Titles

[Amy Beth]

Hey everyone,

I'm a sophomore in college working on a degree in math education. I already posted some of this same stuff on the introduction forum, but I thought I would say it again.

I have a project due tonight that requires me to get answers from other teachers in regards to how students address you and how you address students. If you could answer any or all of these I would greatly appreciate your thoughts and input. It is such a great thing to learn from experienced teachers. Thank you for your help! Here are the questions:

Do you allow students to call you by your first name?

How do you feel about students using Dr., Mr., Mrs. or Ms.?

What about "sir" or "ma'am"?

Do you address students with titles? nicknames? last names?

Are you consistent with all students, or do gender, favoritism, or other factors play a role in how names are used?

Do you address students by the names they request, or by ones you choose?

~Amy Beth :)

[AW2245]

I teach 4th grade. My students call me Mrs. (last name). It wasn't really a decision I made...it is what I did when I was in school, what all the other teachers at the school do...I think it is an issue of respect. My students do however now my first name, they just don't use it.

I call my students by the names they have asked me to call them (or what the parent has requested). I did have a teacher in 10th grade who called all students Miss/Mr. (last name). That was kind of cool. It made us feel like she was respecting us as we were her.

I know when I went to college and we addressed our college professors by their first names it was very weird and hard for me to get used to that!

[Boxcar]

For the preschoolers, it is fine for them to call me Miss. ____ or just by my name.

I call them by whatever name they or their guardian requests. This might be a nickname, a middle name, the given name, or initals. If they would prefer a title or a last name, I would do that as well.

I don't require "sir" or "ma'am". If a student says these things, that is fine. If not, that is fine too. I do want the children to show me and the other children respect, but I don't see these words as necessary for that.

[Boxcar]

Good luck on your project, by the way. I think this is a very interesting thing to research. Please let us know the results of what you discover.

[mopar]

My students use Miss (my last name). They do know my first name, but never call me that. I call my students by the name they ask me to call them. Normally their first names. I will throw a Miss/Mr. out there once in awhile. But I usually reserve those to the parents.
With the parents, I try the Mr./Mrs. for the first few calls but then use first names with them. I allow them to use my first name. In most emails or messages, I leave both first and last name.

[Chef Dave]

My school is a very conservative rural school in southeastern Arizona. All teachers at my school are "Mr" or "Mrs" or "Ms." We may also be called "Sir" or "Ma'am."

The way students address us may be considered relatively minor - but my school also has a strict zero tolerance policy regarding student behavior.

The reason?

If we give in today with regards to the way faculty and staff are addressed, what will happen tomorrow?

If we allow students to ignore the dress code, how long will it be before the girls are wearing sexually promiscuous clothing? How long will it be before the boys are imitating "gang bangers" with baggy trousers and belt lines that are sliding below the hip?

Today's minor problems can become major problems tomorrow.

It can be very easy for a school staff and administration to lose control of the school ... so our solution has been to have a very strict zero tolerance policy regarding student behavior.

P.S. I am a high school chef instructor. The last student who called me "David" got to scrub pots for the rest of the period.

[mopar]

Wow! I can't believe a student referred to you by your first name. I have never had a student try that yet. But I have had students discuss my name with other students and overheard the conversation. I quickly step in with a I hope you are talking about a student.

[Brimir]

I am called Mrs. (last name). However, when I taught preschool we just went by our first names. I always called adults Mr./Mrs. (last name) as a child. This included teachers, neighbors, parents of my friends. Now I notice more kids calling their friends parents by their first names. To me this feels strange.

[Boxcar]

In formal conversation or letters for the adults, I think it is best to use the titles. In informal talks, I feel it is fine to call parents by their first names. As long as they are comfortable with it, I mean.

What do you call your co-workers. First names? Titles? It just seems some of them you feel okay with first names, but some you feel funny doing that.

[mopar]

I use mostly first names with my coworkers when the kids aren't around. However, if kids are around, then it becomes lasts names only!

[leafy seadragon]

I always use my surname name but I was out in the playground the other day and around my neck I was wearing a purple Lanyard that had my first name "leanne" written on it repeatedly in large white letters because I always lose my keys. Anyway, some older students were trying to find out teacher's first names and were trying to persuade me to tell them mine. Very funny, they never worked it out even though it was right there around my neck. It reminds me of the time I forgot to rub the spelling list off the blackboard before the spelling test and some children still had errors!

[CapeMayRunner]

Ms. (last name) but kids know my first name!

[CapeMayRunner]

other teachers call me by my first name when kids are not present. but sometimes they slip no big deal! I am younger and i tell kids that i see when they are not in the school any more to call me by my name!

[Boxcar]

That is funny, leafy seadragon. It is hilarious when they don't see what is in front of them.

[teach1027]

In my classroom My students address me as Mrs. Fields I address them by thie first name soetimes their last if I have more than 1 with the same 1st name. If they asked to be called something else I respect their request, because how can expect them to respect our wishes if we don't respect theirs.