Post by RoxMonster on Sept 14, 2019 7:50:16 GMT -5
I do think there is something to be said about the culture within a school, and it probably depends on the school. For instance, our new administration (as of two years ago, both Principal and VP) refer to teachers as Mr./Ms. Lastname, even when students aren't present. They sign their emails to us with their first names and are fine with us addressing them by first name, but even in staff meetings, they will call us Mr./Ms. Lastname. When my VP came in to meet with me as a post-observation last week, it was just the two of us in my room, but he opened with "How are you today, Mrs. Lastname?" It's just what he does. I get that that's probably weird for any other career, but in education/teaching, esp elementary to HS, I don't find it that odd. Now, we teachers refer to each other by first name only. We also had a past principal who had a PhD who wanted us all to refer to her as Dr. Lastname, and we did it.
With parents, I personally don't care. I will say 99% of the emails I get address me as Mrs. Lastname. I rarely have any parent email call me by my first name. When I respond (or if I write the first email), I sign my first and last name at the bottom of the email, and I truly don't care if they refer to me by first name, but they very rarely do. Also, if I call a parent or meet with them in a meeting, I refer to them as Mr./Ms. Last name. This is common among teachers and administration at my school.
ETA: And my VP is 34, so I don't think it's an age thing.