Previously our school team were known by their titles and surnames (Mr Smith and Miss Smith). This raised an interesting question and two 'schools of thought' (excuse the pun) emerged. Firstly, in favour of using first names; Calling teachers by their first name is a values-driven choice. It helps to build connections, break down barriers, build a sense of belonging and build mutual respect between adults and students. Students develop strong relationships with their teachers and they are less afraid to make mistakes or advocate for themselves because of this. 

 

The anxiety of talking to a “grown-up” is diminished and many students speak of a sense of respect and empowerment. Research shows that students in psychologically safe classroom environments reported greater self-confidence and well-being. This should be the number one priority, as it means removing barriers to participation and learning for neurodivergent students.

 

By fostering positive relationships with each student, they’ll be more likely to speak up. It is a common misconception that calling teachers by their first name may lead to a loss of respect. However this is simply demonstrated to be untrue; the adults earn respect through their actions and not through their titles. It relies on the messages that students receive daily about their behaviour and about treating all people with respect, on the genuine interest that teachers take in students and their ideas and concerns, and on the opportunities students have to make choices and take initiative.

 

It instils a positive culture of mutual respect and high positive regard between students and staff.

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However you could also argue: 

Secondly, in favour of using titles and surnames; as our students grow and move forward to the next stages of their lives and learning they will be in situations where communication continues to be asymmetric in nature. This means that sometimes student will be required to speak differently to a lecturer or employer, for example, because they have a different role within a certain situation. Some of us have been fortunate enough to make friends in our workplaces, but yet we still understand there are small subtle differences in how we need to communicate whilst at work. This understanding of the subtle differences comes from our formative childhood experiences where we learn the importance of moderating our language based on explicit markers, such as "Mrs Y" or "Mr X". When we are younger the differences are made more obvious so that we are able to notice the very small differences as easily as possible.

 

Supporting students to use titles and names also gives them cultural capital and comparative experiences with students who attend mainstream settings, where this is a standard expectation. By having comparative experiences students are able to relate their own journey to the presentation they see in films and on TV of students attending school and feel a validation of their journey in relation to the 'typical' images presented within our culture. Many students feel a safety and security in using a title and a name as it is an expectation they have experienced and understand. This gives them the clear feeling of security and safety in the difference between home and school and the relationships they have in each place. It helps students to understand that although they may like a certain teacher, this teacher isn't their friend of course and the relationship they have is safe and close, but marked by a clear difference in expectation which is signalled by the use of a more formal name.

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You know your children best, so we did the most appropriate thing, and asked our parent community.