Oftentimes our “lingo” spills out into the real world. You know that one sentence that says you are a teacher, without saying “you’re a teacher”! I am sure we all have those moments when your spouse or friends say “what did you just say?” One of my earliest memories when I first started my profession was when I was at the bar with my friends and I signed while saying “I have to go potty”. It was at this moment that my friends truly understood I was an Early Intervention Teacher.
Just last week, while I was in the grocery store I heard a woman say to the child with her “Please use your walking feet”. I just knew she was a teacher. Do you often say popular sayings like: “1, 2, 3 – eyes on me” or “Clap once if you can hear me”. We asked our Fearless First Grade Teachers what says you’re a teacher, without saying you’re a teacher? While reading this list, I hope I am not the only one that says “I say that…and that…oh yeah and that one!” My goodness, I just said, “Please don’t lick your desk yesterday!”
Teacher Life
“I can hold my pee for hours.” ~ Clorinda K.
“I’m poor” ~ Marina T.
“I work on the weekends and don’t get paid for it.” ~ Stacey T.
“This was a hot coffee when I bought it.” ~ Meghan M.
“I tie a lot of shoes” ~ Sue M.
“It’s more work to plan for being absent than going to work!” ~ Samantha K.
“I have 23 kids.” ~ Skye E.
“I’m overworked and underpaid” ~ Jordan K.
“I’m sorry you want us to do what now!? Oh and in five minutes?” ~ Tricia Lynn G.
“I count down from 5 -0 many times a day.” ~ Annde M.
“No more mugs, please!” ~ Dee G.
“Unmute yourself.” ~ DeNa B.
“I go to the bathroom once a day” ~ Shaunna H.
“Oooh! 100 assorted food erasers for $1!” ~ Etoya J.
“Only job where you steal supplies from home.” ~ Marsha H.
“It’s easier to just go to work sick than it is to call out.” ~ Pennie R.
“Calling out “Walking feet!” when out shopping to random kids.” ~ Kristal M.
“I’m going to share my screen now…” ~ Susan H.
“I drink wine every night” ~ Tori L.
“I know which names NOT to name my kids or pets.” ~ Amanda M.
“Never a boring day—always something new.” ~ Keir M.
The Things Teachers Say I Know You’re A Teacher if you Said This to Co-Workers or Other Adults
“I can drink soft drinks at room temp. Any time!!!” ~ Michelle J.
“It’s a full moon.” ~ Mary C.
“I’ve trained my bladder to only use the restroom at specific times in the day.” ~ Valerie S.
“Pencils are the bane of my existence.” ~ Julie S.
“Free time? What free time???” ~ Ashli W.
“I love my Firsties!” ~ Linda M.
“Sometimes I hate my own name!” ~ Stancy M.
“I am so tired!” ~ Michele B.
“Overwhelmed” ~ Linda G.
“I’m over this year.” ~ Barbara B.
“What’s a prep?” ~ Tara E.
“Can not use the bathroom whenever I want.” ~ Terri R.
“8 hours on my feet + no time to pee.” ~ Jennifer T.
“When’s the 100th day?” ~ Beth P.
“When is it time to go home.” ~ Inez M.
“Pretty sure there was a full moon last night!” ~ Kelsie K.
“I need to pee, can you watch my room.” ~ Kaylee J.
“I will work on that this weekend.” ~ Lori M.
“This week I have an ARD, RTI meeting, and PLC to go to.” ~ Lauren B.
“I’m writing an IEP” ~ Laurie M.
“I lost a fight against the copy machine.” ~ Jared G.
You Know You’re A Teacher if you Said This to Students
“We use our walking feet please” ~ Kristina K.
“Please do not lick your desk!” ~ Lola E.
“I’ll wait…” ~ Kelly S.
“Eyes and ears on me!” ~ Tina T.
“Criss cross apple sauce” ~ Jessica B.
“What are you doing, what are you supposed to be doing, what are you going to do now?” ~ Kathy Q.
“Stop look and listen” ~ Nika C.
“Mask over your nose” ~ Angelica V.
“Don’t forget to put your name on your paper.” ~ Cheri K.
“You’re on mute, can you unmute, please?” ~ Rochelle M.
“If u can hear me, clap once” ~ Tiangela W.
“The first thing we do is always the same. We take out a pencil and write our name.” ~ Krista W.
“Why are your shoelaces wet?” ~ Marleen G.
“Distance- remember distance please!” ~ Kelly W.
“A sentence begins with what kind of letter?” ~ Karen H.
