… to think that “Miss” and “Sir” for teachers is not equivalent?

[wallpoppy]

Just that really. Children say “miss” for female teachers of any age or seniority, but it’s “sir” for male teachers. As titles outside of school they aren’t remotely equivalent. It should Miss, mrs. or ms. surname for women and Mr. surname for men.

I ran a training course in a local grammar school and they called me Ma'am. Sounded weird, but I sort of liked it.

Doesn't bother me. Its just what it is. It's only a thing if you make it into one.

The discrepancy annoys me. It's either Sir and Ma'am, or Mr and Miss

Sir is way more respectful than Miss.

It goes back to when female teachers couldn't be married. So all teachers were a miss.

At my secondary school we always used teacher's surnames ie Mr/Mrs/Miss Surname. In my kids infant and junior the same.

I found it very weird when my kids started secondary that female teachers are all called Miss. I've even heard teachers refer to other teachers as Miss in a parents meeting. ie "So I'll hand you over to Miss now to explain....."

Very odd. My mum was a secondary teacher and hated being called Miss, and insisted on being called Mrs Surname so maybe that's why it seems disrespectful to me.

I’m a teacher and I would hate to be called ma’am. Our students generally call you your full name (e.g. good morning Mrs Chanteuse). However, I’ll still respond to miss. I’ve never even thought about it as an issue! Usually it’s MIIIIIIIIIIIIIISS followed by telling tales 😂

I had a teacher in primary, who refused to be 'miss'. It baffled me as a child, because she wasn't 'sir' and I knew it would be rude to call her 'mrs'

I think that there are far more important things in life to be worried about, this isn't one of them

It’s a perfect example of everyday sexism. It doesn’t matter if an individual teacher doesn’t mind it - the fact is that miss signals a lower status than sir. I don’t buy that it’s harmless or meaningless for the kids either. Half of them are female, and this is yet another reminder of their lower status in this world whether they’re fully conscious of it or not (and I bet more are than are being given credit for on here).

If it’s such a non-issue, it should be an easy one to change. If it must be one syllable, ma’am is fine. Although it was always Ms/Mrs/etc Last Name when I was at school - miss and sir sounds very beano or Grange Hill to me!

We just called teachers by their first name or "teacher". So this whole title thing is a bit foreign to me. I can deall with Mr and Ms etc. But I do think sir and madam is pushing it 😅 (lighthearted)

I have vivid memories about english teacher going on for about 20mins about how we had to call her ms (pronounced mz) not miss or mrs. Tbh at age 13 we were totally bemused and couldnt work put why she was making such a fuss.

The last school I worked at used Sir and Ma’am (rhymes with barm, we’re Northern) and that was for all adults - caretakers, midday supervisors etc - not just the teachers. I thought it was great. Much better than Miss.

From memory, at primary school every adult seemed to get called Miss: even the men 😂

I’ve been a secondary teacher for 17 years and ‘Miss’ doesn’t bother me in the slightest even though I’m actually a ‘Mrs’. It’s fine, it’s just what the kids use. It would bug me if they used my full name like primary aged kids do. Occasionally I also get ‘mum’ when they forget themselves!

Although, if the kids email me they often start it ‘Hi Mrs’ but then don’t put my surname. Just ‘Hi Mrs’ 😂

My secondary school had sir and madam which I think is much better.

My mum taught there and flatly refused to let children call her Miss. it was either Mrs surname or madam.

Actually linked to this. It really bugs me when chuggers call me Miss in the street.

I actually told one off once and said it was disrespectful and he should use madam instead.

I don't understand this either. Surely part of the point of school is about preparing children for real life. I don't know want work place today that asks people to call their boss by Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms. In nursery they go by first names and it's lovely. Why can't schools do the same? Why the weird formality that's nowhere else in life these days? See also: school ties and grey trousers/skirts 🤣

This has never bothered me!
My make colleagues are all called Sir and I happily answer to Miss, Mrs, Miss Happybinosaur, Mrs Happbinosaur, Rev or Rev Happybinosaur (I am ordained and also a teacher!)
I’m fairly senior and I don’t think being called Miss (compared to male colleagues of similarly seniority being called Sir) affects how the pupils view me or means they respect me less.

I would hate being called Madam....it's old-fashioned, stuffy and totally unrelatable to the children.

I don’t use Sir in school - so it’s Mr Whatever at all times. I don’t mind being Miss but I do mind calling make teachers Sir. Wtf have they done to earn it?!

22 years teaching and Miss doesn't bather me at all. I answer to
Miss, miss Purple, Mrs Purple, Mum, sometimes even Sir.

I would hate to be referred to as 'teacher' as in 'teacher can I use a pink pen'.

Had a couple of America pupils who called us Mam (sort of Mayam as Deep South). It was cute but made me feel much older.

As long as the pupils are learning, respectful, happy and safe I don't really care

Back when I attend high school, we had to use Sir and Madam.

Doesn't bother me either

In primary schools, lots of the male staff get called Miss too!

This is funny. And I definitely remember my daughter doing it.