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Original poster

Inappropriate mnemonic from school?

219 replies

Angelofmycoins · 23/05/2025 21:35

Son is doing exams Y11 - he has just told me they were taught this mnemonic in science (physics?) when they were in Y9:

'Gay X-men Use Vibrators In My Rectum'

(for remembering types of waves ie gamma, x, uv etc)

Aibu in thinking its inappropriate? He did remember it so he argues it worked!

For context, fee paying school, all boys.....

OP posts:
thepariscrimefiles · 24/05/2025 08:30

BlackBean2023 · 23/05/2025 21:41

Must be a thing with science teachers. DD’s science teacher’s favourite joke was “how do you make a hormone” … “don’t pay her”

Hmm

WTF! That is so inappropriate. If it were my child, I would definitely complain to the school. That isn't even a learning/teaching aid, it's just pure misogyny.

noworklifebalance · 24/05/2025 08:25

Angelofmycoins · 24/05/2025 08:14

Ffs my teachers told us nothing about stala-anything!

He/she probably did but maybe it wasn’t in the form of dodgy mnemonic so you don’t remember it - I rest my case 🙂

whatcanthematterbe81 · 24/05/2025 08:24

It’s true tho

myplace · 24/05/2025 08:23

lanthanum · 23/05/2025 23:15

I avoided "Naughty Elephants Squirt Water" (for compass directions) after one pupil decided that the naughty elephants did something far less innocent. I'll bet that some of that class remembered his version, and probably didn't remember that it did not come from me.

Never eat shredded wheat is safer 😆

witwatwoo · 24/05/2025 08:17

This story is off Reddit

Original poster
Angelofmycoins · 24/05/2025 08:14

Ffs my teachers told us nothing about stala-anything!

OP posts:
sanityisamyth · 24/05/2025 08:08

Dramatic · 23/05/2025 21:39

Wow 😂

I only remember which way stalagmites and stalactites go because our teacher taught us the phrase "tites (tights) must come down"

StalaGmites Grow from the Ground
StalaCtites Cling to the Ceiling

Haruka · 24/05/2025 07:58

Stalactites have tits in them. And they usually hang... that's how I was taught it, and it clearly stuck 😂

I also know the order of classification as "Keeping pants clean often favours good sex". Never forgot that and I can still recite the order perfectly to this day because of it.

These mnemonics work. The one your son's teacher used is crass and yes, inappropriate, but it doesn't surprise me, given how many try to be lads' lads. Have a word with them, rather than report it, and keep an eye out for reoccurences.

DBSFstupid · 24/05/2025 07:38

Velmy · 24/05/2025 01:10

If he is this won't be the worst thing he'll have to deal with involved a rectum 😭

Show quote history

😂

DBSFstupid · 24/05/2025 07:36

LakieLady · 23/05/2025 23:18

Me too!

I clearly have the sense of humour of a year 11 boy.

Show quote history

😂

CurlewKate · 24/05/2025 07:18

I think for me the issue is that these mnemonics can be funny (although many of them are unpleasantly misogynist and the one quoted by the OP is homophobic) and I can imagine my son as a teenager and his friends making them up and giggling, but they are absolutely inappropriate for a teacher to use with a class. Context is all.

Bubblesoffun · 24/05/2025 06:28

@Angelofmycoins it’s literally the first thing that comes up in reddit. With a date stamp of 8 years ago. I think you need to drop it and move on. Your son’s teacher did not make this up just for them.

hangingonfordearlife1 · 24/05/2025 04:47

oh come on teenage boys would think that hilarious and something they won’t forget. i can’t imagine why he has told you or why it’s any of our business what rhymes our year 11 kids (nearly adults) are learning in school. not like they haven’t heard about dildos and rectums already

Beautifulhaiku · 24/05/2025 04:03

Lots of people commenting that it’s dirty - does it not smack of homophobia as well? It does to me! I’d definitely say something.

1SillySossij · 24/05/2025 03:24

Your DS is talking rubbish, he got it off the Internet. Google it!

Calliopespa · 24/05/2025 01:48

It’s weird that the brain does sometimes seem to hold onto slightly risqué or irreverent rhymes etc.

Some of these are pretty OTT though.

EBearhug · 24/05/2025 01:44

socialdilemmawhattodo · 24/05/2025 01:37

What!!! I'm a mathematician - never heard that ever. Explanation please!

Show quote history

No actual cocks or orgasms are involved.

It's trig, right angled-triangles - SOHCAHTOA.

Sine opposite hypotenuse, cosine adjacent hypotenuse, tan opposite adjacent. I can't remember exactly what you do with it, but as I've not needed to since 1988, it must have been well drilled into me that I still remember.

socialdilemmawhattodo · 24/05/2025 01:37

Catwoman8 · 23/05/2025 22:43

Yeah , I still remember this from maths lessons in year 10 and 12

Suck on his cock and hold till orgasm arrives

Show quote history

What!!! I'm a mathematician - never heard that ever. Explanation please!

TheOmbudsmansComingtoGetYou · 24/05/2025 01:24

Meh. At least they’ll remember it.

Velmy · 24/05/2025 01:10

thistimelastweek · 23/05/2025 21:48

Is he at Eton?

If he is this won't be the worst thing he'll have to deal with involved a rectum 😭

Calliopespa · 24/05/2025 00:59

Calliopespa · 24/05/2025 00:07

We had stalagmites have to hold on tight.

Show quote history

Aah autocorrect wins again!

StalagTites have to hold on tight.

foreverblowingbubbless · 24/05/2025 00:57

Dramatic · 23/05/2025 21:39

Wow 😂

I only remember which way stalagmites and stalactites go because our teacher taught us the phrase "tites (tights) must come down"

Omg I hope that wasn't me BUT on the other hand you remembered it 😂😂

IHaveAlwaysLivedintheCastle · 24/05/2025 00:49

Dramatic · 23/05/2025 21:39

Wow 😂

I only remember which way stalagmites and stalactites go because our teacher taught us the phrase "tites (tights) must come down"

StalaGmites are on the Ground and stalaCtites are on the Ceiling

Obeseandashamed · 24/05/2025 00:49

Reading re: fees probably not the same school which makes it more worrying!!

Obeseandashamed · 24/05/2025 00:48

Is this a school that is soon going to be going co-ed? I have been told about this pneumonic by a child in a younger age group at an independent boys school. It’s very testosterone heavy and there have been some questionable comments re: masculinity / sexuality a few times over the years. It’s not ok!