Any teachers about? Would you judge a Jayden?

[Shapelle]

Just that please. Thank you.

Teachers in a private school would probably judge a Jayden more than state school teachers, IMO. I work with teachers in a private school and when they get together, they love to gossip about who the 'chavs' and 'retards' in their tutor groups are. So send your cute little Jayden to a bog standard school, is my advice!

Which school do you work at, MamaL? I find it truly hard to believe that anyone wanting to teach children would ever call them 'retards'...!

Well, I'm not going to name and shame on the internet, but I can assure you that it's absolutely true. Not all the teachers: mainly just the younger ones.

These posh schools are the same schools where parents call their kids Persephone, Araminta and Ptolemy, so... Pot meet kettle.

These posh schools are the same schools where parents call their kids Persephone, Araminta and Ptolemy, so... Pot meet kettle.

That sounds rather judgementla. Aren't we currently talking about how teacher (and presumably other people) shouldn't judge children because of their name...? It's not like the LO had a choice.

That sounds rather judgementla. Aren't we currently talking about how teacher (and presumably other people) shouldn't judge children because of their name...? It's not like the LO had a choice.

My post was in response to someone who said that "posh" school teachers talk about kids being "retards" and "chavs" based on their name.

No, that's not what I said at all.

Jayden and Jordan are my personal worst names. They make me cringe.

However, I would never judge a child by the group of letters their parents decided to call them. I've taught many children with very different names and in my experience it has no bearing on their character.

Hair cuts again are more often than not parental choice so if a child comes in with tram lines or designs shaved into their head, I might do an eye roll at the parents but it wouldn't have an effect on the child's abilities in class.

Children have no choice over their names.

I think judge is the wrong word. Teachers can often guess what sort of family a child is from, from their name. But it's not always correct. I would assume most Jaydens or Tias for example, are from a low socio- economic background, would think they probably have parents who haven't attended higher education etc just the same as I would assume a child called Rainbow or Sage had kind of hippyish parents. Or a child called Arabella was quite middle class. Some names like Harry or Arthur or Olivia are classless and you can't really make any assumption without meeting the child.

I think most people do this in their mind although I wouldn't say it out loud and I would never judge a child by their name. But most people do make assumptions about people/children on hearing their name, even if it is subconscious!

Hair cuts that get judged are mohicans and mullets and punk haircuts etc. Not afros or cornrows etc!

Combined with earrings they're not a good look on a 5 year old boy (or girl)

If father and son turn up in matching spiked mohicans then you know that the parents aren't into conventions. Which is a judgement. Not necessarily a bad judgement. But it certainly tells you something - which is the whole point of the 'look'.

I'm public school educated and am a teacher in a public school. My DS has long, blue hair. I don't think that a judgment that we are punks would be entirely correct He just wants his hair long and blue.

Hmm.

I think what a person is named at birth has zero impact upon their personality and behaviour. I also think we should never judge a person based on how they present themselves.

I mix with all walks of life, plenty of Jayden's will be twats and plenty wonderful. Plenty of kids with buzz cuts or mullets and ear rings may be antisocial but I've known many to go on to be academic, kind and respected individuals.

I think judging a person on their name, looks or how academic they are etc says more about who's judging tbh.

i think if you have parent's who've chosen a yoonique spelling/ called their kid Tyson or Bradleigh or Blaiyne then you will make a judgement on what parents who do that will have 'turned out' - and hopefully it'll be a nice surprise.

people saying they have no preconceived ideas about anyone and anything (whether they act upon it or whether those ideas are positive or negative) are lying.

OP, please don't worry about it - Jayden is a nice name

I'd love to say I don't make immediate judgements on people's names but I do. Obviously I'll change my mind upon actually speaking to people but I think it's human nature to form quick associations when it comes to names / first impressions.

Jayden is a fine name OP. I also quite like Jordan and Kai that others have mentioned.

Don't worry. I'm a teacher and we get all sorts! It's a lovely name.

Work in a school.

Teachers judge children by their names way less than the general population, IMO. They see children as individuals.

The names I have a bit of a problem with are ones that put too much of the parents' personality onto the child eg Maverick .But those are few and far between.

FWIW The jayden I knew was a lovely, kind, polite boy

What teachers think is irrelevant and not a reason to choose a particular name for your child, or not. It's a fraction of someone's life time and people need names that are suitable for the long haul. One name might be cute on a baby but could you see an adult with it? Jayden's a nice name and who cares what anyone else thinks

Anyone who says they never make assumptions based on names is just kidding themselves. I do, in all areas of life based on people i know etc. E.g. Most Zoe's I've encountered socially out of work have been bitches, that said I taught a lovely Zoe for a while ago. I don't think all Zoe's are awful but I do have that instant assumption moment.

I don't judge individual children or assume that they will be smart, naughty etc. That's not fair on the kid.

That said, i have some names on my 'never' list because I've met too many kids with some names. No different to some names on my never list hecause the adults I've met with those names were dickheads.

Now that I've been honest I'll wait for the 'youre such a judgey MN teacher' frok the holier than thou I never ever make any assumptions ever brigade

Would never judge any of the children I teach by their names BUT... I'm struggling to find a name, based on children I've taught in the past. Ask any teacher and I think they'll say the same!

Jayden- taught a fab one last year! Friendly, funny and clever! X

Who would judge a child because of their name, which they had absolutely no control over?

I'll admit to having judged parents of children with bizarrely-spelled versions of established names. I would imagine that life would be more problematic for the kid, always having to correct people and spell it out.

But to judge the child, based on the fact that you don't like their name, or because you perceive it to be from a lower class than you...? You'd have to be some kind of arsehole!