I would (or would have) said "Sir, ...." and I would have had enough respect to not sneer.
What is it in my post that indicates a lack of respect? don allen wrote: > > John- > > I would suggest that respect is a two-way street. If you want students to > call you by a title to show respect for, "what we have done and what we do" > then how do you show them respect for what they have done and do? I agree > that respect is important - but it should be mutual respect. I would much > rather have a student say respectfully, "Don, could you go over that one > more time? I really don't understand it" than to have a student sneeringly > say, "Sir, your lecture is very unclear". > > -Don > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "John W. Nichols, M.A." <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: "Teaching in the Psychological Sciences" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2004 12:00 PM > Subject: Re: Don't Call Me Mister > > > Obviously, "Mister" is not only acceptable, but also appropriate in my > > case. I have no problem with it being used. > > > > I used to tell my students (back in the old days when I actually saw > > them) they could call me "Mister", "Professor", or "Master" - anything > > except "Dr.". When asked what the M.A. stands for, I respond "Master of > > All things" (which, while true, seems to let them know that I am not too > > concerned about degreeism). > > > > I do not like for students to call me "John". That suggests a degree of > > familiarity that I do not care for since ours is a professional > > relationship. It is just my opinion - but it is my educated opinion - > > that teachers (like parents) should not be their friends. We worked > > hard to become what we are. We have earned, and deserve, respect for > > what we have done and what we do. That, of course, assumes that one > > respects learning, knowledge and education. Using first names does not > > show respect. (OK, true, it is not that hard to become a parent. It > > is, in fact, more fun than work. Parents, however, still deserve > > respect.) > > > > I was raised in a military family. I would have never even considered > > not saying "Sir" or "My-yam" (I was also raised in the far, deep South) > > when addressing an adult. Even today, I use the terms when addressing a > > superior or senior person. I do not view it as a demeaning thing for me > > to do but, rather, as simply a proper display of respect. (I have been > > known to use other terms when respect was absent.) > > > > Again, it is only my opinion (though I know I am right), that many of > > the problems seen in schools (and families) today result from a failure > > to teach students (and children) to show proper respect for those who > > deserve it by their effort, actions or status. If students do not > > respect their teachers, I seriously doubt that they can be expected to > > respect and appreciate what they are taught. I suggest that lack of > > respect is a large part of the cause for innumeracy as well as ignorance > > about geography, science, history, and so many other subjects we teach. > > Is there an academic subject in which American students rank 1st in the > > world? I think that the effort to be friends and to be informal is > > misguided and actually contributes to the problem. > > (I have certainly seen ample evidence of lack of respect and > > appreciation for parents in many young people in recent years. Too > > little respect, parents who want to be friends of their kids, and > > excessive self-esteem, are to blame. That is just my opinion, of > > course.) > > > > I do not become violent when a student addresses my by my first name. I > > do, however, become wary of their motivation and I think a bit less of > > them and their upbringing. > > > > My solution to the problem of how to sign emails is pretty simple. I do > > not sign individual emails. I use a .sig file on all of my professional > > accounts, just like the one below. That seems to me to be sufficient. > > It shows all of the necessary information, in a properly formal way, for > > a professional relationship. That is how I view our relationship with > > students. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > "Karl L. Wuensch" wrote: > > > > > > Freshmen in my intro class often call me 'Mister,' which I don't > > > like. I prefer first names, but if they must be formal, I prefer > > > 'Professor' or 'Doctor.' I found a brief discussion of this put up by > > > UCF, at > > > > http://www.ucfnews.com/news/2003/06/25/Lifestyles/Whats.In.A.Name.How.To.Add > ress.A.Professor.In.Class-440611.shtml . > > > Do you all speak to your freshman about how to address professors? > > > > > > http://core.ecu.edu/psyc/wuenschk/Professor.htm > > > > > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > > > Karl L. Wuensch, Department of Psychology, > > > East Carolina University, Greenville NC 27858-4353 > > > Voice: 252-328-4102 Fax: 252-328-6283 > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > http://core.ecu.edu/psyc/wuenschk/klw.htm > > > > > > --- > > > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > To unsubscribe send a blank email to > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > -- > > > > ----------==========>>>>>>>>>> ��� <<<<<<<<<<==========---------- > > Sometimes you just have to try something, and see what happens. > > > > John W. Nichols, M.A. > > Assistant Professor of Psychology > > Tulsa Community College > > 909 S. Boston Ave., Tulsa, OK 74119 > > (918) 595-7134 > > > > Home: http://www.tulsa.oklahoma.net/~jnichols > > MegaPsych: http://www.tulsa.oklahoma.net/~jnichols/megapsych.html > > > > --- > > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > --- > You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- ----------==========>>>>>>>>>> ��� <<<<<<<<<<==========---------- Sometimes you just have to try something, and see what happens. John W. Nichols, M.A. Assistant Professor of Psychology Tulsa Community College 909 S. Boston Ave., Tulsa, OK 74119 (918) 595-7134 Home: http://www.tulsa.oklahoma.net/~jnichols MegaPsych: http://www.tulsa.oklahoma.net/~jnichols/megapsych.html --- You are currently subscribed to tips as: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
