Professor So-and-So?
 

I was in class today, and despite my professor insisting on my calling him "Josh," I have to call him "Mr. Johnston."

I find it disrespectful to call your professor by their first names - or anything apart from the traditional title and family name. But recently, I guess I realize it's a fairly silly notion.

So. How many of you call your professors by their first name? Does it bother you? Are you accustomed to it? Do you approve of it? Or do you feel that the traditional way is correct?

I go by with what the teacher sais on the very first day of class. Whatever he wants to be called. If he wants to be called by his first name, go right ahead. Mr So-and-So? Thats fine too. I just usualy say "Sir?" and leave it at that.

The head of my school's ECE department insists on being called Tewks (his name is Tewksbury) and if you don't call him that, he doesn't respond to you.

I tend to play it safe and not call them anything. If I need to speak with a professor, I go up to them and say "Excuse me?" Some people prefer calling the "Professor" or "Doctor" or Mr. this and Mrs. that, and it all just gets too confusing. That, and it has occured on more than one occasion that I cannot remember the teacher's name for the life of me.

Depends on the teacher. My grad advisor is Carlos. The grad student I've known for three years and recently became a teacher? Yea, he's Dan. The rest tend to get Dr. or Professor before their name. Once we become friends, though... I tend to go to the first name in private.

In Norway you always call your teacher by first name. I'm taking a semester in the states now, and it's been hard getting used to the Mr. and Ms. and so on...

Do you guys prefer the first name system? I mean, I was wondering if I am the only one who finds it mildly....uh.....improper, I guess. =/

The Mr. or Dr. is so ritualized... but yea, I like it. I like the distinction between student/teacher. I always have.

I never did mind either way. It would be considered more respectful to call someone by their title and last name, I guess.

It's all about what you're used to I guess. Calling someone by last name seems very old-fashioned in Norway. And it doesn't feel disrespectful at all to use first names. But being here at an american college, with everyone refering to their professors by title, it's different... everyone else is using last names, so I do it as well.

Actually, for me, it's odd. I don't really like to call people older than me who aren't my parents...erm, anything. Like I've never reffered to my friends parents while speaking to them in any way, unless referring to thier spouse. Calling them Mr. so and so seems to formal, but I don't want to call them by thier first name either. Weird, I know.

My one art professor is this dude who I can't really take to seriously, so I don't want to call him Professor Bonelli, but I don't really want to call him Paul either, that'd be weird. But I've had professors who said that they're ok with the first name thing. I'm just not too comfortable with it myself.

It's "Hey you, wait". Always has been.

Why do they run away from students.

I have trouble with this, too. I'm pretty sure that I'll always call my dissertation advisor Dr. Walker, instead of Bruce, even though I visit him from time to time. There's still a kind of mystique about the Ph.D that garners that kind of respect, even though I've got one as well.

I do address most of my professors by "Professor" or "Dcctor." I usually leave out first name and last name, since those tend to get long. Two years ago I had a professor Dr. Tits, and I just felt uncomfortable addressing him as Professor Tits. I call my TAs by their first name, though.

I don't know why, but I find it improper as hell to call my professors by their first name, as well. I guess I am probably more conservative than I would like to believe. It's the same with any 'old' person (i.e. my parents' age); I can't really call anyone by his or her first name if they are that much older than me. But, like has been stated, Mr. So-and-so sounds really formal, for a friend's parent. For professors, though, I think that the formal title is fine, seeing as how a university is supposed to be formal.

I think we need a 'semi-formal' title.

well I always call them Professor(of course the equivalent in spanish) sometimes I just do it blindly since this term is different for each gender in spanish so I end up calling the female teachers using the term for male ones and things like that, but I try to keep a dinstiction as long as I can.

80% of all the professors I've had in college insist on me calling them by their first name. Some try to grasp on some level of youth to the same level of buying a porsche and hitting on the blonde with big tits. Some try to act affable and friendly to the class, only the crush you with the midterm and work load. Some... are just freaks I guess. Maybe when I get into the graduate level they'll stop doing shit like this.

Personally I find it dumb more than disrespectful. Up until I entered university, I didn't call ANY teacher by their first name. Shouldn't it stand to reason that it'd be more so true in college?

