What do you call children who's names you don't know?

[SawdustInMyHair]

I'm on PGCE placement, and although I've learned all the names in 'my' class, I am obviously not going to learn all the names in the school.

I've realised that when I don't know the name I'm defaulting to 'young man' for boys and 'sweetheart' for girls, which grosses me out because of the sexism, and worries me if I misgender someone (it's primary so some of them are at that age where it's hard to tell). I try getting the names, obviously, but it's not practical in every situation.

Is there a good catch-all "you-child" term I'm missing?

[ImperialBlether]

Whose. It's 'whose.'

[ThePartyArtist]

What do the other teachers in the school do?

[TwllBach]

I'm in primary and I generally use sweetheart or poppet...I don't think they are gender specific as I use them for both boys and girls. Tbh, I default to them anyway a lot of the time because we are an infant school and they still are sweethearts and poppets at that age! mostly

[cece]

I tend to use sweetheart for any gender. Primary school.

[miaowroar]

Sunbeam, sunshine - if there are a couple of them then guys or ladies.

[ladygracie]

Lovely or darling but I usually ask them their name & try to remember it. I teach in a small school though & have taught almost all of the children at one time or another.

[ShowOfBloodyStumps]

"Right you 'orrible lot" is very useful indeed.

[IfNotNowThenWhenever]

Do what theatricals do and call everybody Darling. Including the Head

[HoneyDragon]

I tend to say children.

[HoneyDragon]

I wish we could still go

You. Boy

You. Girl

Though

[HoneyDragon]

I call the older ones small human, and ask their name.

[TMIFriday]

poppet / love / lovely

[Lowdoorinthewall]

I use poppet. I also call my staff this. And the Head.

I think I'm going to switch to Small Human though.

[Slugonthewindow]

My friend uses sunshine. It's really effective. Totally non gender dependent and warm without being too affectionate.

[MythicalKings]

I've always used "Flower". I accidentally used it while on teaching practice and it went down well, so I carried on.

[Seriouslyffs]

Sunshine is lovely.
Young man/ young lady is good too.

[villainousbroodmare]

I think 'young man' or 'young lady' is impeccable and very appropriate.
I'd say that learning the correct placement of apostrophes is probably more important.

[ArmchairTraveller]

Sunshine. Sweetheart. Talk without using a name.
Why are you being sexist? Why not call both genders the same nickname? That's a bit worrying in a PGCE student.

[KateBeckett]

I mostly call them sausage... But also use sweetheart for boys as well as girls. Or 'children' if I'm talking to them all at once.

[southeastastra]

this thread is quite funny would you really call them sunshine or sweetheart? like in a mike reid stylee

that's a bit worrying

[ArmchairTraveller]

Young primary children, less so with UKS2. If it's not that sort of school, and many aren't that relaxed, I stick to talking without using a name.

[Georgethesecond]

"You. Girl."
Takes me back to school!

[ArmchairTraveller]

'Children' doesn't work if there's only one of them.
'Would you hold the door open for me please, child?' is odd.
I'm not familiar with MR stylee, does he come across as Very Weird?

[Pooseyfrumpture]

The peripatetic Judo teacher calls them all Grandad or Grandma and they think it's hilarious.