Retrotalk : School Daze : Teacher's first name

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SesameSquirrel Member Since: February 2008 Contributions: 23 View User Posts	Teacher's first name Posted: Tue Sep 09, 2008 5:13 pm Central Time While on the subject of proper names, here's a question: What grade were you in when you first learned the first name of one of your teachers? For me, the answer was 3rd grade. About halfway through the school year she mentioned her name in a sort of parenthetical comment. Another way might be if she was reciting a real or hypothetical conversation s/he was in, e.g., "...so the blacksmith said to me, 'Victoria, did you remember to water the horse?'" Before that, I didn't think my teachers even had first names, or if I did, thought they were "Mr.", "Mrs.", or "Miss". Of course, addressing a teacher by first name was strictly verboten in grade school, at least when I was there, up to the mid-1980s. There was one exception; in HS where a younger instructor preferred us using his name. Ironically, the only folks in school who addressed him as Mr. so-and-so were staff and other teachers -- while on-duty, at least. For I'm reminded of a time when I was in one of my schools after-hours, and two teachers approached each other like "Hi Steve!", "Hi Jim!", and for a brief moment I was confused about who they were talking to. Non-faculty school staff, such as the bus drivers, were usually more lenient regarding their names, often having a preference that could go either way. In my own experience, males were more likely to be comfortable, or even prefer, being called by their first names.
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Mikey Member Since: February 2006 Contributions: 10561 Gold Stars: 7046 View User Posts	Re: Teacher's first name Posted: Thu Jan 08, 2009 8:05 am Central Time When I was in second grade I learned the name of my teacher. Her name was Linda Fisher. I had a huge crush on her.
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freakyfemme Member Since: August 2007 Contributions: 516 Gold Stars: 7 View User Posts	Re: Teacher's first name Posted: Fri Jan 09, 2009 12:54 am Central Time I think I always knew that teachers had first names, not RIGHT from the beginning (I started nursery school when I was three), but probably beginning around kindergarten. We had to use proper names all through elementary and high school, though. When I went to Bishop's for my Bachelor's degree in music, most of the profs went by their first names, which was pretty cool......things are usually more laid-back at smaller liberal-arts schools like Bishop's. Anyway, after that, I went to Western for a one-year performance diploma, and most of the profs used their titles again there, except for private teachers, and the odd prof here and there. Like, my musical theatre prof went by her first name, but my wind ensemble prof was VERY adamant about being called by her title, and even if you called her "Professor Whatsit" instead of "Dr. Whatsit," she'd correct you. Conversely, the department chair went by "Professor Blahblah," even though he had a Doctorate. He didn't like being called "Dr. Blahblah," for some reason. But, if I were ever to become a teacher (probably a music teacher, for the sake of argument), it wouldn't matter what level I was teaching at, I know that I'd prefer my students to call me by my first name. I'd also want them to feel comfortable telling me what's on their minds, because a lot of music is mental. So, if I established that sort of "friendly" mentality that was instilled in us at Bishop's, then, for a shy student, it might be the difference between staying clammed up, and being able to tell me, "Freaky, I haven't been able to pay attention in music class, because there's a bully who lies in wait for me every day after school." I'd want to know about that kind of thing, because, at one point in my life, I was that student.
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Christina87 Member Since: October 2008 Contributions: 336 Gold Stars: 19 View User Posts	Re: Teacher's first name Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 2:18 pm Central Time I don't remember, but in college about 75% of my teachers go by thier first names.
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nosralak Member Since: December 2005 Contributions: 2591 View User Posts	Re: Teacher's first name Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 7:11 pm Central Time freakyfemme wrote: and being able to tell me, "Freaky, I haven't been able to pay attention in music class, because there's a bully who lies in wait for me every day after school." I'd want to know about that kind of thing, because, at one point in my life, I was that student. view You'd let your students call you "Freaky"?
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historyfreak Member Since: November 2005 Contributions: 819 Gold Stars: 1 View User Posts	Re: Teacher's first name Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 6:58 pm Central Time I probably knew by the time I was in the first grade...my first grade teacher's name was Betty Jo Robinson and she said so....but of course we had to call her "Mrs. Robinson"! At the college I went to in the 90s, we usually called professors by last name, or it was either "sir" or "ma'am." The college I currently attend is a major state university, so things are quite informal. Usually it is first name, unless implied otherwise. I had a professor in fall 2008 who was a retired Air Force Colonel, and you better damn well had call him "sir" or "doctor." It never occured to me to call him "Peter." Besides, he was 70 years old! He was usually "sir". In some cases I am a little older than the professor so it's weird to call them "doctor" or "mister" or "mrs" unless if they insist upon it.
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freakyfemme Member Since: August 2007 Contributions: 516 Gold Stars: 7 View User Posts	Re: Teacher's first name Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 7:14 pm Central Time nosralak wrote: You'd let your students call you "Freaky"? view No, I'd let them call me by my real first name, lol.
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mikeport Member Since: December 2008 Contributions: 172 Gold Stars: 4 View User Posts	Re: Teacher's first name Posted: Sat Feb 14, 2009 7:15 pm Central Time The first I remember was in second grade, also. Her name was (GET THIS) Lucille Trogmorten. And she LOOKED like it, too.........
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malkat Member Since: February 2007 Contributions: 1285 Gold Stars: 88 View User Posts	Re: Teacher's first name Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 5:51 pm Central Time In 3rd grade, I learned that my teacher's name was Barbara. In 10th grade, I was actually allowed to call my English teacher Christine (not during class, of course).
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Nilesgranny Member Since: June 2009 Contributions: 1 View User Posts	Re: Teacher's first name Posted: Thu Jun 04, 2009 10:28 am Central Time My husband (who taught high-school English for 33 years starting in 1962), had our own two kids in class. It would have been a bit awkward for them to call him Mr.-- , but "Dad" was a bit inappropriate, so they compromised on "Mr. Dad." Needless to say, all the other students in those classes picked up on the handle as well. To this day we occasionally run into a former student who greets him with "Hi, Mr. Dad!"
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misty jade Member Since: April 2006 Contributions: 165 Gold Stars: 21 View User Posts	Re: Teacher's first name Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2009 2:00 pm Central Time We always knew the teacher's first name. It was "Sister". (Catholic school kid, taught by nuns)
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Hawk Member Since: August 2009 Contributions: 109 Gold Stars: 30 View User Posts	Re: Teacher's first name Posted: Sun Aug 09, 2009 1:57 am Central Time I think I always knew they had first names, and for the most part knew what those names were, I think I picked it up, because other teachers would often call teachers by their first names. It was still a big no-no for us kids though.
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