPEAKER_02 25:39

That's like where we're at now, but like because you can like see YouTube clips and you know, like reels, and like that's the world we live in now, but that to be able to see that that far in advance, oh yeah, like and so that and I remember, but it had something to do with like a file to the I can't fully remember like bringing this file over to something, and like you know, and again, just my years. So, like I kind of came into with ideas too for them, which they don't, you know, they don't always want to hear from like an intern, but I'm like, you know, a lot of were on TVS at the time, so like a lot of TV shows right now are doing hashtags that way you are speaking like to people on Twitter at the time about things, so instead of just always having team cocoa, maybe we could have like something he says during the show too, that then that becomes part of like the conversation, and so you start seeing these things like integrated and everything, and um you know, so that part was just really just cool. And then my favorite story though with Conan, like there's two of him just being genuine with me when I actually got to talk to him and like really like meet him, meet him, is um that first week when uh Mark Wahlberg was coming, I volunteered to be security um because I found out if you're security, then you get to meet the people coming in.

SPEAKER_01 27:02

And I would time out who's gonna be security who protects Mark Wahlberg from you, though.

SPEAKER_02 27:09

So like they come and then you check them in and you walk them to their green room. And I had to play it so cool, like to not make other interns realize like what this job will be. I just like I'll do it.

SPEAKER_01 27:27

Like, you know, I just on the day on the timeline, how did you what was the introduction? Because Mark Wahlberg has had many uh different lives, I would say. Yes. So how how did he come into your life? What what was the media or the avenue that he came into? Was it of course the famous one, New Kids on the Block, or well, I've always been uh Marky Mark fan, but my sister and I love, love, love the movie Rockstar.

SPEAKER_02 27:58

And that's like our like goal in life is for people to understand that that movie doesn't get its credit. Like we say that all the time does not get its credit, like one of the best movies ever. And um, and so that's just kind of been our long-running like joke, too, is like we need him to know that we see him for that movie, like that you deserve your credit, and and I I will say, like, on your guys' social media, like there's been other Mark Waller appearances where you guys are doing the famous like selfie, I'm going to be in the shot. Well, that that was like that one was like a dream come true. Cause obviously I was meeting him without her, um, but she was so like okay with it, you know, it was like do it.

SPEAKER_01 28:40

There wasn't like a sister sister battle of like I got one up on you, like uh-huh.

SPEAKER_02 28:45

No, no, like I had to take everything in for her.

SPEAKER_01 28:48

So are you the younger older? Like, how's that and the younger?

SPEAKER_02 28:51

I mean, that's even harder as the oldest child.

SPEAKER_01 28:55

Like, I I loved it.

SPEAKER_02 28:57

Like, she was so like when I was first gonna go to UCLA, she's like, and what's your goal? And I was like, to meet Mark Wahlberg, like that was like our thing. And so there was a time that someone like I had gotten to the pool and someone was like, How was it? And I was like, How is what? And they're like, Mark Wahlberg just walked by you, and I was like, What? And like I missed it, like I missed it entirely. So you fast forward a year later, and now I'm interning. And so my sister wouldn't let me live that down, and so now I get to meet him. And here's the funny thing is he was supposed to film like his episode, I think, was airing on Friday, but he couldn't film on Friday, so he was coming in a day early, and I didn't have my internship that day. I had class that day. Um, but I worked it out where I was like, I can't come Friday, I have to be here Thursday. And I skipped class and I came to intern on Thursday. Then I worked it out too, where I was just like, like, no one's gonna do security today, like I'll do it. Like it's it's fine. And so well played, well played. Thank you. So then I went and um I'm in this like little office that they like come into, and like Pat and Oswalt was there that day. Like there's people that were so nice, like passing me, but I'm like, hello, hello, hello, like like I don't like it. He was so nice, but um and but at it's show time, like it is show time, and they're counting down, and all of a sudden Conan comes running through, and so I'm like, and I stand up and I'm like, you know, hello, and he is on his way, but this is his humor and this is his kindness. He stops, and there's this big bouquet of flowers there for like decoration, and he just stops and he goes, There you are, I got these for you, and like he made it like so. And so I sort of was like, that was my interaction with him. I think you have a show to do. Like, I'm laughing, like, go, go! And he's like, Please enjoy these flowers. So it's like real, just like, you know, so that like cracked me up because he ran and then stopped and came back to just to do that bit for me, and so that was my first encounter with him, and then I got to meet Mark Bahlberg, who was very nice, but very scary, like intense. And then I loved every second of it, and that's a whole other story. But um the next week I had to carry things up these stairs, like really heavy boxes, like super, super, super heavy things that I was just like, it would be like one box up a step, and then I need a break, and then like another, and like I still had so many to go, and like I'm looking at, and people are kind of just walking past me at Warner Brothers, like you know, just you're just you're an intern, you know, and it's not just the Conan people because they were very nice, but just like in general, like you just they just need to get past you, so they're kind of just like walking around you're like, excuse me, and like I'm like sweating, and then all of a sudden I hear, well, who is letting this little baby deer, like like doe eyed deer, do this? And I look, and it's Conan, and I was like, and so he helped me carry these boxes up, and he called other people over too, and he was like, You don't let this little baby deer, and like so that became like a nickname from him for a bit, like whenever, like until my time with Sam was like the doe-eyed deer, is what he would call him.

