I’m a teacher and have a go-to phrase to make sure kids do things the first time you tell them to – it works every time

MANY parents will understand the frustration of telling their children to do something – only to have to ask them again and again.

But now a teacher has come to the rescue for mum’s and dad’s and shared her go-to phrase that she says will change this for good.

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TikTok user Sarah, who teaches in a US school, explained that she often struggled to find a way of getting her students to do something the first time she asked them to. 

But, luckily, Sarah, who can be found at @_bigheartlittleminds_, picked up a tip from her colleague and has used it ever since.

Sarah explained to her 171.3k followers: “I learned this new phrase from one of the support staff in my classroom and I love it.”

The teacher then went on to explain the difficulties she faced in the past, and how the three-word phrase made that a thing of the past.

She continued: “So I grew up hearing ‘to delay is to disobey’, which I feel like you just can’t say to kids anymore because it’s a little controversial.

“But I grew up hearing that and I learned that if I delayed in what my parents were asking me to do, or any other adult, that was considered disobeying or being disobedient.

“I don’t say that to my students, but I wished there was another way to say that.” 

And, right on cue, one of the support staff introduced her to a different phrase that managed to sum up exactly what she wanted to say in the classroom. 

Steph went on to reveal: “I heard it this year and I really like it.

“It’s very simple, short and concise and students know what it means.

“She looks at them, she says their name and she says, ‘First time asked – not second time, not third time – first time asked.

“Basically the same principle but just less controversial and more direct to the students.”

@_bigheartlittleminds_ then recommended it to other adults, including fellow teachers and parents. 

It’s very simple, short and concise and students know what it means

Sarah

She concluded: “So if you feel like you’re repeating yourself constantly, or asking students to do something that you already asked them to do, you can start saying, ‘First time asked’.”

Steph added: “I love learning from other teachers.”

After she posted the video on her social media account, other people were quick to comment on her advice and share their own tips.

One said: “I love this! 

“I also say, ‘let’s have a sense of urgency’ to my middle schoolers.” 

A second added: “I say “be a first time listener.” 

While a third typed: “I use the phrase ‘thank you for being a good first time listener. Or I say, ‘I’m watching those of you who are being good first time listeners.’”

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