Teachers Share The 7 Phrases They ‘Know They’ll Have To Say’ Every Day In The Classroom Once School Starts
Equally hilarious and effective, these classroom sayings never go out of style.
Studio Romantic | Shutterstock Teachers are drastically overworked and underpaid — we know this. But they’re also grossly misunderstood and underestimated as important figures in our children’s lives. Not only are they teaching, as their occupation suggests, but they’re also taking on the role of counselor, friend, supporter, and, in many cases, parent in their classrooms.
While every day is different, a few phrases remain the same in almost every classroom, at least according to teachers on the r/Teachers Reddit forum.
Here are 7 classroom phrases teachers admit they ‘know they’ll have to say’ every day once school starts:
1. Boys, girls, and everything in between
“I appreciate that casual platonic affection, no matter gender or sexuality, is more accepted by this generation of kids,” one teacher wrote, saying she actively tries to boast inclusivity in her classroom.
School isn’t just a place hyper-focused on learning — at least, it shouldn’t be, according to many teachers. Students spend most of their time at school, in the classroom, and surrounded by their teachers and peers, so making it a healthy and accepting environment is pivotal to their happiness and growth.
When students feel heard, supported, and acknowledged — even just by adopting a gender-neutral greeting — they’re going to be more invested, supported, and motivated in the classroom.
2. There is absolutely no reason to touch another human being in this classroom
From kindergarten to high school, teachers admit students hitting, touching, and bothering each other physically in the classroom is a huge problem. “My phrasing with my class was similar,” one teacher said. “Please don’t put your hands on other people's bodies. It’s weird.”
Other teachers said they’ve had to get creative warning their kids about physical actions and touch in their classrooms — going as far as getting their parents involved for their “inability” to keep their hands to themselves. Some added that phrasing, alongside the perceived involvement of their parents, was enough to embarrass them into behaving.
While this tendency in younger students is often “reactionary” and simply instinctive, addressing physical behavior in older students is essential to teaching about consent on a larger scale.
3. I can wait
It’s the age-old phrase that hasn’t gone out of style for modern-day teachers and still sends shivers down the spines of former students well into adulthood. With shifting attention spans and distractions at an all-time high, many teachers are fighting for the concentration of their students.
While it might not have the same command it did in classrooms a decade ago, alongside a “death stare,” they admit it’s still useful to keep in their repertoire for misbehavior and chaotic days.
4. I don’t know — I just work here
A jokingly honest addition, one teacher admitted she uses this phrase to even the playing field with her students. Being relatable to your students often promotes a healthier atmosphere in the classroom.
Whether it’s keeping up with the trends, adopting witty comments, or simply being honestly candid with students, relatability can be influential in their respect, relationships, and capacity for learning at school.
Everybody is going through it — teachers and students included. If you can make light of difficult situations and make students feel supported, you’re probably on your way to being a favorite teacher in many kids’ lives.
5. Not everything you think needs to come out of your mouth
“I use, ‘Use your inside voice … All the way inside,’” a teacher honestly shared, trying to catch some credit for their witty ingenious phrasing.
While it might seem silly to those outside of the profession, teachers are often forced to refocus their students away from conversations that are irrelevant, insignificant, and, more often than not, controversial or harmful to other students.
Drazen Zigic / Shutterstock.com
6. It is what it is
“We work with what we’ve got,” one teacher wrote in the thread. From dealing with students to navigating their school districts to making due on their teacher salaries — many commenters empathized with this attitude.
Sometimes, you simply don’t have control over your situation. Changing your mindset, or at least attempting to, is all that you can do — and it’s a powerful tactic for crafting the reality you’re yearning for.
7. Put your phone away
Phones in the classroom have plagued teachers for years, especially following pandemic lockdowns, where phone addictions and social media usage have nearly doubled in adolescents.
While it might seem like a broken record, at the very least to the teachers on this Reddit thread, it’s a problem that continues to grow every year.
Some districts have even banned them completely to alleviate the distraction they cause — one Florida district that banned cell phones during the day saw a massive uptick in good grades and less bullying between students, proving to other schools that it’s possible to untwine their influence.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories.