Sir and Ma'am or Sir and Miss?

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I wouldn't have liked to be called Ma'am. The odd Miss is fine. My husband is Sir or Mr H, which he quite likes.

Miss, Mrs or Mr, followed always by the surname.

I won't bother thanks Bags.

My personal feeling is that if first names are used, as in other professions eg nursing and medicine, familiarity breeds contempt.

Mr, Miss, Ms, Mrs and their surname, but I have always disliked 'sir' which I would never use at school when I was young. Got me in hot water every now and then, but 'sir' denotes a level of power that was unacceptable for me, personally.

I think just saying "Miss" sounds very down-market. Not good.

Mmmmm. Perhaps Sir is ok. (Don't we want the little bu dears to think their teacher has huge authority?

Miss, Ms, Mr or Mrs Whatever. No to first names certainly until the young people are in their last couple of years. Anything else and the teachers will be for ever finding themselves being accused of sexual misdeeds; more so than they are already.

My daughter was, today, asked for her title. She is relatively recently divorced but shuns 'Ms' and prefers 'Miss'. In her words 'Ms makes me sound like a butch lesbian'. Bless my subtle child, I wandered right away from her.

I was happy with Miss. It tended to be used in the classroom and Mrs R used for more formal occasions like assembly. I left it up to the kids to decide. I had a colleague who insisted on being called Ma'am and I'm not sure it elevated her in any way.

Even though I've been retired three years I often hear a voice calling, 'Hello Miss' when I'm out shopping.

That's lovely merlot I bet they miss you.

It was always "Miss", don't know why. But it has a certain ring to it - "oh, Miiiissss!! I was generally "Mrs E" to the school in general, and that was fine. I think "Ma'am" is awfully prissy, even though, I suppose, it is the correct equivalent of "Sir".

My classics teacher had a PhD. I don't think we called her Miss. I seem to remember that we all used the full title - Dr N..... . She was very small but imposing and nobody played her up - ever.

Most of my teachers were Sister, and nobody played them up either!

Perhaps "Ma'am" would be OK - rhymes with "Pam" not "Farm" I understand.

When I was at school it was always 'Sir' - and then you ducked... even old Blobbo was addressed as 'Sir'! As were 'Goober', 'Happy' and 'Killer'...

I agree with merlot and 'Miss' beats hands down what some little treasures probably called us in the playground !
On a lovely trip to India my friend and I were called Ma'am (rhymed with farm) everywhere. We thought it was great but would not have liked it in the classroom.

Perhaps all schools need to ponder this one. Certainly not usually first names.

Teachers need a "working title" for the classroom that gives them a degree of courtesy to their position. Respect has to be earned.

I don't quite see why Miss or Sir is so bad. It serves this function as a title, if you do not take the original connotations too seriously.

Mr, Mrs or Miss, "Bloggs," is perhaps the only option. However, in practice will "Miss" and "Sir" ever actually go away?

I've worked in several Scottish primary schools and in every one it's been Mrs M or Mr G or Miss P - never Miss or Sir. Always thought that was a specifically English tradition!

It's not just in teaching is it? Having watched Silk I notice that female barristers are called Miss.

When I was teaching at one particular school the Head wanted us to be called by our first names and all of the staff with one voice said NO! Teachers and pupils are not equals and calling staff Sir or Miss reminds them of the need for respect which is sadly lacking today

Just got back from a day's supply in my old school, where it was lovely being called Mrs Purple by the children. The only time Mr Purple was called by his first name was when he was head of a prison school. Could never work that one out, but it was standard practice there

A bit of respect is required. Mrs/Miss Smith / Mr Thompson. Easy. It teaches them to differentiate from the beginning. I don't want to be addressed by my christian name unless I am on more than speaking terms - e.g. Insurance company representative/ bank clerk who automatically these days address me thus. I have a 'handle' - use it!

My Iranian refugee students didn't want to use my forename but thought that Mrs W was too formal. They settled on Mrs Anno.

I don't remember calling any teacher 'Miss', they were always 'Miss or Mrs' followed by their surname even at infant or junior school. And we only had one male teacher at my all girls' school, he was known as 'Mr' followed by his surname.

I have never called anyone 'Sir'. I would always have been in trouble had I joined the Forces - insubordinate!

I don't see what is wrong with Mr, Miss, Mrs, Dr, Professor whoever. Respect without subordination.