“1-2-3 eyes on me” ~ Tammy G.
“Keep your hands to yourself.” ~ Christy G.
“Hocus Pocus, everyone focus” ~ Terri L.
“Use your walking feet and inside voices!” ~ Lisa E.
“Boys and girls inside voices please…” ~ Dawn E.
“Is that a good choice…” ~ Alicia J.
“Don’t lick the bottom of your shoe!” ~ Gladys H.
“Frankenstein arms up! Now voices off.” ~ Tiffany Z.
“Class! Class!” ~ Mary M.
“Is your name on your paper???” ~ Mistie E.
“Is your name on your paper???” ~ Mistie E. “Sneeze into your elbow” ~ Alisa C.
“Yes you have to wash your hands….you just got out of the bathroom” ~ Donna A.
“A tooty-ta, a tooty ta, a tooty ta ta!!” ~ Rose K.
“Kiss your brains!” ~ Lourdes A.
“Ready set? You bet!” ~ Laura G.
“Everyone pull off your “tattle” tails!!” Lisa E.
“Sit on your bottom please!” ~ Jennifer H.
“If you can hear me clap once. If you can hear me clap twice.” ~ Lisa B.
“Honey, you’re on mute, we can’t hear you.” ~ Rebecca P.
“Now keep that mask over your nose” ~ Shawn R.
“How and where did you leave your mask in the bathroom?” ~ Melanie C.
“I guess we all ate the pencils in here, huh?” ~ Linda M.
“You’re on mute.” ~ Cory D.
“Please sit up in your chair” ~ Linda B.
“Get out of bed and sit up please” ~ Andrea C.
“We don’t eat shoelaces!!” ~ Tiffany B.
“I’ll wait!” ~ Kyndra W.
“Let’s give someone else a chance to speak” ~ Alyssa S.
“You’re still on mute” ~ Karly R.
“Use your walking feet.” ~ Melissa W.
“Give me 5!” ~ Britney S.
“6 feet on the ground!” ~ Natalie O.
“Turn and talk with your partner.” ~ Jenn S.
“Please don’t change your clothes while you are on Zoom.” ~ Karen K.
“Wash your hands!!” ~ Jill B.
“Catch a bubble!” ~ Bejjie A.
“Raise your hand” ~ Anila I.
“Please remember to use your inside voice” ~ Charlene N.
“Eyes on me” ~ Lisa G.
“We don’t lick our friends.” ~ Shirlee T.
“Are you making a good choice?” ~ Tara Z.
“Macaroni cheese, everybody freeze. Tootsie roll lollipop, we were talking now we’ll stop.” ~ Zelasko L.
“Get your finger out of your nose!” ~ Susan F.
“I hear voices, I should see hands.” ~ Jill S.
“What should you be doing right now? (Pause to wait for answer) then please do that!” ~ Kristin K.
“You just went 20 minutes ago” ~ Naomi M.
“Was that a smart choice?” ~ Sophie N.
“You get what you get and you don’t get upset.” ~ Jenny C.
“What happened to your pencil? I just gave it to you.” ~ Kimberly L.
What Teachers Say About Their Classrooms
“I have entirely too many children’s books!!” ~ Shari C.
“The alligator eats the bigger number” ~ Shelby J.
“I am in the business of growing brains.” ~ Kristi F.
“Over your nose or it doesn’t help” ~ Stephanie K.
“I filled sandwich bags with 100 legos each today.” ~ Karon P.
“I should buy stock in pencils!” ~ Angelia M.
“I found 3 whiteboard markers in my purse when I got home on Friday” ~ Sereatha B.
“I’m running low on hanitizer.” ~ Nichole D.
“I carry 4 bags, a huge bottle of water, and coffee into work with me” ~ Tara M.
“Find markers and little toys in all my purses.” ~ Rosario S.
“I can eat my lunch while walking around opening milk cartons.” ~ Debbie D.
“My hands and fingers always seem to have some unexplained color markings on them.” ~ Evelyn C.
“Oops…let me find a marker that works.” ~ Chelsea A.
“Flair pens!” ~ Stephanie T.
“Jack Hartman is my hero!!” ~ Shannon M.
“Nothing better than watching things get laminated” ~ Angie A.
“I love sticky notes.” ~ Michelle P.
I will not share the number of how many I have said within a school year. Let’s face it, I am not even going to share the number of these that I say within one day! Did your favorite or common sayings make the list? Are we forgetting some common statements to let us know that you’re a teacher, without saying you’re a teacher? Let us know in the comments below!
Written by: Christopher Olson
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