Good topic.

I'm always facing the dilemna of whether or not to call a professor by their first name. Especially when some are doctors too.

My friends call them by their first name, but I'm not comfortable with that for some reason.

I play it diplomatically and call them sir, sir. :kitsune:

I usually just say Professor or something vaguely, and not by their names. I find it weird calling their first names, even though one teacher said it's okay to do so. Back in high school they insisted on using Mr. Mrs. though. Maybe that's when I grew the habit of not using the first name.

Usually sir, or ma'am. It's just because I prefer to keep distance between the student and the teacher, out of respect. I think that it's normal to respect people who have more knowledge about a certain subject than you, and since they want to teach it to you, there needs to be a certain distance.

Some of my classmates have different thoughts about it, they just call them by their first names, and some of the profs don't seem to appreciate it. We even have one geek who only calls them by their last name, which is incredibly disrespectful in my eyes.

I, along with everyone else in my school, calls the Robotics teacher Mr. Abraham "Joe". I'm not really sure why, either. Only thing I could think of is he's a really laid back guy. I don't mind it, either. I see no reason why all teachers shouldn't be called by their first name.

I used to call my teachers by their first names, as it didn't seem to bother them at all. At times, I used to call them "Teacher", "Miss" or "Sir", but the last two were quite rare. I don't feel uncomfortable doing it so as long as it doesn't bothers them. I think, at least here, the traditional way bothers the teachers because it makes them look as if they aren't people. Anything for me works.

I avoid name all together when talking to professors. There is usually no need to be personal and things still sound proffessional if no names are used =D

i call my lecturers/tutors whatever they asked to be called, it can't be rude to call them by their first name if they ask to be. though sometimes if i'm unfamiliar with them i call them by Mr. xx or just try to catch their attention without mentioning their name/title. though i guess it also depends on the lecturer, one of my lecturers last year insisted we called him by his first name and would even go to the pub with us to go over our module problems. while a teacher of mine who had a long complicated greek name insisted you addressed her fully as Dr Papakosta...(forgotten the rest now) or she would just ignore you, you could only call her Dr P if she liked you, ie was taking A level chemistry.

I've had two professors who have insisted that everyone call them by their first names. I don't see anything disrespectful about it; if they don't want the honorific title, why press the issue? Everyone else is "Doctor <>" or "Professor <>," though, even my advisor, who'd seem like the kind of person who'd do a first name basis thing.

Interestingly enough, they're both math professors.

We use the first name here in Denmark. Titles are not so important to us =P

An exchange student from the states have told me that we have a more relaxed atmosphere in school compared to the US.. I guess that can be both good and bad =P

I always feel really awkward about calling my lecturerers by their first names, I'm not so sure why since I don't really have issues about calling the older people at my work by their first names (except for the manager). I guess I just feel that since they all have doctorates and that, that they deserve a bit more respect!

All my theatre teachers go by their first names. I'm not sure why; I think it was a staff decision, cause it's completely unanimous. If I called Bob "Dr. Yowell," not only would I get strange looks, but I don't think he'd respond. But there is a different level of familiarity in our department, I think. Most professors I know won't go out for coffee with their students on a regular basis, or invite a bunch of them over to their house for dinner.

My english professors I refer to by their last names (no Mr. or Ms. or Dr.) when I'm talking about them, and since most of them haven't really clarified what they'd like to be called, if I'm talking to them and need to use their name for some reason I'll usually just say "Professor." I don't refer to adults by their first names unless they're introduced that way; it still seems disrespectful. But I have no problem doing it if that's what they'd prefer.

In school it was strictly Miss/Sir or Mr/Mrs [surname], but in college and uni the teachers and lecturers I've had have tended to prefer first names. I still used Sir most of the time in college, but now at uni it's pretty much first names all the way. That seems to be how they prefer it; making themselves appear more approachable to students in a more friendly manner or something like that. Although I think calling them Miss/Sir is more respectful, it's not really how it's done in uni here.

hahaha... i have a greek teacher called "colin"....hehehe... he likes it though cos our class consists of 3 people...
Tom

Throughout high school, everyone had to call the teachers "sir" or "miss". However, when I started college it was pretty weird when all the teachers told us to call them by their first names. Once I got settled in though, I realised the teachers were all really laid back so it's not so weird to yell out their names to get their attention. I don't find it disrespectful to be honest, mainly because my teachers don't have that authoritive presence like the teachers in high school did.

