How do you address your kid's teacher when talking & in emails?

Question

Our new school year is about to start, and I'm hoping to get this right this year!
How are parents supposed to address kid's teacher in elementary school? In Kindergarten, it was Mr/Ms/Mrs all round, parents & teachers addressed each other formally.

In the last year, the teacher introduced herself to parents as Ms. Smith at back-to-school night. I always addressed her as Ms. Smith,but she used parents first names in emails/in person!
It is not a big deal, I guess. But, I'd like the addressing to be "equal",so I don't feel like a kid in class when helping out in the new room this year, she calling me 'Carol', and me addressing her 'Mrs. Wong'.... In fact, I just dont' want to call my kid's teachers by their first name...

If the teacher was on the older side & grandma-ish then I could understand it perhaps, but not when they are about my age!

So, question is, just curious to know how other parents/teachers address each other?

Answer 1

Always address each other as Mr., Miss, Mr. , Ms.

My daughters teachers always addressed me the same.

Answer 2

I address the parents as Mrs./Ms./Mr. unless they tell me to address them differently. They address me the same,sometimes I even tell the parents to address me as Ms(first name). The parents do not feel as intimidated when they are allowed to do so. When I taught pre-K, the children were allowed to call me Ms(first name). I think this would be okay for Kindergarten as well. However I think that children should address the teacher using the last name when they get to first grade

Answer 3

well , although i am sure she was trying to seem kind, it was out of line for her to do that Mr/Mrs smith, and the same goes for the teacher addressing you, although i think it has become difficult for teachers now a days because a lot of parents have different last names then there children, , i don't allow my children to call any adult by there first name even if a mr or mrs is in front of it, some parents get upset and try to insist my kids use there first name but i am proud to say my children will not, i also do not allow my childrens friends to call me melissa or mrs/miss melissa, my name is mrs stone, and now i do not even have to correct my children do it for me, so maybe i am not the one to ask about this because i am old school,

Answer 4

It depends for me. I live in a very small town and I knew most of my kids teachers before they were in the class. In an email or phone conversation I usually go with first name if I was on a first name basis before. If I didn't know the teacher before I usually address them as Mrs. Smith etc. I usually refer to the teacher as Mrs. Smith in front of my child unless they were also on a first name basis with their teacher before they were in his/her class. It doesn't really matter what age the teacher is. I think you should show them respect no matter what their age. If the teacher doesn't know me, then I don't expect her to call me by my first name.

Answer 5

I have a son who graduated last year and a daughter going into second grade. I've always addressed teachers as Ms./Mrs./Mr. and really not considered how they addressed me. I looked at it that I was modeling respect for the position in front of my child.

Answer 6

I worked in the service industry for years and would always address people as Mr./Mrs./Miss, etc. unless they asked me to do otherwise. It is very unprofessional, regardless of the field she is in, and I would explain to the teacher you would prefer to be addressed as Mrs. Smith. I suspect if she were an older woman she would have better manners and called you Mrs!

Good Luck!

Answer 7

I call the teacher "Ms/Mr/Mrs. Lastname" until/unless they ask me to call them by their first name. And, even then, when speaking to my child about his/her teacher, I use "Ms/Mr/Mrs. Lastname" unless the teacher has asked the children to use a different name (i.e. if they have a hard to pronounce last name & have shortened it to just first initial for the kids).

Doesn't matter what the teacher calls me in return at all. That's up to him or her.

Answer 8

I addressed my girl's teachers by Ms/Mrs/Mdm so and so.. while they addressed me as so-so's mother.... :) I think that's fair.

As for that Ms Smith, I would think that's rude for her to address her students' by their names when the parents addressed her as Ms so and so...

However, on the other hand, her method of addressing was merely trying to sound friendly and closer to the parent :)

Answer 9

If its a very old teacher, I agree to call them Mr. or Mrs. Whatever.

If their you're age, call them Mr./Ms./Mrs. also. Its kind of to respect them for teaching your kids throughout the school year.

Thats how my parents do it, at least (I'm in 8th grade).

Answer 10

I like Mr& Mrs for both, but so many people use first names now. Establish your own boundaries.