by Gloria Cowdin
We’ve all heard Shakespeare’s old saying “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” but does it hold true when applied to teachers and their names?
When directly addressing teachers, most STA students refer to them by last names, sometimes preceded by a “Ms.” or “Mr.” First names, however, are rarely used to address high school teachers, at least not in person. “It’s unprofessional,” junior Fee Pauwels said when asked why students do not call teachers by first names. “They teach you and since they know the material you don’t, you should look up to them. [If students called teachers by first names] they would see them as equals and then you couldn’t take them as seriously.”
A survey asking 25 random STA students if they would feel comfortable addressing teachers by first names showed that the majority, 19, would not. In another survey asking teachers the same question, most agreed that they would not feel comfortable with students calling teachers by first names.
Some teachers, however, are frequently addressed by nicknames or last names. These teachers include english teacher Katie Dolan, science teacher Renee Blake and social studies teacher Craig Whitney. Senior Kelly Gardella has called Blake, her advisor, “mom” since sophomore year. Campus minister Joe LaScala encourages students to call him “Joe,” instead of “Mr. LaScala”. Other students refer to Whitney as “Whit” or social studies teacher Denise Rueschhoff as “Mama Rue”. “We feel closer to them” junior Arinna Hoffine said about these nicknames. “It shows that the relationship is more casual than one between an authority figure and someone they’re in charge of.”
Would calling teachers by first names really be much different than using creative nicknames? According to the previous survey, 64% of the surveyed students admit to calling teachers by first names, just not to their faces.
Since my childhood, I have always addressed adults by first names. I never thought twice about it until starting high school, where most people consider it disrespectful to call teachers by first names. Using first names doesn’t make me respect adults any less than addressing them with a formal title.
In fact, being on a first name basis helps me respect them more. Instead of seeing adults as authoritative, they feel almost like equals. The people I respect most are my friends, so it’s logical that the closer I feel to adults, the more I respect them and their decisions.
When we have a connection with teachers, it’s easier to appreciate their work. Perhaps it returns to Shakespeare’s famous saying about roses, and we need to learn to see past teachers’ titles. Using a formal title won’t automatically create respect for teachers. Respect is an attribute that should be given to all people, despite certain labels or lack thereof.
