What's in a Name?

A few entries back, I wrote about my aspiration to be a high school English teacher. As someone considering this profession as a possible career, an issue I've pondered with is how I want my students to address me. Contrary to how most students (myself included) address (or have) their teachers, I really want my students to call me by my first name. Many of my friends respond with "I could never address a teacher by his/her first name." I plan to tell my students: "I really like going by my first name, but you can call me "Miss" with my last/first name. Don't call me anything rude, but I'm not going to force you guys to call me by my last name."

I think addressing teachers by their last names is necessary for elementary (and maybe, middle school) students who need to know that the teacher is in charge and don't yet know how to be "friends" while still respecting his/her authority. However, I believe that high school is a different story. High school students are old enough to get to know their teachers on a personal level while still respecting his/her authority. In my opinion, students often disrespect teachers not for a lack of understanding authority, but that they don't feel respected by them or know how to take advantage of the teacher. That said, I feel that at this stage, the teacher can (and should) chose how s/he wants to be be addressed. In fact, you can still be "friends" with your students while maintaining order in the classroom. Also, in college, professors choose how they want to be addressed. As students who are preparing for college, they should slowly understand the dynamics of academic life in college.

With the exception of my freshman year, I have always addressed my teachers by their last names. I am friends with four of my high school teachers, and have been on a first-name basis with them ever since I graduated almost two years ago. As a student at a small, private college where professors teach all classes, it has been my experience that majority of my professors go by their first names. Being able to call my professors by their first names makes me feel treated like an adult or colleague as opposed to a kid. In many cases, I feel comfortable talking to my professors more when I'm on a first-name basis with them (although I really liked two of my profs who went by their last names).

Yes, I know that the majority of my professors hold Ph.D's in their field and have worked incredibly hard for them. Many people think that the way to show respect for them is by addressing them as "Dr." I disagree with this. First of all, they are teaching at a college, so students know that they are accomplished in their fields. Second, I don't think they need to "hide behind some status" (in the words of Herman) to earn respect from their students. While professors (and everyone) deserve respect, calling them "Dr." is not neccesarily the way to do so. For example, I do not feel that calling Herman "Dr. Asarnow" is going to make me respect him any more than I already do. In fact, I feel strongly that I respect Herman more by being on a first name basis with him because he respects me not just as a student, but also as a person.

By allowing my students to address my by my first name, I feel that they will have more respect for me and feel comfortable coming to me for help. High school is a hard time for most, if not all, teenagers. That said, they need a supportive, caring adult (not a parent) who understands the struggles they face. What person would be more suitable to help teenagers than a high school teacher? It is my hope that my students will see me as a teacher who cares about them not just as students, but also as people.