I was asked by a student recently if teachers called each other
by their first names or if we use formalities like
”
Mr. Breen.
”
My wise guy response was,
”
Why would I call another teacher Mr. Breen?
”
I was asked by a student recently if teachers called each other by their first names or if we use formalities like “Mr. Breen.” My wise guy response was, “Why would I call another teacher Mr. Breen?”
The question came up because that student and some other students were talking about teacher’s first names, and how they didn’t match with their last names. “He doesn’t look like a “Mike,” one of them said.
To students, teachers’ first names are “Mr., Mrs., or Miss.” We are not real humans with real first names like Adam. When they realize that teachers have first names, they are almost disappointed, like when you watch a movie that was once a book you read and the actors don’t look like the characters you imagined.
“She’s a Susan? That doesn’t seem right. She looks more like a Gladys.”
It’s not hard to take students out of their comfort level. They can be gregarious and inquisitive in class, asking about how my weekend was or what I think about the presidential race.
But if I am outside of my classroom at lunch and one of my students is walking with a group of their friends, they may not acknowledge me because that’s not cool. Some go overboard, as students are known to do, and yell “Hey, Mr. Breen!” when a simple “Hi” would have done. I don’t mind that, because there are a lot worse things they could have called me in front of their friends.
I understand where students are coming from when they get surprised by seeing a teacher outside of his or her native habitat. I remember thinking it was odd when I saw a teacher at the store or driving a car. It was as if I thought teachers lived in their classroom and weren’t allowed to leave it on nights or weekends.
I run into my current and former students at the grocery store quite frequently. Those who work there and are bagging my groceries are typically very friendly. They are required to be that way, of course, but I believe they would do it anyway because they are good kids.
When I saw teachers at the grocery store, I remember checking out their cart to see what they were buying.
That led to thoughts like, “Wow, Mr. Jones sure likes to drink” or “Pork rinds, Pepsi, and Ho-Hos; that explains things.”
My students no doubt check out what is rolling down the conveyer belt to the bagging area.
“Hmm, Breen sure buys a lot of cereal. Can’t the guy cook?”
“All those fruits and vegetables; his wife must have given him a list.”
“He criticizes me for waiting until the last minute to turn in my assignment and he’s buying a rotisserie chicken for dinner?!”
“Gee, store brand canned corn. Can’t splurge on a name brand, dude?”
It is strange how rare teacher sightings are-and therefore how surprised or embarrassed students can get. I would have rather avoided acknowledging most of my teachers when I was a high school student, so I can’t judge my students for feeling the same way.
