Random Laura question

[emmasmommy]

When corresponding with your kids' teacher(s), how do they address themselves? Miss "so and so" or by their first name?

I think it's so funny that my daughter's kindy teacher refers to herself as Miss. I'm about 15 years older than her. Maybe more! LOL

[mariewilcox]

Always with the Mr., Ms., or Mrs. Many of Cheyanne's teachers have been younger than me (because I'm OLD! ) It doesn't bother me. Even after volunteering many years and many hours and becoming friends with several of them I still call them Mr., Ms., or Mrs. out of habit.

[lee69]

Always with Ms, Mrs. or Mr. as well. And I too am old and most teachers are younger or close to my age.

[maryinaz]

When I make first contact with a teacher, I always use Ms. or Mr., but most of the time when they respond, they sign with their first name. I do have a hard time calling them by their first name, however. Easiest thing though is when it's a coach/teacher, because then I can just call them "Coach."

[emmasmommy]

I wonder if I feel odd about it because I live in such a small town? I know most of the teachers in the school on a personal level as well as a professional level. I don't know Madelyn's kindy teacher though....

[YepBrook]

Maybe she started out as a preschool, daycare or mommy & me teacher? They always seem to go by 'Miss *first name*' as compared to 'Ms. *last name*'.

[MommaTrish]

"Hey you evil wench..."

[MommaTrish]

I kid. lol I refer to them by whatever they put on their newsletter to be honest. That's generally Ms/Mrs. *first name*. Out of 11 teachers so far we've only had 2 go by last names and that was because there was already a teacher in that grade with that first name when those teachers got to the school.

[Jengerbread88]

If you know a teacher on a personal level, whatever you'd call her if you saw her outside of school. If you don't know her on a personal level, I'd use the Miss. ____ thing for now unless notes/emails/newsletters have her first name on it....

...but that's just me.

[Nettio]

I feel like the context of the conversation matters more than the relationship. My mom was a teacher at the same school my sisters and I attended so she knew all of our teachers on a more personal level. But any time she was referring to one of our specific teachers as a parent, it was always "Mrs so-and-so." If it was more of a peer-teacher or casual convo outside of the school, then she might use first names. I have a hard time imagining my mom signing a letter to a parent with only her first name though.

[glumirk]

I think it's a sign of formality and respect. Being a teacher makes her the authority figure, so she's Miss ____. And if she uses it with you, then you will use it with your kids. It may be different if she is conversing to you about something completely unrelated to your kids or school, but in school conversations I think it's pretty normal.

[MommaTrish]

I see one of the teachers both boys had for their K4 year at least once or twice a week out of the school and we still refer to each other as Mrs. Brown and Mrs. Tricia. lol

[SeattleSheri]

I always start with Ms. or Mr. unless the person asks me to use their first name or we know each other well enough, where the formality makes it too awkward.

[lovely1m]

Last year in kindergarten, she would always sign her emails to me with her first name, but I always responded back with Ms last name. lol I didn't want to get used to calling her by her first name and confusing Nicholas. She was quite young though, younger than me and I am in my early 30s. I do think it would be easier on kids to call them Miss/Mr first name, but its not done that way.

[emmasmommy]

Originally Posted by Nettio

I feel like the context of the conversation matters more than the relationship. My mom was a teacher at the same school my sisters and I attended so she knew all of our teachers on a more personal level. But any time she was referring to one of our specific teachers as a parent, it was always "Mrs so-and-so." If it was more of a peer-teacher or casual convo outside of the school, then she might use first names.

This is how I am almost exactly. If it's in a school setting, I typically say Mr./Mrs./Miss otherwise I use first name. I had emailed her teacher about a question this morning and she signed, "Miss Simpson." thus my crazy question.

[mariewilcox]

Originally Posted by Nettio

I feel like the context of the conversation matters more than the relationship. My mom was a teacher at the same school my sisters and I attended so she knew all of our teachers on a more personal level. But any time she was referring to one of our specific teachers as a parent, it was always "Mrs so-and-so." If it was more of a peer-teacher or casual convo outside of the school, then she might use first names. I have a hard time imagining my mom signing a letter to a parent with only her first name though.

This - both of my parents were teachers (I had them in my schools until I finally broke free and went to high school ) I can't ever ever ever imaging either of my parents signing a letter to a parent with their first name, ever. But then, I'm old, and they retired 15 years ago, so times have probably changed.

[rach3975]

After calling them Mrs. Last Name with my kids all year, I find it awkward to address them as anything else. The exception is our preschool teachers, whom I call by their first names since I'm in the classroom so much that I get to know them personally.

[Nettio]

Originally Posted by mariewilcox

This - both of my parents were teachers (I had them in my schools until I finally broke free and went to high school )

LOL, my grandmother was a high school teacher and all three of her kids went to high school while she was there (there was only one in their town). I don't know that any of them liked that very much.

[Milmomma]

Here on post its a respect thing. No matter what we call the Mrs/Mr/Ms Last name year round. The only exception that is permitted is to call them ma'am or sir.

[SmallMoments]

Even after teaching for nearly 15 years, I still hesitate when I introduce myself to parents. Do I just tell them my first and last name? Mrs. Kratzer? I DON'T KNOW! I guess for me it's whatever I feel like doing at that time. lol Same with signing notes and/or emails. The pressure! lol

ETA: That said, I don't even hesitate when I'm talking to Luke about any of the teachers (minus one) in my building. They're always Miss/Mrs./Mr. in any conversation between Luke and me. The one we refer to by first name is only b/c he knew her before he attended my school.

[pewtertm]

I've been FB friends with Rachel's teachers, and I have volunteered at the school almost daily for the past 3 years, so I usually address her teachers by first name (unless kids are around...then I use the same name that the children use).

[mummytothree]

I don't really interact with my DD's teachers (they are in HS and Jr High), but I do have some contact with their music/band teachers and I call them Mr. So and So. For most of the elementary teachers (that I have know for 8 years), I call most of them by their first name. A lot of them are way younger them me too!!!

[mummytothree]

OK now that I read some responses I'll add to mine (clarify), whenever my kids and I speak of their teachers (or others in the building) I always call them Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms - Always!!! However when I'm emailing, texting or talking face to face with them I call them their first name. When they email, text, talk to me they call me Elizabeth.

[carrie1977]

I work for the school district and I still refer to them as "Miss/Mrs/Mr" so and so.

[carriesmom]

I always refer to them on how they want my kid to refer to them, unless I am told otherwise. My mom was a teacher and most of her friends were teachers at my high school. If I knew them before I went to school there, they were Ms. last name at school and then first name when we were not in school. Otherwise it was Ms. last name. But I seriously don't know what I would do if my daughter's got their aunt as their teacher. I would be so confused.

[Stacey42]

In correspondence they use Miss/Mrs/Mr and so do I. I don't know any of them personally so I tend not to address them by any name in person. They do same though. If I run into them somewhere its "Hey! How are you?" with no names mentioned.

[nun69]

Originally Posted by mummytothree

OK now that I read some responses I'll add to mine (clarify), whenever my kids and I speak of their teachers (or others in the building) I always call them Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms - Always!!! However when I'm emailing, texting or talking face to face with them I call them their first name. When they email, text, talk to me they call me Elizabeth.

that is what happens with my kids teachers I do call one of the girls in the office Tracy and the school counselor Anne, but the kids call them Mrs Tracy and Mrs K (caus the school counselor has a really long name and most of the kids can't pronounce it)....The funny thing is I never really thought about it but I got a few emails from their teachers last year and they all signed them with their 1st name!