Calling teachers by their first names

I called some of my teachers by first name and even baby sat for one of them! But then my high school was staffed by hippies.


However at the private school I was at, we had to stand when our principal entered the room and call him Sir.
In both enviroments it wasn't the title that gave some teachers respect, but the teachers themselves.

DP's daughter's primary school has instituted a first name policy for teachers.

i can understand why altho i still call my old teachers Mr and Mrs etc...

why now?????- well daycare etc the kids all call the teachers by first names and yet they know they are the teachers and respect them....if the daycare kids continue that to school then I would be ok with that.

I am the one who makes her call everyone close to us aunt and uncle - it is how I was raised etc - but that never seemed right for daycare teachers. She does it for daycare parents tho (we all do it out of respect)....

if there was a lack of respect then back to Mr and Mrs X i say!!!!

lemongirl wrote: In both enviroments it wasn't the title that gave some teachers respect, but the teachers themselves.

That's right I am a teacher (primary) and we don't have that policy at my school, although it wouldn't bother me if we did.

I have worked with a lady who used to teach at my old primary school and it felt REALLY strange to call her by her first name instead of Mrs *****

Edit to fix my bad English. Blame baby brain

Edited by funlvn

I guess its up to what makes the teachers feel comfortable I still like the use of Mrs or Mr though.

My kids' school seems to be a mix of both, but also several go by whaia (sp?) Jessie, whaia Tania, matua Tim etc. I have mixed feelings about it really, I see the positive aspects of the first name thing but it seems weird to me too.

Actually whaea is a name given to people in a respected position, such as aunties etc, but teachers also. Just like matua (short version, not to be mistaken with the longer version meaning father (also the long version of whaea means mother too btw)) is a sign of respect.

I've come across it at one school that I've taught in. TBH I think its fine in a scenario where the children have respect for teachers/elders instilled into them anyway from their parents, but doesn't work in certain schools where the parents have no respect for the teachers, and that wears onto the kids. There needs to be a distincion between Joe Bloggs off the street and a teacher.

So my answer - I think you need to tread carefully. IMO as a teacher you're not there to be the kids friend, and while I agree with someone who wrote above about things changing recently and there being a push towards more collaborative learning, I still think there needs to be a distinction.

As for respect, some great teachers still can't get respect from some kids, so in some instances (I have heard of one perfect example of this before) enforcing the title on a teacher/student relationship can be what helps that respect being earned.

Also, does that mean we will now refer to our doctors all by first names, our police officers etc? Or am I just too old school to think that is an appropriate way to behave to a person of authority/high community status?

i'm with lizzle on this one. in saying that tho the kindy teachers are refered to as Ms firstname... or just teacher.

My 13 year old niece refers to most adults as Auntie First Name or Uncle First Name, its what my SIL prefers she calls adults, as she's not an adult and sometimes needs reminding that she is still a child.

Its not about respect, its about recognising authority.