SPEAKER_01 32:19

He's saying sound of music to you as well.

SPEAKER_02 32:20

That's what I'd be like, I'm sure he did. Like I was always like, you know, like I just got like a a little nickname from him, you know, and so whenever whenever I'd see him, he'd be like doe-eyed and like keep walking, you're like and just so so nice, like so, so nice. And so um on one of my last days, like when I took that picture with him too, like he had told him, like, you know, because I he had worked for, you know, he was a writer for The Simpsons too. So I had told him, like, you'll never forget me because my name is Lisa Moe, and that's two Simpsons characters, and you were a writer. And he was like, That he's like, Wow, he's like, That's true. I'll never, you know, I'm sure he doesn't remember me, but he was so like, that's so sweet of you. Because I said, like, you you have been such an inspiration, like he got his degree in history from Harvard, like, you know, all this, all the stuff that I had known about him. And so he said, Well, you know what I really like about you, because he said you're about to graduate. And it's like, yeah, and um, I had said, you know, an anthropology, and he just was like, Yeah, good for you. He's like, you know, and he's like, nothing against every he's like some of these other like interns, he's like, they're like, um, I'm used to getting like the entertainment, the communication. He's like, um, and he's like, nothing against them. He's like, but it's really neat to see someone that's like kind of you know outside that. And so, like, to I had heard that at the beginning of my internship from those that like hired me, but to hear it from him, and he so he said, I'm sure one day I'll be working for you. And so I teased with him because like I was hired on, and now people asked me, like, well, why didn't you stay? And the only answer that I could ever fully give from my heart that I mean this is I loved it, but it was still very much an office job during the day, which is kind of funny because I'm in an office. But I always said that the job I wanted most there was Conan's job. And since I'm not gonna take his job, I get to go and be in a classroom or go help teachers or educate them and be Conan with them every day, which to me is bringing them maybe joy and trust and comfort and safety and laughter and you know, all those things that I feel when I watch him or I listen to him or something. So yeah, that's that's my kind of story.

SPEAKER_01 34:43

That's a great story. Yeah. I know you kind of like touched on it a little bit and when I've heard you speak. And so thank you for indulging in my late night fandom. Um but I have some questions from that now. Um honored to get to be your your co-host. Um, but you talked about like facing uh like it's kind of like being celebrity star struck, and there's like a fear that comes with it. I would even say like some people, if you put people from the district office in front of 25 or 30 students, um, there might be a little bit of fear there as well, even if they were a former classroom teacher, being in a while and and then getting up onto like a stage of seeing, you know, probably about 2,000 or 3,000 teachers to be like a keynote speaker. Can you talk to me about like how in your throughout your career you've not let that fear stop you from taking that next step?

SPEAKER_02 35:43

Yeah, um, that's a really good question, Joe. Um for me, one I've always been like in some way like an entertainer to my family. So um I'm a huge Selena fan. And when I was younger, I would dress up as her and like go to like my aunt's job and get hired by other businesses and stuff to go and like perform as Selena. So I've always had some I I love bringing joy to people, and it's not so much that I'm just like, look at me, look at me. I I come from a grieving family, and I think just from a very young age of facing loss and grief, I think I just wanted people to feel good. And so now when I am faced with you know these opportunities to to speak in front of a lot, a lot of people, I'm so happy that like one my mindset is always picture yourself already done, like that's always my mindset, like you've already done it, and it went great. Like I tell myself that, like, and then it went great. And the other thing is um, I think it it is just my mindset is always like I just want people to feel good, and whether that's one person or a couple thousand people, if I could just bring any sort of joy to them in this time, or let them feel seen or heard, or maybe they resonate with something, or whatever it is, like I I become friends with everyone, whether or not they think of me as their friend. Like I meet someone, I'm like, that's my friend. Like that's just like, you know, and so I I think that's just kind of like where I feel my comfort level always. And then when I'm done, I think my nerves kind of happen like delayed, like the next day or something, where all of a sudden I'm like, did I do that? Like, did I that that happened? Like, did I feel like but and I I think for me, and and I could tie it back into anthropology and all that to me, it's just being human-centered, and I think that's just always where I keep my calm and everything, is that we're all we're all human. And if I make a mistake, if I get up there and I fall or my words don't come out, or I say something that I didn't mean it to come out that way, or whatever, like that's part of the experience, it's part of being human. And so, you know, as long as I treat people good, I think I'll be okay.

