What's the Big Deal with Students Addressing Teachers By First Name?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:But there are so many "unequal" relationships that aren't defined by the nomenclature used. Do you call your boss Mr/Mrs? What if he/she has a superior? Do they get an even higher honorific? In my opinion, the idea that how we address each other somehow connotes the level of respect is misplaced.

Ultimately, most things we commonly refer to as "manners" are essentially arbitrary, in the sense that they are social constructs and do not inherently have a value. In some cultures, we shake hands to greet. In others, we bow. Is one better than the other? No. It's all contextual. For some people, using Mr/Mrs with adults or authority figures is a sign of respect. For others, it is not. If it is done in a way meant to convey respect, than all the power to those people. But if kids just do it because they're told to, not specifically meant as a sign of respect, it doesn't have much value. So, it really depends on the larger context in which it is practiced. Which is largely personal/cultural.

Why yes, I call my boss Mr. Spacely!

Very Truly Yours, Mr. George Jetson

Touche, sir. Well played. Seriously though, I wonder how many people call their bosses by Mr/Mrs?

I am a corporate consultant and have worked in and around a healthy portion of the F500 and many other large global companies. In twenty years, I've never seen anyone call their bosses "Mr./Mrs."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:19:59 here. "Partner"? I do not consider my child to be a partner of the teacher, any more than I consider him to be a colleague. Partnership and collegiality are not teacher-student models that I subscribe to.

And no one is arguing with that position. Why do people get so defensive when people express a different opinion than their own? There are a lot of legitimate perspectives on the student/teacher relationship.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:19:59 here. "Partner"? I do not consider my child to be a partner of the teacher, any more than I consider him to be a colleague. Partnership and collegiality are not teacher-student models that I subscribe to.

And no one is arguing with that position. Why do people get so defensive when people express a different opinion than their own? There are a lot of legitimate perspectives on the student/teacher relationship.

Right. I said only that I (me, myself, and I) do not subscribe to the models where a student is a partner or colleague of his teacher.

[Anonymous]

It just seems unnecessary for you to go out of your way to express your disagreement with someone else's personal opinion. You already made your position clear. Clear the air for others to do the same.

[Anonymous]

I am a corporate consultant and have worked in and around a healthy portion of the F500 and many other large global companies. In twenty years, I've never seen anyone call their bosses "Mr./Mrs."

Sadly, I had one boss who required his staff to call him Mr. And he was a bigwig consultant to F500 boards. Not to mention that he was an A #1 Jerkoff. Yet, all the clients were very much on a first name basis with all of us, including some incredibly powerful people. Guess which ones were respected by us?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It just seems unnecessary for you to go out of your way to express your disagreement with someone else's personal opinion. You already made your position clear. Clear the air for others to do the same.

I thought this was a discussion. And how many times have YOU posted in this thread?

[Anonymous]

I've asked questions. Responded to peoples questions and put ideas in conversations with each other. You just keep repeating a tired refrain, as if the expression of an idea different from your own somehow discounts it. Calm down, buddy. We all get it. You don't view the relationship as collegial or a partnership. It's cool. If you're not going to add anything new, please let others further the dialogue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It just seems unnecessary for you to go out of your way to express your disagreement with someone else's personal opinion. You already made your position clear. Clear the air for others to do the same.

The mark of a weak argument is one's attempt to silence others.

[Anonymous]

Yes Sensei!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It just seems unnecessary for you to go out of your way to express your disagreement with someone else's personal opinion. You already made your position clear. Clear the air for others to do the same.

The mark of a weak argument is one's attempt to silence others.

That's just it... there is no argument. Why keep trying to start one?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've asked questions. Responded to peoples questions and put ideas in conversations with each other. You just keep repeating a tired refrain, as if the expression of an idea different from your own somehow discounts it. Calm down, buddy. We all get it. You don't view the relationship as collegial or a partnership. It's cool. If you're not going to add anything new, please let others further the dialogue.

I made two. concise posts: Once concerning the "colleague" model of the teacher-student relationship, and once concerning the "partner" model that a PP described after my first post.

You on the other hand, have posted many more times than I, and with an antogonistic tone that is not conducive to discussion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yes Sensei!

Late-night troll, obviously, spoiling for a fight.

[Anonymous]

Part of the trouble here is with the anonymity here. Impossible to even know who said what.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes Sensei!

Late-night troll, obviously, spoiling for a fight.

No, just trying to add a little comic relief here.

[Anonymous]

Relatively new poster here (I posted once on the first page I think).

I don't like students addressing teachers by their first name because to there was some 1980s B movie with a bunch of preppy kids who called all their teachers by their first names, and it was clear the writers wanted us to know that these preppy kids thought they were really superior to these low life teachers, so that was how they broadcast it. Anyway, now when I hear kids calling teachers by their first names, I just keep thinking about James Spader or whoever the cute blonde guy it was in this movie.