1. “My seat feels wet.”
This phrase strikes terror in the heart of any teacher.  It means she must sanitize, figure out if there is a way to get the offender some dry clothes, and keep the other kids from making fun.  Okay, confession.  While I have heard many phrases with the same implication as this one, I must admit that I’ve never heard this one.  I uttered it.  In first grade.  You can blame my friend Valerie for repeatedly asking me to “wait for her” to finish what she was doing before accompanying me to the bathroom during recess.  Why do girls like to go to the bathroom together, anyway?  But I digress . . .

2. “My mom said you were wrong about ______________.” 
Either way you slice it, this is a bad phrase to hear as a teacher.  If you were right and the mom was wrong, you don’t want to correct the child and offend the mother.  If you happened to be wrong about something, you must admit to your student that you were wrong and that’s just downright embarrassing.  It’s happened to me both ways.  Excuse me for forgetting when polio was eradicated, University Professor Mommy.
Continue reading →