SPEAKER_01 38:21

So that's something that's actually very interesting about um this whole AI world that we're creating. I'm seeing that as it's becoming easier to create, as it's becoming easier to make your next best thing, like the human element is like to me, it feels like it's rising to the top. Like being human is so much more valuable because you can't recreate that. Like, even AI, like, yeah, it could design like a cool like San Jose background or whatever, but like experiencing downtown San Jose is a completely different thing as a human, or to having a one-on-one conversation, have the conversation that we're having right now of the fears, our mistakes, our successes. Like, I don't know. I'm just seeing like I'm actually being encouraged by how much more human we're becoming when we're seeing that the stuff that we thought made us like successful, like our our um productivity, like we've been productivity junkies for like the last 10 years, it feels like. And oh, do this, do this faster, automate it, this, this, and that. But just being human is I don't know, it's I just see it rising to the top, and I'm so glad that you touched on that. Um, and I'm one more question before we tie up because I don't know how long people want to listen to us. So they want to listen to you forever, but the maybe not so much me.

SPEAKER_02 39:41

But no, we want to get from you too.

SPEAKER_01 39:44

But okay, so you just got your new job. You like exited the classroom, and you shared with me um uh before we started recording that you spoke to you did your first presentation in your new role as a TOSA teacher on a special assignment, and but you gave it to leaders. I I want to know how that went. How did you prepare for that? Like, they're not sixth graders anymore, and you're gonna have to like, you know, hey, hit the bell, like we're gonna have to switch places, but you're also gonna have to like teach them about some very important things that are going into this next school year. So I want to love to low, like as we finish up today, like what was your process and and um what you what'd you speak about?

SPEAKER_02 40:28

Yeah, so I when I first heard that we were going to do this, my um boss and my supervisor said that he had gone to a session once where it was like drinking out of a fire hose, like it was just like here's this tool, this tool, this tool. And it's like, I like it. It was just like you know, just a little taste of everything. And so I took that and I said, Okay, let's do like an appetizer thing. And so I called it appy hour. And I did bite size of different tools, but my biggest thing is that I am coming from the classroom, so I don't want to just sell you on a product, I want to sell you on the pedagogy of why your school may need this, and so firsthand accounts from the classroom, and I think um I think that makes the difference. And at the end of the day, these are leaders, these are adults, these are professionals, but again, we are all still human and it is still their summer, and they're in these trainings all day, and now they have to come listen to me. So I am going to bring some swag and we're gonna play some games and we're and not just like an icebreaker game, like you know, I'm gonna I want to ask you how you're can you can you put on the record because I have a opinion definitely.

SPEAKER_01 41:45

What do teachers think about icebreakers and staff meetings? Can you give me the honest teacher feedback? Don't don't hold the full punches. I want to hear it.

SPEAKER_02 41:55

Okay, when you have like one day to set up your classroom and you know all these people very well. I didn't, I don't have time to spend 20 minutes trying to lift a cup with a rubber band to make a tower with my colleagues right now. Like I I have students coming and like, no, can we just skip that, please? Please, please, please. They don't even, I forgot what they're calling it in my district. I need to learn it. They don't even call it an icebreaker anymore. They like rebranded it. Like I don't have to be. Very, you know, very conscious of that. So um, no, so to me, it was just like, and that's just how I do any PD or speaking thing too. Like, again, I want people to feel good and I want them to enjoy themselves. And I think of me in an audience. And if I was a leader of a school, what do I want to hear? So I'm also gonna give you like a breakdown of like, yes, it is this price, but with this price, think of so-and-so, you know, that has a 504 and their parent wants that data, and we are now a standard-based grading district. And look what this tool can, you know, like I'm going to show them the like the benefit of the impact versus just being like, and this is a cool tool, and then there's this tool, and then you could try this one too. Like, I want them to actually hear the firsthand stories. And um, since then, that was last Tuesday, I've been receiving emails from um high school administrators, middle school, and then of course elementary that want me to come and work in coaching cycles with their staff. And so again, it's it's the human side of it of you know, connecting with them.

