50+ Teacher Catchphrases You May Want to Steal

Some teachers just have a way with words!

Some teachers are naturally gifted for throwing down a memorable verse. And truly, we’ve all had those teachers whose lines have stuck in our minds for years! One of our favorite teachers threw out the challenge on our WeAreTeachers Helpline to share our favorite teacher catchphrases in the classroom, and the response was huge. Disclaimer: Not all comments are appropriate for all age groups! Read. Enjoy. And yes, steal your favorites!

On Attitude:

  • Every day is a brand-new day. —Irene C.
  • Be your best you! —Thia W.
  • Attitudes are contagious; is yours worth catching? —Lydia L.
  • Are you asking me or telling me? Then tell me with the courage of your convictions! —Jeni H.
  • Excellence is not a skill; it’s an attitude —Jacqui V.
  • It’s nice to be important, but it’s important to be nice. —Regina J.
  • My dear, you are so capable of so much more than you realize. —@ttowngirl3
  • Don’t compare yourself to anyone other than who you were yesterday. —@MrsOliverArt

Attitudes are contagious, is yours worth catching?

On Making Choices:

  • Make it a great day, or not: The choice is yours. —Hope G.
  • The only person you can change is you. How are you going to make that happen? —Chantal A.
  • Is your choice helping take care of someone? —Jennifer G.
  • Life is about making choices. Make good ones today. —Randi S.
  • Don’t let your emotions make your decisions. —Suzanne S.

Life is about making choices. Make good ones today.

On Making Mistakes:

  • It’s OK to be wrong; it’s not OK to not try. —Angie T.
  • Me: Mistakes are …? Kids: Expected, Respected, Inspected, Corrected! (Used as call-and-response whenever someone makes a mistake in front of the whole class.) —Sarah M.
  • Mistakes are our best teachers.—Ayn N.
  • Mistakes are just proof that you’re trying. —Kristin G.
  • There are no mistakes, only lessons. —Michele H.
  • It’s OK if you are wrong. We learn together, and your friend will not laugh at you. —@whatistroee
  • What do you do with a mistake? You learn from it! —@sylviatron

There are no mistakes, only lessons.

On Work Ethic:

  • This is not a job to do as FAST as we can; it’s a job to do the BEST that we can. —Jen P.
  • Do what you have to do so you can do what you want to do.—Katherine W.
  • You gotta EARN it! —Mark D.
  • In order to get smarter, you have to work harder. —Lisa B.
  • Squeeze your brain juice! —Consuelo B.
  • You can do hard things! But no one can do hard things the first time, so let’s do it again! —@FLCmakesMusic
  • Maybe we are not the best at the moment, but we can always try our best! —@ke_fan_detnsw

This is not a job to do as FAST as we can, it’s a job to do the BEST that we can.

On Behavior:

  • Control it, don’t let it control you. —Richard K.
  • Self-control is the key to your success. —Heather K.
  • “Listen” and “silent” have the same letters for a reason. —Kelly P.
  • Zip it, lock it, put it in your pocket. —Elisa R.
  • Just because your feet are moving doesn’t mean your lips are. —Angie T.
  • Just because “talk” and “walk” rhyme does not mean that you do them at the same time. —Holly B.
  • You can choose your actions but not your consequences. —@Navaz92
  • If you hit, you sit. —@MissTaylorOCT

You can choose your actions but not your consequences.

Just for Fun:

  • Don’t make me pull this classroom over. —Scott C.
  • Don’t make me cloud up and rain on you! —Christina E.
  • This test is so easy, my dog took it last night blindfolded! —Ayn N.
  • Did your mama pour awesome sauce on you this morning?! —Vicki R.
  • I was born at night, but not last night! —Donella O.
  • I’m the boss, applesauce, and I may be short, but I have the power! —Holly B.
  • Do I need to get my spoon? Cause it looks like we have people waiting to be spoon-fed the answers. —Kali T.
  • What is that? Do you smell grapes? Cause there’s a lot of “wining” in here! —Lori L.
  • Shush-a-noodle, for the love of potatoes, don’t be a Piggly Wiggly. —@karimarci
  • Now this is a BHD! (Big Hairy Deal … occasionally varied with G(reat)BHD) —@HeroldChris

Don’t make me pull this classroom over.

Memorable Exit Lines:

  • Be fabulous when you exit our door. —Irene C.
  • Go ahead into the world and make good decisions! —Maria H.
  • Love you. Goodbye. Now get out. —Misty C.
  • Catch ya later, sweet potater! —Lyida L.
  • Hugs are better than drugs, clean your room, and I love you! —Christy D.
  • Take care of yourself, make good choices, and don’t get caught! —@LemonOfLime
  • That’s all. Go be great somewhere else. —@LandryYanna
  • I love you. Have fun storming the castle. —@IthSFederico

Take care of yourself, make good choices, and don't get caught!

What do you say ALL THE TIME? Add your favorite teacher catchphrases to the comments below.

50+ Teacher Catchphrases You May Want to Steal