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It curious though a father who helps a few kids in the neighborhood learn the rules of football is forever "coach" yet teachers of other subjects have no title unless some other school gives them a doctoral degree and adults address their teachers by a title.
Since children no longer have to salute the flag if they don't "want" to, nor do they have to learn other things if they don't "want" to, I've no doubt it will become the norm to call a teacher by a nickname if the child wants to.
I realize some of what I've said isn't exactly reality, but it's sort of the point. Let the minority decide!
Is it just to give them some formal version of respect since they tend to be incompetent to start out with?
I think it would be much better for teachers to use first names when teaching a class. It would be much easier for the students to connect with the teacher than hiding behind a useless title.
I don't think using a title helps much in class control. I've seen really terrible managers of class control still have a title.
Are they allowed to use their first name if they wish?
What I'm asking basically is have teachers always used titles while teaching or is there some strange research that makes some claim?
Calling anyone by any name does not affect the abilities of an individual.
However, in any society there is a custom as to how to refer to people of different level. By levels it could mean age, position, profession, etc.
What that does is inculcate certain norms. Norms are not necessarily bad or good. They are just unwritten expectations from the community.
The OP does seem to show an agenda against teachers as much as the message tries to be unbiased by labeling as incompetent from the get go. So it will not matter what we may say, the OP already has a negative attitude against teachers.
Under a proper environment using titles in any area of life does seem to subconsciously remind people of respect to recognize that individual's position, education, experience, etc.
To a degree I think that the view that respect must be earned has validity. However, when an individual has a position of respect people at least may need to be bound to respect the position.
I suppose the OP is of the generation where norm boundaries need to be deleted. In time the OP's views may propagate and teachers may not be addressed as we do today, who knows.
Society's norms do change. Look at the younger generation as compared to let us say two generations ago. People of the WWII generation in general are horrified to see someone go to work with torn jeans and other peculiar behavior they did not accept. Yet, some of those things are now looked as normal.
However, I do not care how open minded the OP may try to be, in the end the OP will also expect some things of people in some way or another. That happens with every generation. The OP's children and grandchildren will argue for some change also and the OP will defend own views.
I will not do research for the OP to look at his own and counter mine to support his apparent disdain for teachers.
However, I will say that maintaining certain norms in society does help keep a society together in some ways. Total anarchy of any kinds is not healthy for any society in my opinion. Take care.
Why do people in some countries bow or curtsy to a king or queen? A sign of respect.
Why does everyone have to refer to the judge in a courtroom as "Your Honor"? A sign of respect.
Why is Barack Obama referred to as "Mr. President" by everyone on his staff? A sign of respect.
Why should we speak quietly and be careful where we walk in a cemetery? To be respectful.
In Japanese culture, not only does bowing show respect, but the longer in duration, and the lower the bend of the bow, the more respect it shows. OP, it will get you nowhere you nowhere to ask "What is it about bending at the waist that has anything to do with respect?" It's just a custom. It's just the way it is.
And in my experiences, in the Midwest of the US, it is respectful for children to call teachers (or any adult) as Miss, Mrs, Mr, Ma'am, Sir, etc.
Why do people in some countries bow or curtsy to a king or queen? A sign of respect.
Why does everyone have to refer to the judge in a courtroom as "Your Honor"? A sign of respect.
Why is Barack Obama referred to as "Mr. President" by everyone on his staff? A sign of respect.
Why should we speak quietly and be careful where we walk in a cemetery? To be respectful.
In Japanese culture, not only does bowing show respect, but the longer in duration, and the lower the bend of the bow, the more respect it shows. OP, it will get you nowhere you nowhere to ask "What is it about bending at the waist that has anything to do with respect?" It's just a custom. It's just the way it is.
And in my experiences, in the Midwest of the US, it is respectful for children to call teachers (or any adult) as Miss, Mrs, Mr, Ma'am, Sir, etc.
It reminds me of Korea, Germany, and Saudi Arabia when I was stationed in those places.
Again, I believe the OP seems to show disdain for teachers and possibly authority for some reason. I like your comment "just are". Take care.
