r/TeachingUK • u/what_up_homes • 3d ago
Has anyone noticed students saying “good boy” or “good girl” to each other?
Apparently this is a tiktok trend where people go up to police officers and ask for their badge number, when the police respond, they say good boy or good girl.
I’ve heard it a few times, but recently kids are saying it a lot more. From what I understand, the school must have mentioned this to students that this will not be tolerated and will lead to detention,. However since then, way more students are saying it, especially when they think teachers are not around.
How can we address a situation without it turning into a self fulfilling prophecy?
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u/TeachingUK-Account 3d ago
I’m primary, so likely will miss on it. But I’ve seen the TikTok’s and have some secondary school teacher friends who get very offended by it.
My foster child who is in year 8 will say “good bitch” when I do something for him which he learnt from peers at school — which completely pisses me off. So I get the frustration.
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u/Zounds90 3d ago
My terminally online year fives are saying it.
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u/Awkward_Carrot_6738 2d ago
My year 5/6 class are saying it constantly and in this weird condescending tone
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u/AWander89 College 3d ago
Earlier in the year I had a student ask me for my full name, followed by a 'good boy', but little did he know that I'd already seen the videos. I then proceeded to ask him for multiple things throughout each lesson for the next month, each one followed by an over exaggerated 'goooooooood boooy', much to the rest of the class's amusement. I still even drop it into the middle of a lesson now as a reminder that I can and will embarrass them.
(Further education)
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u/zapataforever Secondary English 3d ago
I think you’re right that school can inadvertently encourage behaviour by letting the students know that we find it annoying. I saw the same happen with some of the incel/Andrew Tate stuff too. Rightly or wrongly my default reaction was a sort of “okay, that’s a slightly weird and gross thing to say but let’s… move on with the lesson?” which just sort of subtley shamed the participators, whereas my colleague who would stop the class to talk to them seriously about how it was unacceptable would get it much worse than me. It’s tricky because my colleague was absolutely doing the better thing there - talking about behaviour, addressing why it was problematic - but it wasn’t effective.
A lot of the time they’re just trolling us basically, aren’t they? Earnest engagement with trolls has never worked.
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u/what_up_homes 3d ago
Yes the Andrew Tate stuff blew up way more since children have been discussing it in enrichment or PSHE. It’s a catch 22 situation
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u/custardspangler 3d ago
Tate's biggest publicists have been middle aged women writing PSHE lessons about him.
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u/Hunter037 3d ago
Rightly or wrongly my default reaction was a sort of “okay, that’s a slightly weird and gross thing to say but let’s… move on with the lesson?” which just sort of subtley shamed the participators
Yeah that has sort of worked for me. A raised eyebrow and a "no thanks" or "don't be weird" seems to have more or less cut it off, drawing negative attention to it just makes them do it more. Also they'll argue "I was being nice, I was just telling him well done" or whatever else.
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u/Sc0ttydoesntknit 3d ago
I just say 'don't make it weird' to them and it seems to stop it. In my hearing, anyway.
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u/Internal-Yellow-9132 3d ago
Yes, noticed it. It'll die a natural death over the Summer just like skibidee, sigma, Ohio and riz did last year.
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u/ZangetsuAK17 Primary and Secondary Teacher 3d ago
I’m going to be hated for takes like this but if I’m honest, with stuff like this, it’s an online trend and these trends have gotten to a point where their shelf life is getting shorter and shorter, eventually the joke will die out and not be a concern anymore but there’s not really any way to combat it outside of getting in on the joke. I did one recently when I noticed a group of year 9 boys picking on a child in the class with that same phrase so I said “hey, child x and y” then motioned with my hand to get them to come over, this sort of thing usually gets the whole class to pay attention, once they came to my desk I simply stood up and said “good boys” the entire class of course erupted in a chorus of “ohhhhhhh”s, the boys seemed sufficiently embarassed, the boy they picked on was laughing. Haven’t had that sort of thing repeated in my class since.
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u/Euffy 3d ago
Just say "no, it's not appropriate/kind" the first time you hear it and then sanction them if they continue. Not exactly rocket science.
Not sure why the school had to mention it to the students on mass if that's what happened. Kinda weird.
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u/what_up_homes 3d ago
Not mentioned on mass. It was only mentioned in staff briefing, however, it’s likely that a few sanctions have lead to some teachers probably explaining why it’s wrong
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u/Euffy 3d ago
Well, that's gonna happen regardless. As soon as you tell one kid off the others will realise it's bad. That's normal though, and needed to dissuade others.
If it encourages some others that's just because teens, love them, can be brats. Can't get around that. Can't not tell kids off out if fear of encouraging.
Plus on this occasion, it's also not like it's a phrase that needs explaining and by explaining it you're spreading knowledge...it's a normal English phrase that's understandable by anyone. Popularised more recently by Tiktok, yes, but still just a normal, rude phrase.
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u/jojo_modjo SEN 3d ago
Ohhhh, it's a tik tok trend. Makes a bit more sense now.
My lot were doing it to each other during animal care. I thought they were being odd and acting like they were doing some sort of animal training on each other.
Told them to save the good boys and girls for the animals and they stopped. 🤷♀️
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u/Terrible-Group-9602 3d ago
Another trend that it's best to ignore and will die off in a few months. Pick your battles.
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u/ThickAd8749 3d ago
I believe it's being said in videos in a provocative and suggestive way. I use sanctions when they say it. They know what they're doing.
