How do you address elementary school teachers?

[Anonymous]

How do you address your child's teacher - first name only or Mr./Ms./Mrs. XXX?

[Anonymous]

Mr./Ms. Lastname definitely.

[Anonymous]

I use what my children call them. In one kid’s case, Ms. last name. In the other, Ms First Name.

[Anonymous]

Ms. Last Name.

Until this year, they would always refer to me the same way. I guess I sign emails with just my first name, so I shouldn't be surprised that she uses my first name in writing to me.

[Anonymous]

Ask the teacher how they would like to be addressed. Age and cultural background can affect their answer. But in general, it never hurts to use a courtesy title (Ms. or Mr. work for most), even if your child also uses the first name or the last initial.

[Anonymous]

First name, I’m an adult talking to another adult. My kids say “Mr/Mrs” unless the teacher requests otherwise.

[Anonymous]

Always Mr/Ms unless they sign emails with their first name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:First name, I’m an adult talking to another adult. My kids say “Mr/Mrs” unless the teacher requests otherwise.

People say that, but I find that it isn’t how much of US society actually operates. People usually ask, “Can I call you Jonah?” before just doing so. And with teachers, the first name the school provides is often not the name the teacher actually uses. Then you just seem weird calling her Elizabeth when she actually goes by Liz, no matter what the district puts on Canvas or her email address.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Always Mr/Ms unless they sign emails with their first name.

+1

I use their last name until they use their first name. Then I use their first name (to them -- I always refer to them as Mr/Ms when speaking to my kid). And actually, I use their last name when referring to them with someone else (another parent at the school, my spouse, etc.) because then it's totally clear who they are. ("Is your son in Ms. Smith's class?" "I got a note from Mr. Jones that we need to send in more pencils.")

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Always Mr/Ms unless they sign emails with their first name.

+1

I use their last name until they use their first name. Then I use their first name (to them -- I always refer to them as Mr/Ms when speaking to my kid). And actually, I use their last name when referring to them with someone else (another parent at the school, my spouse, etc.) because then it's totally clear who they are. ("Is your son in Ms. Smith's class?" "I got a note from Mr. Jones that we need to send in more pencils.")

This.

[Anonymous]

Whatever you call them doesn't matter to me as long as you don't act too familiar. I really dislike the school environment, when a parent befriends their kid's teacher. Keep it professional.

[Anonymous]

Mrs./Mr. Last Name. This is not how I talk to other adults, but the parent/teacher relationship is a unique relationship.

When my kids were in preschool and called their teachers Ms./Mr First Name I did the same. There was one preschool teacher who I befriended and we started talking outside of school and then I started calling her just First Name because we had that relationship. But if your relationship is within the school bounds, use their title.

[Anonymous]

I just find it hard to believe that people are talking to their cardiologist’s front desk staff and saying “I need to Barb next week for a follow up.”

[Anonymous]

Mr/Ms first name is the convention at my child's school. I use those in emails. Face to Face I use the teacher's first name.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Always Mr/Ms unless they sign emails with their first name.

+1

I use their last name until they use their first name. Then I use their first name (to them -- I always refer to them as Mr/Ms when speaking to my kid). And actually, I use their last name when referring to them with someone else (another parent at the school, my spouse, etc.) because then it's totally clear who they are. ("Is your son in Ms. Smith's class?" "I got a note from Mr. Jones that we need to send in more pencils.")

This.

Same