Similarly to Sian, up until college I've been asking for teachers by using their second names and titles, but at college it's far more casual and while it took some time to get used to it, I've been referring to teachers by their first names.

I found it extremely difficult to get used to and when called upon even now I usually reply with "Yes, Sir?" or something similar.

I do as you say as well, or simply call it as "professor" althought not all like that

In the Chinese context, "teacher" as a term can be as respectful while familiar at the same time when it comes to addressing a teacher, at least the way I remember it. Although it doesn't seem to be the case in English.

I can hardly remember any names from my past professors, and usually don't really bother to take the time to learn their name, shame on me. >.> Since my interactions with college professors usually limit to just the lectures, I usually don't get beyond just "professor", or a bit more then professor so and so.

Although certain professor really makes a strong impression, such as the Crazy (in an awesome way) German Professor.

I never have. Either it's understood that their last name must be used, or they give us another name to use.

One of my professors wants everyone to call him "Doc."

I also just call them by what they asked to be called, which happens to be Professor ____ or Dr. _____. I've only had one teacher so far that let the class call her by her first name, so I accordingly did so.

I have a bad habit of calling everybody "Excuse Me" or, alternatively, "Hey".

Unless they are a close friend or family member I am used to, I really don't use names.

I guess this is why I can never remember the names of new people.

Actually, I'm like that with friends too. I'll call someone like a teacher by their name to get their attention if I have to, but friends I'll just walk up to or say "hey" or something without having to use names. It's quite weird really. =\

My Commerce professor always speaks as if we'd call her by her first name in her examples: eg. "but you might say to me, Rita? Why is this a viable option? I'll explain then that this way..." Although no one ever calls her by her first name when addressing her, it's always just Prof. <last name>.

Some professors are spoken to with "Prof. <last name>" while others seem to have their names better suited if they are said as "Dr. <last name>" (such as our psych professor who only visited us once ever and left us to learn from his video lectures). It feels awkward and rude to me to dare using the first name only when addressing these intelligent people.

I didn't like it at all when people called me Mr. Brooks. I absolutely hated it.

As a teacher, I didn't want to elevate myself above my students. I wasn't working on disciplining people or trying to make them better people, persay. I just wanted them to learn some material and it is silly to not try and connect with college students on a peer level.

I think putting yourself on the same level enhances the learning experience, because, as a teacher, I didn't have all the answers (or didn't want to reveal that I did), so I wanted people to work out problems not like they were trying to impress me, but just as two people who shared a common interest in the same subject.

I have never and will never call a teacher by their first name. Unless its the principal just to be an asshole. My High School principals name was Peter so I'd call him Petey just to bug him. I didn't last very long in High School come to think of it...Oh well.

We call our teachers by their first names here in Brazil. In fact, if you call your teacher "Mr. something" or "Mrs. Someone", people will think you're a geek!

Just like BlueMikey, I am a teacher now and I don't like when my students call me "mr.". By the way, I'm still a student, so why should I demand such formalities? Nonsense, in my opinion.

I never really felt comfortable with calling professors by their first name. Some of the younger professors in college do encourage this, but they usually end up as "Sir <first name>" or "Ma'am <first name>" -- an acceptable compromise in the Philippines.

Of course in med school there's a healthy amount of Doctor this, Doctor that. I've since encountered people who get really pissed off when someone forgets to address them as Doctor or add the M.D. after their name. In any occasion. A healthy amount of respect is good, but shit, let's not be so insecure about it.

It depends on the context, sort of. Generally I prefer calling them Mr./Mrs./Professor whatever, since in my mind that's the appropiate student/teacher relationship. If things were to progress to the point where we might be casual acquaintances, then I would probably feel more comfortable calling them by their first name.