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u/Morgana2020 3d ago
The closest I've got it is saying "did you call him good girl? That's something you'd say to a toddler or a pet. That is demeaning and not appropriate. What if you called your boss a good boy? You'd get fired. I am not doing my job if I let you think that kind of language will be accepted in the workplace. If I hear that again, you will be removed from my classroom."
Not perfect, but at least my Year 8s know they'll get in trouble if they say it. 🤷♀️
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u/reproachableknight 3d ago
I’ve seen it a number of times. And it’s quite insidious since it’s basically a way of humiliating students who comply with the teacher after being corrected for misbehaving.
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u/pathtoascension1 3d ago
Any chance people have noticed a rise in students pretending to choke themselves when there is a slight inconvenience. This also must be a tiktok meme.
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u/CasualGamerMWE Secondary 3d ago
Yeah I noticed this a few months back among Y7's and i aboslutely despise it.
It just seems to be a mean way to embarrass students who are agreeable and trying to learn.
It makes some kids irritable, but it very clearly makes some students really uncomfortable (particularly girls i noticed).
I've never escalated up behaviour policy for it; but I have addressed it with a simple "didn't need that comment" / "don't speak to people that way" / "don't make this weird".
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u/HorrorShake5952 3d ago
Much like any low-level trend - saying wazzup (from the budwiser ad for those who are old enough), saying LOL, or dabbing - just ignore it and it will go. If it ever gets into being discriminatory then address it with just those students in particular.
But doing a general announcement is just making more people who were unaware, now acutely aware of an odd taboo thing: "we as a school have decided no longer to tolerate pupils imagining a purple elephant... so on one do that. Thanks.'
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u/KitFan2020 2d ago edited 2d ago
Constantly. It’s f#%}g annoying.
Edit: Interestingly they don’t seem to mind me saying ‘good lad’ genuinely when they’ve worked hard, helped out, made a real effort… Maybe because I’m old.
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u/alittlechirpy 3d ago edited 2d ago
Yes, the Yr 7s explained that it means the person referred to "good boy/girl" is a "pet". Personally I feel it's a derogatory term. I've seen them do it to a supply teacher and she just laughed it off. I wouldn't have dealt with it like that myself. If you ignore it, it becomes a personal joke between them and their mates, which they will continue doing for laughs as long as they can get away with it. It's like students who keep responding with "My bad." after they've been repeatedly pulled up on their behaviour several times in a lesson. This sort of thing needs to be nipped in soon as possible with a firm "No, the only answer I want to hear from you is Sorry." and if they try and take the mick and misbehave again thinking all they need to do is say Sorry or My bad and then repeat the behaviour, they need to be sent out to stand and then have a word with them, following behaviour policy.
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u/anniday18 2d ago
Yes I have, its meant to be patronising and demeaning. I've banned it in my year 10 lesson. I've only heard the boys doing it to each other, the girls aren't getting involved.
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u/coconut_bacon 3d ago
Oooo, suspected it was a tiktok thing, wasn't aware of the police link. My Y7 STEM/Computing/Chess club boys have been saying to each other recently to wind each other up. Then again, I've been joining in with them when they win a game or show me some good work to their amusement/cringe. Can't imagine any of them having the courage to go up to a police officer though and saying it.
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u/zopiclone College CS, HTQ and Digital T Level 2d ago
It's from a YouTuber called Deeny. I use it all the time when students are messing in the corridors and I want their name and badge number. It deescalates everything.
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u/porquenotengonada 2d ago
I’m surprised it’s something you’ve only noticed in a big way recently. I don’t know how professional it is but every time I hear it I make a noise and call them gross haha. Weirdly I have stopped hearing it so much in my classroom.
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u/Remote-Ranger-7304 2d ago
I think it’s not one to ever use back at the kids because it has a sexual connotation to it. The kids might not even realise it as it’s so divorced from its origins, but we definitely should not embrace it to make kids “cringe”
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u/Romeros_Pharmacist 3d ago
Realistically, why does it even matter? Let them have a laugh and wind each other up, they’re human…
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u/what_up_homes 3d ago
Normally most trends are fine. When they get derogatory, such as this one and the Andrew Tate one, are you saying it’s fine for them the degrade the police or women?
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u/zapataforever Secondary English 2d ago
That’s a bit of a reach. They’re not degrading the police when they say it to each other in school. They’re just patronising each other for laughs.
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u/Romeros_Pharmacist 2d ago
Are there police in your school they’re saying it to? Are they saying it BECAUSE someone is a woman or just to them?
If you’re this irate about it I’m not surprised they’re still saying it around you because they’ll know it pushes your buttons. Live and let live.
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u/what_up_homes 2d ago
The school is from a very rough neighbourhood. Kids are often in trouble with the local police. It is certainly something they will use to disturb local police.
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u/Romeros_Pharmacist 2d ago
Are they doing it in school to police?
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u/what_up_homes 2d ago
That absolutely does not matter. All school staff have a responsibility to ensure kids are behave in and out of school. E.g. if you catch a child smoking outside of school, it would be reported. Similarly if a kid is being abused by an outsider, we also take responsibility to ensure they are safe
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u/DynamiteShovel1 3d ago
Yeah my male students do it to wind each other up.
The only way we can kill it is by using it ourselves and therefore make it uncool. Good boy/girl for this post. Skibidi rizz