Middle School Culture and Teacher Experience

Vocabulary flashcards covering middle school slang, historical classroom comparisons from the 1980s and 1990s, and common classroom experiences of middle school teachers.

"That's CAP!"

A middle school slang phrase meaning that someone is not telling the truth.

"SIX SEVEN!"

A phrase shouted by middle school students that means absolutely nothing specific, which is somehow the point.

Negative aura points

A middle school phrase describing the loss of imaginary coolness points.

"Let him cook!"

A middle school expression meaning to give someone a chance because they might be onto something.

1990s Secret Classroom Communication

The practice of secretly communicating during class via folded notes passed across three rows of desks.

Trapper Keeper (1988)

An organized binder system with every folder perfectly organized that would have made a student the most popular in middle school in 1988.

1995 "Take out a sheet of paper" Reaction

A classroom event where a chorus of three-ring binders opened and someone inevitably needed to borrow paper.

"Find a partner."

Identified as the most dangerous sentence a middle school teacher can say.

"You have TWO MINUTES to finish."

A teacher prompt interpreted by middle school students as: "It's time to pack up, stand by the door, and begin my weekend."

Mysterious Middle School Phenomena

A collection of classroom occurrences including 30 pencils disappearing before lunch, students asking "Are we doing anything today?", and students hearing a candy wrapper open across the room while failing to hear their own names.