Calling teachers by first name

[robynb]

Hi

In the course of looking schools, I got to thinking about teachers showing respect for children and vice versa. I thought about this when at a school yesterday and said to the principal "So do children still call teachers Mrs (surname)" to which she instantly replied "oh yes! of course!". Well I got to thinking - Why should they? Why cant they call them by their first name like the teachers do to the children?
I think in the past it was a sign of respect but think its rubbish. My nephew calls me by my first name and I dont think he respects me any less. I feel like telling them to call Tyler "Mr Bailey" if he has to call them by their first name. Surely the days of teachers being god-like are over and it should be a mutually respectful relationship.

I spoke to my sister who said "Yes they should call them Mrs.... its a sign of respect" - I think thats crap and theres many other ways to show respect. Furthermore, surely teachers should EARN respect, it shouldnt just be assumed.

Then theres the fact that early years child care / education teachers get called by their first name - why should it change when they go into Yr 1?

Found this on Uni of Syds Fac of Ed website:
Pupils who have come to New Zealand from the islands, arrive with an unqualified respect for their teachers. They know their teachers well - and often address them by their first names.

What do you think?

[betty]

I would like to know if teachers in alternative schools are called by surname?
interesting thread...

I am studying to be a teacher and I wouldn't mind either way from my students. As for the respect thing, I think respect can be shown no matter what you call a person.

[astromumma]

my hubbie is a teacher at a private school, and students have to use Mr/Mrs/Miss Surname. He doesn't feel its necessary to show respect either. and gets around it in a small way by letting the children call him Mr C, instead of his full surname.

[Rinelle]

I don't know quite what I think about primary schools, but I went to a high school where we called teachers by their first name (senior only), and there wasn't any problem with respect issues.

That said, I doubt the system is going to change any time soon.

[Rinelle]

And to be honest, I think that in order to be able to teach effectively, the teachers do need an automatic respect. While it isn't an issue for well behaved children, there are a lot of problem children/bullies out there, and teachers have very little acceptable methods left for dealing with them.

[bellasmumma]

When I was a nurse at a primary school, the kids called the teachers by their first names.
I was a bit shocked because we never got the choice when I went to school. It was MR, Mrs, Ms or Miss.

[melba]

the prim school my older kids go to has always left it up to the indiv teacher - most choose to have the kids call them by first names and I've noticed that they are respected for who they are rather than for how they are addressed

my brother who is a Steiner teacher has always been called by his first name, and variety of nicknames lol I think this is usual practice in Steiner schools

[Jakaluma]

At the local Montessori primary school all the teachers and the head are called by their first names. The teachers are all respected by the children, and the head is probably the most respected (by the children) head I've come across.

I like everyone to call me by my first name, so find it funny that someone would prefer to be Ms/Mr X - but think that the school who lets individual teachers decide is probably on the right track. Some of the older teachers especially might prefer to be Ms/Mr, whereas most younger teachers I know would prefer their first names to be used.

[Eilleen]

I agree with you Robyn (and everyone else).

[´*~·Meje·~*`]

Respect needs to be earned. Using a title to achieve this means squat. Just because some "troublesome" students may be more submissive to the teachers face doesnt mean they are learning any thing at all about respect.

I can honestly say I never truly respected any of my teachers when in the public system (I was in the public system before I went to steiner and for a short time after aswell in high school and went to a great many primary schools!) Although we called him by his first name, imo it was more about the way he realted to us as equals that the respect came into it. I didnt respect him as my "authority" but as my equal