Why do people in some countries bow or curtsy to a king or queen? A sign of respect.
Why does everyone have to refer to the judge in a courtroom as "Your Honor"? A sign of respect.
Why is Barack Obama referred to as "Mr. President" by everyone on his staff? A sign of respect.
Why should we speak quietly and be careful where we walk in a cemetery? To be respectful.
In Japanese culture, not only does bowing show respect, but the longer in duration, and the lower the bend of the bow, the more respect it shows. OP, it will get you nowhere you nowhere to ask "What is it about bending at the waist that has anything to do with respect?" It's just a custom. It's just the way it is.
And in my experiences, in the Midwest of the US, it is respectful for children to call teachers (or any adult) as Miss, Mrs, Mr, Ma'am, Sir, etc.
So if a popular student convinced his entire school to bow to him when he passed in the hallway and claimed it was a "custom and manner" of the school, should the remaining holdouts be forced to or considered disrespectful?
The popular student could always just claim the customs and manners of the school "just are."
Calling someone by their first name does not lessen any respect that you are showing them. Teachers are called by their first names in my country and there doesn't seem to be a problem with classroom management whereas I remember classrooms being wild when I was in school in the UK and teachers were addressed as Sir or Miss (Or Mr. Lastname, Miss Lastname).
Respect is shown by the tone in which you speak and the attitude you have, rather than the title you use. And I do think it does create a friendly atmosphere when first names are used, which can help the children feel more at ease and open to learning.
So if a popular student convinced his entire school to bow to him when he passed in the hallway and claimed it was a "custom and manner" of the school, should the remaining holdouts be forced to or considered disrespectful?
The popular student could always just claim the customs and manners of the school "just are."
Wrong. The teacher example at the OP is about a custom that is usually in a general area.
Your example does not meet that criteria by someone just showing up and demanding to be addressed in a certain way.
However, the student can do that if he/she wants to and those that may want to can follow his request. That could be the custom for let us say his group and that is fine also. It becomes "just are" by that group. Take care.
Calling someone by their first name does not lessen any respect that you are showing them. Teachers are called by their first names in my country and there doesn't seem to be a problem with classroom management whereas I remember classrooms being wild when I was in school in the UK and teachers were addressed as Sir or Miss (Or Mr. Lastname, Miss Lastname).
Respect is shown by the tone in which you speak and the attitude you have, rather than the title you use. And I do think it does create a friendly atmosphere when first names are used, which can help the children feel more at ease and open to learning.
I agree with the concept you bring up.
The addressing people in certain ways around the world is simply a custom for each region though.
Each region in the world has set their own customs to recognize a position, age, etc. Regardless of the views of some people that society does go along with such customs because that society feels they are entitled to such form of respect.
To YOU first names creates a friendly atmosphere but it is no different if someone believes otherwise and that person can be as correct as you are, different points of view. Different ways to skin a cat? Take care.
Where I live in Florida, teachers are referred to by Mr./Mrs./Miss/Ms. <insert first name>. Not being from around here I found it strange. What's more bothersome, and I don't know that the behaviors are necessarily related, is that both students and (unfortunately) adults who grew up here also do not look people in the eye if they perceive that the other person is 'above them' in terms of authority and/or financial well-being.
In any regard, it's a bit cringe-worthy and I've even had to repeatedly ask some of my own employees not to do these things; I'm not a slave owner and I don't believe that people who work for a living are less worthy of respect. My wife believes I'm reading to much into it. Perhaps with regards to the children doing it, I am, but I just don't believe that's the case where the adults are concerned. And, it seems to me that the adults who do this are doing so because it's engrained at a young age.
Sorry for the tangent.
As it pertains to the OP, I think it's just a matter of traditional respect afforded to various professions. You don't refer to the officer that pulled you over as "Jack," and you don't call your doctor's office to ask to speak with "Jill" in most cases. I believe the same applies (or at least ought to) for teachers, who not only spend more time with our children than we do, but also provide them with a necessity in the form of education that we either cannot or do not have time for. Bills don't pay themselves, after all.
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