A Phd teaching 1st Grade

[MushyMushy]

I see no problem with someone who has earned the title "doctor" in education using it when they are acting in the their professional capacity, such as when they are sending correspondence home to the parents of the children they teach.

If you correspondence from your medical doctor regarding your health issues, you don't expect her to sign it "Love-Sue" do you?

Sounds to me like a few parents in the classroom are a little intimidated by someone they may think is smarter than them.

I see that A LOT where I live. I rarely tell people in my town my level of education. A good many people around here sneer at those who are college educated. It's better than it was 20-30 years ago, but holy cow, some people here take a personal offense to those who get their degrees.

 

[hiwaygal]

I see no problem with someone who has earned the title "doctor" in education using it when they are acting in the their professional capacity, such as when they are sending correspondence home to the parents of the children they teach.

This is his title and this is his profession. Why wouldn't you expect him to use that title in a professional setting?

 

[Rozzie]

It is never too early for kids to learn that there are different degrees and people are accorded titles based on those degrees.

100% agree!

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

I think the title of "Dr." may be a little intimidating for a 6 year old. It doesn't give you the warm and fuzzies, ya know?

 

[DawnCt1]

See that's the part I don't get.

If you have a PHD, why the heck are you teaching 1st Grade???

Parents it seems want it both ways. They scream because they feel that some of the teachers aren't qualified, and then, when the love teaching, believe in education and pursue an advanced degree in it, they question the motives of the teacher and put forth a "what's wrong with them" type question. Maybe they need to ask, "What is right with them and where can we get more?"

 

[klmall]

I recently retired after 36 years in education (22 teaching middle school and 4 training teachers in a high school plus scads working in special central office programs serving many schools) and both of my experiences with those who insisted on using the Doctor title were extremely negative. The one situation in an elementary school where the principal insisted on being called Doctor Smith was really just the tip of her very cold iceberg personality and her teachers (whom I worked with in a special program on a weekly basis) were very uncomfortable with her. Sad thing was, when she retired and died of cancer a year later almost no former teachers showed to her local funeral.

My other experience was with an assistant principal in my school who even in very low-key, small group situations still insisted on being called Doctor Jones. Everyone else would be introduced in the small group as e.g. Susy, Karen, Mike etc. and she would still introduce herself as Dr. Jones. It also just epitomized her thinking about herself. I and several other experienced staff members had continual run-ins over minor procedural issues NOT the important big things in a high school like improving attendance, changing student attitudes about school etc. As is typical in that school system she was quickly promoted to a higher position in central office where everyone could give her the respect she was due.

There were several teachers with doctorates in schools where I worked but none insisted on being called Doctor. They might have shared this fact with parents at Back-To-School Night given that our county is so status quo conscious but the students would be so turned off, especially high school students!

JMO

 

[DawnCt1]

while I think it is earned I don;t think it needs to be mentioned 3 or 4 times in one note

Do you think it would have ever been noticed if it said "Mrs" three or four times?

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

They might have shared this fact with parents at Back-To-School Night given that our county is so status quo conscious but the students would be so turned off, especially high school students!

JMO

Montgomery, by chance? Several teachers in my son's middle school have doctorates, however they all go by Mr. or Ms. with the kids.

 

[DawnCt1]

I think the title of "Dr." may be a little intimidating for a 6 year old. It doesn't give you the warm and fuzzies, ya know?

Well maybe some parents would think that Mr. and Mrs. is a bit too formal. How about having the kids not even bother raising their hands but just get up and say "Hey Jane, I am going to the bathroom" and when they pass the principal in the hall, what's wrong with, "Hey Bob, whaddup?"

 

[klmall]

Montgomery, by chance? Several teachers in my son's middle school have doctorates, however they all go by Mr. or Ms. with the kids.

Is it that obvious? LOL

 

[addicted_to_WDW]

Is it that obvious? LOL

Yep, easy to recognize the culture here, eh?

 

[RitaZ.]

I don't see a problem with it. Some of the teachers at DD's school have doctorate degrees. Yes, the students do address them as Dr.. The one that teaches 5th grade is a lovely person and great teacher. I wish my son would have been in her class last year.