Really though, it's mostly what the teacher tells us to call them. I had one Statistics teacher who insisted everyone call him "Frank" (because he was) and that's what I ended up doing. Though, I usually sidestepped the problem entirely by avoiding saying his name. <_<

I usually avoid the problem by just calling him/her "professor."

"Hi, professor."
"Oh, professor, I had a question...."

I can understand how, being a professor, the constant formality can be grating, but it just feels so horribly awkward to start calling a guy that's easily 30 years older than I am by his first name. It doesn't feel as awkward when the professor is a woman, (lol sexism?) but I still avoid it.

I have professors who want you to call them by there first names, but I find that to be awkward. So it is always "Sir", "Ma'am" "Professor so and so", "Dr. so and so", ect.
I suppose it has to do with how I was raised, that it is disrespectful to call a teacher or someone much older then you by there first name. I just can't make myself call them by there first names.

I've always wondered about that: If I say, "Call me Mike" and you don't, isn't that disrespectful? Isn't it more impolite to disregard how a person wants you to address him than to speak to him in the requested, informal way?

It used to be the norm during school to call our teachers either "Mr" or "Miss" or whatever. In college, most of my teachers insist on calling the by their first names. Took me a while to get used to it, as I found it slightly un-nerving to call people with a higher status than me by their first names.

I call teachers that allow it by their first name. I think it's dumb that people require you to call them by their last name, I suppose in the 1800's it was respectful, but I feel that that pointless culture-quirk has value no longer.

Well right now I only have one class that applies to this. First day she said "call me Kelly, or Ms. Stady, whatever you want." However I've never once said her name. To me, using Miss, Ms. Mrs. seems way too "high school", but using their first name just weirds me out. So I'm left with nothing.

It depends on my professor, really. There were some of them who were younger and didn't like being called Professor, so their first name was easy to use. Others were older and it was just natural. There was one who insisted you use his "Dr." title... guess he earned it, I suppose.

I agree with Diversion, it really depends who which on of them I'm talking to. I usually just default to calling them sir or miss/madame (depending on what class I'm in) if I have to give them a title. Mostly I don't even have to call them by any name, one of us will just start talking.

Ahaha, too true.

I've never used anything polite, like Mr. or Ms. but then again, in Finland no student is polite enough to use that kind of language. Or wasn't in our school.

Rule 1: Dont look your professor directly in the eyes
Rule 2: Do not speak unless your professor has asked you a question
I haven't talked to my professors enough to really get on a first name basis, but I just say Dr.________

Really it depends on how well I know the person. If they ask that I call them Mr. or Mrs. something, then yes I will. But if I know them really well outside of school and things are much more casual, then it's Dick, Jane, etc.

Take for example: I have a teacher named Lauren Monko. I am not in school anymore, so whenever we see each other I call her Lauren (this is with her permission), but if we're ever in front of her students, it's "Mrs. Monko". See?

Depending on the teacher, I have come to accept that I can call a teacher by their first time. Sometimes I do it when I cant pronounce their last name.

It is wierd to be able to talk so casually with teachers when for 13 years or so I was taught "That's MRS. so-and-so" or "MR. so-and-so"

Well, I don't have any professors, but I have been raised to call elders by Mrs. or Mr. {insert last name}. However, I usually try to mention names when I talk. First of all, they know I'm talking to them and, if not, I can grab their attention somehow.

Usually I just default to "Professor so-and-so", since I don't bother keeping up on who has a doctorate and who doesn't. There's been a stray teacher who insisted on being called by their first name, which felt a bit weird, and my Japanese teacher went by Kubota-sensei, but most teachers seem fine with "Professor".

Hmm. I guess it depends. I'm in a west coast school where everything is pretty informal, and so I assume the default of first name. But coming from Africa it definately felt weird for a while not calling everyone sir or madam and by their last names. But I guess I take a cue from how they address themselves. Some ask specifically for first-name basis, some implicitly by signing off as Jeremy in their e-mails or Dr. Mesa. Failing that, if s/he's a cool, young and friendly person, I assume first names. If they're an old fuddy-duddy (I've wanted to say that for ages!), then it's Pr. Palumbo-Liu or whatever.