If you bump into teachers outside of school, what do they call you?

We were grocery shopping this past weekend and we ran into the teacher one of my children had last year and another of my children has this year. She greeted the children (I don't think we would have seen her if she hadn't said hello) then she said hello to me using my first name. I was just sitting here at my desk days later and wondering if that is normal? I mean I don't mind that she did and actually kind of surprised that she remembered my first name (she does have 20 students each year) but just wondering if it is more appropriate to use the Mrs./Miss/Ms or first names?

 

This is a little bit of a different situation, but along the same lines. Anyways, my boys have moderate level of support teacher that helps them out in the class. We e-mail each other several times a week and she always address me by my first name and I address her by her first name. But if I am talking about her to the boys then I address her as Mrs. _____.

 

Third track in one thread but along the same lines.

I work in schools and despite the teachers introducing themselves to me by their first names I always use the Miss/Mrs/Mr when refering to them even without kids present. I actually knew the teacher I now room share with growing up ( hadden't seen her in 20 years before 3 weeks ago) and I call her Mrs now.

Professionally everyone calls me Kendra and I generally use Mr/Mrs for parents unless they tell me I can call them by their first name (or I know them in another capacity, working in child care in the city I grew up in I run into kids of former classmates all the time)

 

this may be a bit different culturally, since the city i live in is very relaxed when it comes to formality (not the case in other parts of the country) and teachers at the school i worked at are addressed by a "miss first name" and parents by their first names.

also the case at the preschool i worked for in tucson (though no "miss" for the teachers, everyone on a first name basis). i think it connotes a specific partnership and familiarity in the raising/education/well-being of the child JMO

elementary school might be different, though IDK

 

Jon's K teacher and I call each other by first names. Marc's teacher and I refer to each other by last name. I think it has to do with the relationship between different teachers.

 

I'm not too sure how I would feel. I know for me, I could NEVER address a teacher without using Ms/Miss/Mrs/Mr. But, the other way around, I have no idea what the etiquette is or how I would feel. I am guessing it would be odd, but I would not be offended. I hope that made sense?

 

In my kids school everyone goes by there first name. All the kids call the teachers Miss , or Mrs so-so. Drives me batty calling them Miss(minus last name).
All the teachers know my name and they want to be called by there first name. But I make a point of calling them Mrs last name in front of the kids.

 

Wow, I'm impressed that the teacher remembered your first name also . I run into their JK teacher quite a bit - often in the grocery store and she just smiles, says hello and starts talking. When she called our house to set up interviews or give us an update on the girls' progress she always asked for DH or I using our first names. I prefer that. The other moms all refer to me the same way: "Oh you're the twin's mom".

 

I actually prefer to be addressed by my first name. Mrs. (insert our last name) is my mother in law! I was a class volunteer last year and one teacher called me Ms. (first name), the other called me Mrs. (last name). Many of the kids knew me outside of school and called me by my first name anyway. The rule at school is if you are a paid employee you must be addressed by your last name, if you are an unpaid employee, first names are OK. This year I'm technically a paid employee, just not at my daughter's school (I'm a substitute cafeteria worker). Maybe that changes the rules?

But back to the orignal topic, in my case, no I don't think it would be odd for a teacher to address me by my first name in a setting away from school. I kinda find it odd when they don't.

 

I guess I have used both depending on my comfort level. Also many of the kids I worked with had different last names- so to be safe if I was unsure, I would use a first name. Mostly, I called parents "Mr/Mrs.(last name)" unless I had a solid relationship or they referred to me by first name.

Co-workers I call by first name as were parents referred to in meetings/PTA, etc

I dont have an issue with it either way- as long as kids call me by Mrs.(last name.).

 

Parents have almost always called me by my last name (with the exception of a handful and I guess those would be ones that I had a closer relationship with for various reasons). I always have called parents by their last name no exception (kids present or not). If someone said please call me by my first, I would have.

 

They call me by my first name. However, I work at the school so that may be why they call me Lisa instead of Mrs. Goeke. I really prefer Lisa.

QUOTE(Kendra @ Sep 25 2008, 12:49 PM) [snapback]997276[/snapback]
I work in schools and despite the teachers introducing themselves to me by their first names I always use the Miss/Mrs/Mr when refering to them even without kids present.

I do the same thing. I always call them Mrs. ______ whether it's just me talking/addressing them or if I'm talking to/about them around the kids.

 

Most call me by my first name, however, I was always at school and got to know many of them very well. Also being on the PTA board, they knew me very well. I would not think it unusual for a teacher to call me by my first name. However, I still call most of them Mrs. ------- because I was raised that way, lol. (Mom was a teacher.)

 

I address all parents by their last name unless they tell me to address them otherwise. Usually, if a parent does a lot of volunteering and are around my school alot, they will ask you immediately to address them by their first names. I have to admit, it is very odd to address someone younger than me (and alot of parents are very young these days) by their last names, but I think it is just more professional if there isn't an established relationship.

 

Kind of the same thing but a little different. I had to call the principal of the boys school before the start of school. I referred to him as Mr.(last name) but when he addressed me it was thanks Rebecca. No, do you mind if I call you Rebecca or which do you prefer. You know if I would have said "hey (first name)" he would have asked for me to address him as Mr. (last name). I was very upset about this and other I told said that I was over reacting. :FIFblush: I didn't think so.
I have not had any run ins with him again, but next time I will make sure have him address me as MRS.

 

I've bumped into David's teacher's before and they refer to me as Mrs. <lastname> and I refer to them the same way. Everyone knows that mommies and teachers don't have first names! :blbl:

 

I don't have feelings one way or another about how the teacher refers to me, but it does bother me when students are allowed to refer to teachers by their first names. My stepson goes to school in Georgia, and he calls his teacher "Miss Carole." He didn't even know what her last name was. Then in my niece's pre-school here in NY, they call the teachers by just a first name. That bothers me. I feel like it shows a lack of respect.

 

QUOTE(sullivanre @ Sep 30 2008, 10:56 AM) [snapback]1004842[/snapback]
I don't have feelings one way or another about how the teacher refers to me, but it does bother me when students are allowed to refer to teachers by their first names. My stepson goes to school in Georgia, and he calls his teacher "Miss Carole." He didn't even know what her last name was. Then in my niece's pre-school here in NY, they call the teachers by just a first name. That bothers me. I feel like it shows a lack of respect.


Wow, that is interesting. I wouldn't like to be referred to by my first name from the students. Although, one year my students picked up Mrs. D because there was another teacher who had the same last name as mine on my team and a third teacher whose name also started with a D, so the students kept getting us all confused. Someone Mrs. D stuck and I didn't mind it at all.

 

I mostly get called by me first name, even by the principal. The teachers who haven't been there long, do not know do not use my first name.

 

I haven't run into the teacher outside of school but, due to the way our school works, we do email quite a bit. She has always called me Alison.