 

[figment52]

DSs had two doctorate prepared teachers during their public school days. I have to tell you that they were the nicest, most available, most excited about their courses when compared to all of the other teachers. One of them retired and is now teaching at a university. What did the kids call them; "Dr" and in one case it was shortened to Doc D***. Its not pretentious, its not demanding, its what was earned and reflects the level of their education. It is never too early for kids to learn that there are different degrees and people are accorded titles based on those degrees.

ITA - if they have earned the dregree they have earned the title and the recognition.

 

[manning]

This is one time Dr Smith fits perfectly into that PHD joke

Piled Higher and Deeper

 

[Kath2003]

My housemate is a Dr. He's training to do high school teaching with me next year.

I had several teachers in school who had the title Dr. They've worked for it, they're entitled to use it. It's hardly pretentious.

 

[MM27]

I had one college professor that allowed us, after finishing our degree program, to call her by her first name. Something to do with, we are now colleagues, not teacher/student. However, after having her for classes for 4 years and calling her Dr. it would be very weird.

If a person goes through all the work it takes to get a PhD, they deserve to have people call them by the Dr. title if they so choose.

 

[Daxx]

" Next week, Dr. Smith's class will have a field trip to the museum. Every child in Dr. Smith's class should pack a brown bag lunch. All children in Dr. Smith's class must return the permission slip by Monday. "

Me thinks Dr. Smith likes to hear the sound of her name being said over and over. Prob. the Dr. part in particular.

If I were writing this (re. of whether or not I had a PhD), I would've written:

"Next week, Dr. Smith's class will have a field trip to the museum. Every child should pack a brown bag lunch. All children must return the permission slip by Monday."

I do think that if a person has a title they want to be addressed by, that's what should be done.

I'm thinking that this year, I might have my students address me as "Your Highness" ... just for kicks, of course. I mean, it's not an official title after all. But, DH does end a lot of his sentences with "Yes, Your Highness", so maybe it is official?! Plus, I kind of like the way it sounds.

 

[Kath2003]

I had one college professor that allowed us, after finishing our degree program, to call her by her first name. Something to do with, we are now colleagues, not teacher/student. However, after having her for classes for 4 years and calling her Dr. it would be very weird.

If a person goes through all the work it takes to get a PhD, they deserve to have people call them by the Dr. title if they so choose.

We were allowed to call our professors in college by their first names even as an undergraduate. But, if we wanted to address them formally, we had to call them Dr. X or Professor Y. It's a mark of respect for something they worked very hard for.

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

I had one college professor that allowed us, after finishing our degree program, to call her by her first name. Something to do with, we are now colleagues, not teacher/student. However, after having her for classes for 4 years and calling her Dr. it would be very weird.

Reminds me of the time I ran into my old elementary school principal. I could not bring myself to call her by her first name no matter how many times she asked.
I also ran into several old elementary school teachers and a student teacher. Nope, sorry. No first names. Too weird.

Now a girl I went to school with is now a teacher at the same school as a woman who did her student teaching in our 5th grade class. How weird would that be?

I called the old student teacher Mrs. lastname but my classmate by her first name.

I am happy to call teachers whatever they would like. I don't think having PhD after your name has anything to do with the level of coldness or pretentiousness that a person has. One of my best teachers was a PhD in psychology. One of my worst teachers (where I took the F because I couldn't stand the class anymore) was a PhD in PolySci.

 

[bumbershoot]

Using my 1st grade teacher's name, how does it sound?

" Next week, Mrs Quinzi's class will have a field trip to the museum. Every child in Mrs Quinzi's class should pack a brown bag lunch. All children in Mrs Quinzi's class must return the permission slip by Monday. "

Sounds almost normal.

Sounds like the way most parents talk to their children, doesn't it? In third person?

"Now Johnny, give Mommy the ball, Mommy doesn't want Johnny to have that ball, b/c the dog just had the ball. Thank you Johnny, now Mommy will go make some lunch and Mommy will give you ice cream!"

Sorry, I'm twitching just a bit b/c 1. I let my son call me by my name, not my title, and 2. I can't stand hearing 3rd person speech (and don't do it).

But still, it's how most people talk, yes? So what's so wrong about it?

Calling someone by their earned title in an educational situation seems much more appropriate than calling them by their sex (Mr) or their combined sex and marriage status (Miss Mrs) or sex and neutrality on marriage status (Ms).