SPEAKER_01 43:43

Yeah, and you're sharing some really good stuff. And I I I thought that was gonna be your last question, but I have one more question because we keep on bringing up some good ideas. All right. We have a teacher with 10 years of experience just going into her first TOSO role. Um and you have teachers out there that I hope will be listening to. This. What are like the three most important things going into preparation? Like, so this is like the crunch time for a lot of um teachers right now. Like, some of them are coming in early and rearranging their classrooms and getting it all set up. Some of them may have like a last-minute grade change because that happens sometimes. Some people may be doing a combo classes, and I know how much teachers love those, but like they this is the crunch time for education. People don't understand we have this thing where we pretend like the in the school year ended in June 30th and it magically turns into this next school year, and we don't do as much things to prepare for this next school year. And it's just a very, very fast transition. It's like uh a company trying to reduce a product or produce a product out, and it's like that crunch time. Um, no matter what you do, the kids are gonna be here on this certain day, first day of school, parents are gonna be there waiting to drop off their kids because they are done with summer vacation, they're happy to hand you their children. Um, yeah. So, what are the three things that you would recommend to uh a new teacher, uh uh experienced teacher? What is what has been helpful for you in your career?

SPEAKER_02 45:10

So I'm always gonna say it, and I don't want to sound like cheesy or anything, but it's gonna come out that way. Um the biggest thing is you are given your class list, and with it comes a lot of like the stories of like, oh, this kid has this, or this label is there, or um just wait on this kid. Let the kids tell you and show you who they are.

SPEAKER_01 45:37

Like as uh you don't just get a class roster, sometimes like different teachers will have like notes and comments that happen from the previous years.

SPEAKER_02 45:46

Yes, and you know, we call them like pinks and blues. So you got like here's all your boys, here's all your girls, and then there's notes, or the teachers will come and tell you. And and as much as I appreciate that too, because it is good to know certain things, um, let the kids tell you who they are. And from day one, that I think always makes a difference for me, whether or not my classroom is perfectly done, or um I was fully prepared, or whatever it is, those kids, a lot of them, they know each other. They're going from grade level to grade level, they don't know you. So, again, you don't have to do all the icebreakers with the kids either. Like they know each other, so you don't need to send them around to each other. Find a friend that has a dog, like talk to them. What do they like? What did you know? Tell them about yourself, be real, be you know, be yourself. And I think that always, always helps me. And I know that you said three things, but I think that's that that device also works for adults.

SPEAKER_01 46:53

I've had leaders come up to me say, hey, be careful with that person, yada, yada. Like, well, I want to kind of see how they fit. And I want to, you know, like if we are judged by our mistakes all the time, like how great would that be? You know, and then if we were judged, like another thing I like to say is I think it's like a Ted Lasso quote. If I was judged by my greatest mistake, um, but like if I was judged how I was seven years ago compared to the person I am now, like that would be awful. I feel like so disappointed. So I I love that advice that that and that's taking instead of like a student number, you're actually like that's someone's it's going back to being that's someone's child. And for that, like for the most part, that child is the most important thing to that parent or person to that parent.

SPEAKER_02 47:39

100%. Uh-huh. And like these, you know, they come in and this is their first time in this grade, or you know, whatever it is, you may have been teaching it for a while, but they have never been here. So we even when they're in high school, I say this like no matter what, like they get one childhood and we get to be part of it. And so you need to pick like what part do you want to be part of it, and how much do you want them? A lot of these kids do go home to a very adult lifestyle. So for those hours, they're with me, doesn't matter how old they are, like, I just want them to, you know, know what they're capable of, know that they always have someone in their corner, and let them tell me who they are. And that, you know, those kids that I have had the warnings on are some of my absolute closest students to this day because they they showed me and told me who they were before I placed that label on them. And like you said, it with adults as well. There are teachers that I've you know had those warnings, or why'd you talk to them? Be careful with that one. And it's like then I I get to know those people, and I'm like, they're amazing, like they're so wonderful. And you may have had a different experience, but I also kind of read you differently now, too, because you had a lot to say.

SPEAKER_01 49:05

So, you know, like well, I said I said three things, but I think if you're gonna drop a mic drop on the first one, I'm just gonna have to stop it there. Um, Lisa, it's been a great having this conversation. Like, we uh I'll be honest in the background, we didn't know what we were gonna talk about. We were just gonna hit hit record and see what happened and a lot of good information. Lisa, thank you so much for sharing your stories. Um, I hope you got something out of this podcast and anything to say as we depart.

SPEAKER_02 49:32

We are so excited. There's more to come. We want to hear more from Joe too, so I'm gonna interview him next.

SPEAKER_01 49:37

And we want to bring some of our friends along as well.

SPEAKER_02 49:41

We have we have a lot to hear, we want to listen. So let's keep the human connection going.

SPEAKER_01 49:46

Thank you so much, Lisa.