Job Discussion Forums

[rich45]

Is this seen as disrespectful in schools?

In my junior high school, I've noticed that the Kyoto sensei always refers to one of my JTE's as "Ito-san" as opposed to "Ito-sensei."

Just curious really...

Thanks,

Rich

[Glenski]

When it's top-down as in kyoto sensei to underling, it is the kyoto sensei's preference. Personally, I think that unless the underling is very young and inexperienced, kyoto sensei should stick with "sensei".

[rich45]

[rich45]

I just noticed he referred to another teacher as "sensei" despite this teacher being a few years younger. Maybe kyoto sensei feels threatened by my JTE?

Haha obviously a quiet day at the office as I am analysing things like this!

[move]

Yeah, at my previous school I was calling the office ladies san, ohhhh, they didn't like that! Just call everybody sensei, even if it is the lunch lady or whoever.

[Glenski]

No. Do not call OLs "sensei". Perhaps as a cute silly gesture...once!

They deserve "san", and I really don't understand why they got upset where you work. You must have misread something. It is the norm for people to use it, even among themselves. In their case, it is actually expected (Miss Akiko, or Miss Takahashi).

[rich45]

[seklarwia]

It's the same in my school.

In my school, even our office staff are addressed as sensei apart from during staff room banter when even Kyoto-sensei becomes Hide-chan.

But the two male office staff were teachers before; one is much older (only missing out on 1st place as oldest person in school by a few months) and came out of retirement a few years back and the other is a former JTE in his early 30s. Only the single female member of the office staff is not a former teacher (to my knowledge) but she is still addressed as sensei.

The only real exception to the sensei trend in our school is one of the female JTEs who is often addressed as chan by teachers and students alike out of preference. I'm probably the only one who addresses her by her family name and sensei outside of staff meetings.


But perhaps there is an explanation for your Kyoto-sensei's use of san as opposed to sensei other than out of disrepect. Like one of our caretakers sometimes slips and calls one of my JTEs by first name and san, but that's because they are good friends and golfing buddies out of school.

[Cool Teacher]

Yeah, I worked at some places where the teachers and even principles called each other chan and kun. But you know it is probably theat they have acertian relationship that is difficult to penetrate. Yeah, maybe like the banter that sekwalairia mentioned. It's not always easy to tell what is acceptable with who if you know what I mean.

[Glenski]

Peers like teachers can call themselves whatever they like, san or sensei.

It is very strange for OLs to be called sensei unless they are teaching something. This comes from my Japanese wife, who spent many years as an OL in more than one type of office situation including eikaiwa. I would say your case is a rare exception, or we don't know all the details.

[Nagoyaguy]

Context is also very important. How people refer to each other directly in a conversation is different than how they refer to each other when, for example, speaking to students.

[lisa111082]

Hey, at least your Kyoto-sensei considers people human!

The Kyoto-sensei at one of my schools just refers to me as "ALT." He won't use my name or anything, and he does know it

[Nagoyaguy]

[robertokun]

I always thought that was strange, anyway. Why are teachers calling each other teacher? I'm not your teacher, you're not mine. Another case of "that's how things are done" applied to the academic bubble, I suppose.

[seklarwia]