When it comes to hearing about how their younger kids are doing in school, some parents can be very sensitive, so in emails and during parent-teacher conferences, teachers have to be very careful about the words they choose - so much so that some have developed a code where they disguise criticisms as praise. Now, one teacher is revealing that code, letting parents know just what teachers mean when they describe their students.
In a video on Bored Teachers' TikTok captioned "Have you used our secret Teacher Code when talking with parents?" one teacher stated that when they say a child is "social," they mean that the kid won't stop talking when they should be listening. The also reveal if a teacher refers to a student by saying "their excitement in the classroom is contagious," it means they need to calm down. As for if a child is called a "natural born leader," that means they are bossy.
Some teachers commented to add codes they use, like how a student who would "make a great lawyer" is actually argumentative, and how a kid who "dances to the beat of their own drum" doesn't really listen to anything they are told, and one described as "spirited" has a lot of energy.
While many viewers found the clip funny and informative, some were upset by it. One wrote, "I'm a teacher and do not use these 'codes.' It's not helpful to anyone to sugar coat an issue. I stick with facts and observations." Another stated, "We need to stop talking in code, tell them plain and clear what disrupting behavior their little angel is showing in class." Someone else said, "I would just be direct. I don't have time or energy for veiled issues."
You can see more at the on Bored Teachers' Tiktok.