Guest Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 I was pondering (as you do) about the fact that in our setting the children call the staff 'auntie X'. This has been the case since forever and so I was wondering is this too old fashioned and what do children call the staff in other settings? I'd guess that in maintained settings it's Mrs/Miss/Ms X but what about those of you in PVI settings? Just being nosy really
Guest Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 In our pre-school the staff are addressed as Mrs and Miss. Many years ago we were known as Auntie but we decided this might confuse the children as we weren't their auntie. Anita
Guest Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 Where I am now children call us by our 1st name. In a previous place staff where called Mrs (then whatever their 1st name is). A friend I used to work there with is still called Mrs Alex by lots of people who knew her there, parents and children and friends of; quite amusing!!!
Guest Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 In our pre-school the staff are addressed as Mrs and Miss. Many years ago we were known as Auntie but we decided this might confuse the children as we weren't their auntie. Anita
dottyp Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 The children call us by our first names, just as well cos if they called out Mrs ...... I would turn round and expect to see my mother in law dottyp
Cait Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 (edited) We've always been Mrs and Miss - I used to work in the school classrooms too where adults are referred to by Mrs and Miss and would have been too confusing to be "Cait" in one place and "Mrs ..." in another ooh - plus, a lot of the parents of children in Preschool were in school in those times and know me as Mrs .. anyway Edited November 17, 2009 by Cait
Alison Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 we are all known by our first names but I like "auntie" it's cosy and promotes a family relationsip in nursery rather than the formal Mrs and Miss but call me old fashioned I think just first names are a little too informal, Auntie to me suggests alittle bit of respect but alot of affection the one small problem is not all parents like children calling non-family members Auntie alot of the children dont remember who's who and we end up getting called teacher which I hate or lady which is almost as annoying, Auntie would be a prefered alternative
Panders Posted November 17, 2009 Posted November 17, 2009 We are aunties - and I always explain it to parents how this came about, nobody has thought it too odd as far as I am aware, and they still call us "Auntie" outside!! some parents explain it to their children as us being their "special aunty", we are happy with that. I have thought about changing it every now and then but never came up with anything we really liked and if a child calls any one of us by our first name nobody corrects them, that way it becomes what the child is comfortable with.
dublinbay Posted November 18, 2009 Posted November 18, 2009 We use first names too although some children invariably call us teacher or lady.
narnia Posted November 18, 2009 Posted November 18, 2009 (edited) first names for us..................... Edited November 18, 2009 by narnia
Inge Posted November 18, 2009 Posted November 18, 2009 first names.... really dislike the Auntie myself... I am not their auntie or ever likely to be, this I feel should be reserved for the family members or if they wish close family friends at parents decision.. Have used Mrs or miss in past but became so confusing when we had 3 staff with same surname.. not related either, so changed... I am happy for child to call me by my christian name and parents all use it too. Never caused a problem when I went into school either, they called me mrs xxx there .. and never became confused.. different place, different name.. Inge
Guest Posted November 18, 2009 Posted November 18, 2009 In the nursery attached to our Children's Centre the staff, and me, are called Auntie. I found this uncomfortable at first after having been Mrs in schools for so many years but I've got used to it now. I've been told that in the Asian community, as we are, Auntie is used as a term of respect for older females.
Guest Posted November 18, 2009 Posted November 18, 2009 First names and even little nicknames, really informal and sweet!
Bigsue Posted November 18, 2009 Posted November 18, 2009 We have first names but nick names too. The names they call us often link to their key grouping i.e. Monkey Liz, Hedgehog Liz, Busy Bee Tracy and they call me Big Sue, I'm not big but years ago there was a smaller one but my name has just stayed thanks to the siblings in our village. Its funny when I hear across the supermarket HELLO BIG SUE people do look and stare but after all this time I am used to it
SueJ Posted November 18, 2009 Posted November 18, 2009 We are on first name terms too. The children soon give us nick names if it gets confusing - I've also been a big Sue - thankfully because I was taller than Little Sue rather than wider !
Beau Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 At my old setting it was always first names but at the one I am at now it is Mrs.... I have to say I don't like it at all! As someone else said, it feels like someone is addressing my mother in law, not me, as no one ever calls me Mrs....! I also don't get the whole respect thing - surely children can be respectful through their tone and manner without having to resort to a very formal term.
Upsy Daisy Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 I also don't get the whole respect thing - surely children can be respectful through their tone and manner without having to resort to a very formal term. Also I don't think a child is more likely to respect you just because they use a formal name to address you. Earning the respect of small children has a great deal more to it that choosing a name.
anju Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 first names with us. am so glad it's not 'auntie' I would hate that! I am Asian and yes, in Asian communities older females are respectfully called 'sister' or 'auntie', well the relevant Indian language words for those terms anyway. but I still wouldn't expect it in a nursery in England. used to be 'mrs' or 'ms' when teaching in school.
Guest Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 (edited) Thanks for your relies everyone. It's been great to get such a mix. I'd guess that the whole Auntie thing harks back to the days when a child would never call an adult by their first name but Mrs/Miss/Ms X was probably too formal for our setting. I think we'll stick with auntie for the rest of this academic year but I'm going to put a question about it in the next parents questionniare and discuss it in the next round of staff appraisal meetings. Then at least we'll see if everyone is happy and decide whether to carry on from next September We've been going for nearly 40 years and it's hilarious to look back at past meeting minutes. Our area is changing now but was traditionally VERY middle class. All of the committee members had names like Mrs Smythe-Hargrove or Mrs Lyndon-Booth (made up by the way but you get my meaning). I howled with laughter when I read the minutes from about 1975 when the 'ladies' were asked to donate pretty petticoats for the girls to dress up and would they ask their husbands to make some wooden guns for the boys. I can just see Mrs O's face if we did that now Edited November 19, 2009 by Guest
catma Posted November 19, 2009 Posted November 19, 2009 Aunty would be used by African children too, quite naturally as a name for an older female. Doesn't bother me when they use it - it's part of what makes them a unique child!! Cx
Guest Posted November 29, 2009 Posted November 29, 2009 We all use first names with the children and parents. We also use parents first names when addressing them to build relationships. I hate being introduced as so and so's mum.
SHIKARI Posted November 30, 2009 Posted November 30, 2009 Hi this is my first post just wanted to say hi. In our setting which is private we are are all called Miss x(first name we felt it got the children ready for school but also remained quite personal too. I think Auntie would confuse our children, just a thought.
Guest Posted December 6, 2009 Posted December 6, 2009 we are first names too, and i really like it. we are attached to a school and for years i was mrs but now in this school im first name. the school are still getting used to it but it makes sense when you have children as young as 2 x
Guest Posted December 6, 2009 Posted December 6, 2009 I am in FKS2 and the children call us Mrs, Miss, Mr. I like it when they accidentally call me 'Mum' or even 'Dad' too - so sweet!
Guest colechin Posted December 11, 2009 Posted December 11, 2009 Were know as Mrs or Miss. When I first joined the Nursery as the Manager it was the committee that wanted the children to call the staff this way and not by using their first names. They thought it would help when they started school and also showed respect. I also prefer Mrs or Miss.( I think it is an age thing!)
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