At what area high schools do students address teachers by their first names?

[Anonymous]

It does not make a difference. Please judge a school by the quality of the education, and the interests your student will be able to pursue. DC spent preK-8th at two private schools where you address your teachers by title and surname. They were both excellent schools.

DC then chose to attend GDS over other Big 3 schools because they felt GDS would best meet their interests. At GDS you address your teachers by their first name, the students are very independent and self-directed, the atmosphere is slightly more laid back, and the academics are superb. DC graduated with everything they had hoped to achieve when they first chose GDS, including an education that prepared them well for H/S, recognized achievement in their area of interest, strong faculty mentors, close friends, a greater appreciation of the arts, leadership and athletic opportunities, and NMF status.

GDS may indeed not be the right school for your student, but please do not make that decision on the basis of whether or not the students use a last name to address the teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you asking? Just curious.

Just want to know what different schools are like. The first name thing is not something I want for my child, but I understand and respect those with different opinions on the subject.

It's not common around here that I know of. We've been at progressive private and public schools.

I'm from a family full of liberal educators, and we're all really uncomfortable with first name only. Honorifics and titles help ensure clarity of roles and responsibilities. It seems to work for GDS, but I couldn't do it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Over 40 years ago I went to one of the schools mentioned and we called our teachers by their first names then It did not make a difference on the quality of education or our respect for the teachers.

So what's the point?

I think the poster is responding to the argument that addressing teachers by their first names leads to a lack of respect or has a negative impact on the learning environment. What is the point of your post?

NP. Some of us believe that it does lead to a lack of respect and has negative impact on the learning environment, despite what the schools and/or teachers say.

Yes, I think that is clear, thus the need to argue in the contrary if you believe otherwise. My kids are at GDS. The first name thing is not my favorite, but we loved other aspects of the school so much that we are dealing with it.

[Anonymous]

While I don't think the first name thing would be a deal breaker for us if we preferred a school overall, I would not consider it an added benefit. Could someone explain the philosophy behind it and why it is a preferred approach at the schools that use it.

Most of what has been posted thus far is that it is not a negative, but presumably the school feels there is a benefit or they wouldn't do it. So why is it a positive?

[Anonymous]

Only through 8th grade, but Lowell does this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While I don't think the first name thing would be a deal breaker for us if we preferred a school overall, I would not consider it an added benefit. Could someone explain the philosophy behind it and why it is a preferred approach at the schools that use it.

Most of what has been posted thus far is that it is not a negative, but presumably the school feels there is a benefit or they wouldn't do it. So why is it a positive?

Some educators believe that it empowers students and helps them build confidence. The students work in partnership with teachers and admins. A student is an equal in terms of being a person, not 'lesser' simply due to age and school structure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While I don't think the first name thing would be a deal breaker for us if we preferred a school overall, I would not consider it an added benefit. Could someone explain the philosophy behind it and why it is a preferred approach at the schools that use it.

Most of what has been posted thus far is that it is not a negative, but presumably the school feels there is a benefit or they wouldn't do it. So why is it a positive?

Here is an interesting conversation between teachers regarding their perceptions of the use of first vs. last names:
https://www.edutopia.org/discussion/should-students-address-teacher-hisher-first-name

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:While I don't think the first name thing would be a deal breaker for us if we preferred a school overall, I would not consider it an added benefit. Could someone explain the philosophy behind it and why it is a preferred approach at the schools that use it.

Most of what has been posted thus far is that it is not a negative, but presumably the school feels there is a benefit or they wouldn't do it. So why is it a positive[i]?

Please remember Georgetown Day School's proud history as the first private school in Washington, DC to integrate African American students, and also greater numbers of Jewish and otherwise excluded classes of students (for reasons of ethnicity, race, religion, or sexual preference). In permitting and encouraging GDS students to call their teachers -- who after all represent the dominant power structure -- by their first names, Georgetown Day School sent the very important message (particularly in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s) to its students that this is a place of fellowship where all of the community meets on equal footing, regardless of their ethnicity, race, religion, sexual, or socioeconomic status. Perhaps that now seems like a vestigial motivation or reason to use first names, in what today should be an integrated, fully accepting of others, post-racial America. But looking around, I am not sure that message will ever go out of style.

[Anonymous]

I switched from a conservative overseas school where the relationship between teacher and students was formal to GDS. Calling teachers by their first name was difficult for me at first but had no impact on the respect. That really comes from the teaching

[Anonymous]

I am not a teacher, but I am an adult and I do not want any child addressing me by my first name in no environment. Perhaps it is a cultural thing, but this need to equate children to adults seems to be a Western/European thing. A child can be taught to feel empowered in an environment where there is, in fact, hierarchy. School is very much such environment, as would be the workforce.

[Anonymous]

This is a good summary of progressive v. traditional schools. Although the article is older, it is still relevant.

https://www.nais.org/magazine/independent-teacher/spring-2005/progressive-and-traditional-in-independent-schools/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not a teacher, but I am an adult and I do not want any child addressing me by my first name in no environment. Perhaps it is a cultural thing, but this need to equate children to adults seems to be a Western/European thing. A child can be taught to feel empowered in an environment where there is, in fact, hierarchy. School is very much such environment, as would be the workforce.

Interesting justification.
Regardless, GDS does have hierarchy--the teachers do dispense grades and the administration has the authority to expel a student. Children are empowered in this environment, and using first names is a way in which children are encouraged to question authority, whether that authority be in the form of a text, tradition, another student, or an adult. It's not a privilege that is given lightly--they don't eschew authority simply for the sake of it; the point is for children to be able to think critically and have a voice to express those ideas.
FWIW, my kids have no problems switching between GDS, where they address teachers and administrators by first names, and other environments where they address adults Mr./Ms./Mrs./Dr., etc. My children know that different people and different contexts call for different modes of address.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not a teacher, but I am an adult and I do not want any child addressing me by my first name in no environment. Perhaps it is a cultural thing, but this need to equate children to adults seems to be a Western/European thing. A child can be taught to feel empowered in an environment where there is, in fact, hierarchy. School is very much such environment, as would be the workforce.

Obviously, everyone is entitled to a preference with regard to what they would like to be called. However, I question the idea that hierarchy functions better by using formal titles. I call my boss by her first name but there's no question as to who is in charge.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not a teacher, but I am an adult and I do not want any child addressing me by my first name in no environment. Perhaps it is a cultural thing, but this need to equate children to adults seems to be a Western/European thing. A child can be taught to feel empowered in an environment where there is, in fact, hierarchy. School is very much such environment, as would be the workforce.

Obviously, everyone is entitled to a preference with regard to what they would like to be called. However, I question the idea that hierarchy functions better by using formal titles. I call my boss by her first name but there's no question as to who is in charge.

You're both adults. It's a different matter altogether.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Over 40 years ago I went to one of the schools mentioned and we called our teachers by their first names then It did not make a difference on the quality of education or our respect for the teachers.

So what's the point?

I think the poster is responding to the argument that addressing teachers by their first names leads to a lack of respect or has a negative impact on the learning environment. What is the point of your post?

NP. Some of us believe that it does lead to a lack of respect and has negative impact on the learning environment, despite what the schools and/or teachers say.

My kids are younger, so I don't yet know what high school environment we'll want for them. Do you have any evidence that it leads to lack of respect and has negative impacts?

Do you really want a 5 year old that you don't know referring to you as Suzie? (Assuming that's your name, of course.)

If you allow your kids to do that, so be it. I will judge them as being rude and disrespectful, and you for being a weak parent.