What do your children call their teachers?

[Posey]

When dd started school, all the teachers including the head were called by their first names.
After Easter we got a new head who has always been referred to as Mr.X. Unsurprisingly in our end of term letter today we were told that all teachers would now be called Mr/Mrs/Miss/Ms...
I'm pleased about this and just wondered if ours was unusual before.

Formal, Mrs, Ms, Mr. I am called Mrs X in school. We are also careful to call each other Mr Mrs etc when we are in the hearing of children.

Lonelymum ... I hate to ask you 'cos someone did the other day... but I don't want you to be one. And I can't find what you said XXX

My boys' school does first names for everyone- kids, teachers and support staff- even though not in trendy Islington. It's not something I felt particularly strongly about and I was slightly surprised tbh, but everyone there seems very respectful and respected to me (as I'm sure are all the kids, Misses, aunties, Sirs and Mrs X's mentioned on this thread) so I now like it v. much.

Oh this drove me mad when ds1 started school. He learned to say his LSA's name (christian name) then was told he wasn't allowed to use it - had to use Mrs X which he couldn't say (still can't). But anyway. Never mind.

I always forget the whole Mrs thing and call the teachers by their first names - especially the ones I have to talk to a lot like the SENCO. It seems ridiculous we have to have a close relationship if there is any chance of ds1's placement working, and we have to talk about quite indepth things about him, I've never called anyone Mr/Mrs since being an adult so I find it difficult to remember with them......

I was told on my first day of teacher training by an experienced teacher that you should always use Miss etc. as it provides you with the right level of authority.

I teach in a special unit for disaffected students a couple of hours a week. We all use first names there. Some of the young people (they are al 14 - 16) still prefer Sir and Miss. In fact, only one student regularly calls me by my first name, and I know that for him it is an important stage in learning about relationships and social interaction. Those young people know it is a privilege being given to them, and it conveys to them a great deal about respect and relationships.

My sixth formers still call me Miss, although I have never asked them to do so.

My adult Ed-ers started to call me Miss and I told them to use my first name, although I have friends who still stay very formal. I'd have no problems with a parent calling me by my first name, and if a child had speech probelms I'd also answer to my first name. I call my kids teachers by Mrs X

I have also been called Mum, many times

Sweet, that!

whenever I get called mum I say "yes darling?"

I was always called by my first name in the tutorial college. Most of our students were 19 though, the youngest were 17. We needed a team type approach rather than the tutor being authoritative.

When I teach in the prisons I am only known by my first name (not allowed to pass on surname) by the inmates, regardless of their age.

I have also been called mum before; always just makes me smile and I simply answer them. If they sudsenly realise what they have sent they get so embarrassed.

At my dd's montesori they use Miss First name - so miss Jacqui or whatever.
The primary school she is going to seems to do the same for most of the staff although the headmaster is Mr surname.
I do find it odd when my dd's headmistress calls me Mrs X though - I'd rather she used my first name adult to adult as I use hers and she's older than me!

have to add that the 'mum' thing makes me giggle - they get soo embarrased when they have realised!
I don't mind my Post 16 calling me by my first name - not that they would anyway but the other tiddlers no not yet anyway!

at my dd's nursery the nursery teacher and helpers were all Mrs/Miss. Now that she's moved into the school the teachers are all Mrs/Miss. I'm not sure if I would feel comfortable with the children calling teachers by their first name it just doesn't seem right, they are there to be teachers not friends so to speak. obviously they have to be friendly to the chidlren but at the same time show that they are in charge. I don't think I've worded that correctly but it's late and I'm tired and I know you'll all understand what I mean.

I suppose if dd's school had a policy of calling all teachers by their first name from the outset it wouldn't seem so odd.

I was a little gutted when I started teaching flute here in NZ after my son was born and my pupils called me by my first name. I had always been Mrs Toddlerbob when teaching in the UK. One of them did call me "Miss" this week though.

i've not posted before, but i find this thread very interesting as i am experiencing both sides of the debate at the moment.
My children attend fantastic local schools and nurseries where everyone is called by their first name. At my elder son's large inner city primary school, there is a wonderful atmosphere of harmony and respect, where everyone, staff and children, feel valued and included. Nobody tries to be friends, the teacher - child relationship is very strong.

I teach at another local primary school where we are called Ms. X, even when speaking to each other in front of the children. I find this very artificial and the relationship between many staff and children does not have enough respect from either party.

I feel strongly that the underlying ethos of the school is more important than what they call the teachers, although personally i would rather be known by my first name.

I've been called mum, grandma, dad and grandad!!!
I HATE being called Miss. I always say " Do I call you boy/girl?" I have a name, so do the children and it's polite to use it. Otherwise you might as well say "Oi! You there!"

Does it matter what they are called. Are you pleased with the teaching? At the end of the day this is the important thing. The change seems to be a way of confusing the children. As long as they respect the teacher and teaching, it doesn't matter whether they are called by their first name or MR/Mrs/Miss etc.

We are advised not to let our students call us by our first names. I teach in secondary school. I treat all my students with respect, but they are not my friends or members of my family and I expect them to call me Mrs HMB. With the best will in the world I do not have an equal relationship with my students as I would another adult and I expect a degree of formality from them.