Job Discussion Forums

[Celeste]

Sort of a funny anecdote-

I was teaching at an elementary school yesterday, and my first class of the day was with the first grade (cute little beggars!). For my benefit (as I only go to this school once every 2 weeks and see different classes every time I go) the teachers made romaji nametags for the kids. This way I can call on kids easily. It also helps me to redirect their attention and keep the class under control more easily. (I know, I am an ALT and the regular classroom teacher should be doing that, but that is another can of worms entirely.) With the first grade students, I was calling them by their first names and adding kun or chan to them, as did the first grade regular classroom teacher and the teacher's aide who was in the class. My second class of the day was with the sixth grade. As we were getting ready to start the class, one boy was horsing around and chatting rather loudly with his buddy and trying to put other boys in a headlock (imagine 12 years old and behaving like... well a 12 year old boy, I guess). I was still in grade one mode, I guess because I walked up to him, put my hand on his shoulder and said softly"Kenji-kun, dame desu-yo. Ima kara shizuka-ni." Well did his face go red! All of the girls giggled (12 year old girls do a lot of that!) and one of the boys started in with the "Kenji-kun" in sing-song voices. I began the class quickly, and had no more behaviour difficulties for the rest of the class.

My question to those with better language skills:

When do Japanese people drop the kun and chan and start using the san ending? I do teach elementary school, but can't seem to find any consistant rule to follow.

[Glenski]

There is no rule for that.

My high school boys are still called X-kun.
My wife's relatives call me X-chan at times (and I'm 47).

I think they were laughing because you actually addressed the boy directly, and perhaps because you used his name properly. Maybe they giggled because it's sometimes more common to use the family name plus -kun/-san.

[Celeste]

aaah yes, the first name thing!

You're probably right!

Why do Japanese elementary school teachers think that children should call the ALT by their first name? I put a stop to that on my first day, but I often hear it when other ALTs are around. Do they actually think that teachers and other education professionals are called by their first names in an elementary school setting? (I would have used the kid's last name, but they only provide me with their first names.)

[Glenski]

Perhaps because we almost always insist on our peer calling us by first names in the west? Even if a Japanese person confuses our first name with family name because of the word order differences between culture, we usually tell people to refer to us by our first names.

Anecdote (again):
My first year in high school teaching, I thought I could instill in my students a sense of respect for their elders by having them refer to me by my family name + sensei. I did this because I was practically the oldest teacher in the school (Japanese teachers included). Big mistake! They were so used to calling all of the others by first name (withOUT the "sensei"), that they kept calling me JUST by my last name. My wife even said I should use my first name, whether students tack on "sensei" or not, because Japanese students sometimes get a real kick out of addressing a foreigner the way he prefers...by first name. For some, it's the first time to even meet a foreigner, so it lends a special air to the situation, she said.

[guest of Japan]

I recently had a conversation about how teachers are adressed in the states by student with a Japanese English teacher. She was very very surprised to learn that last names are usually used and preceded by Mr. Miss, Ms. or Mrs.

[Lynn]

Celeste,
I also went by my last name when I worked at the public elementary schools in Japan. In the states, children NEVER call the teacher by his/her first name. This always surprised my Japanese peers. I also found that many adults did not like calling me san/Miss. So, they would say, "hey, Jones. Do you like sushi?" And I was like, huh, are we on a football team or something and you are the coach??? I said, "If you're going to use my last name please say Miss or 'san'" He said he couldn't do that. So, I said, "Then call me Lynn, but don't call me by my last name with 'yobisute" again. It's impolite." He turned 10 shades of red and called me Jones-Sensei from that day on. (I didn't need the 'sensei' part, but I guess it was all or nothing for him)

As for chan/kun. My Japanese husband is 35 and his friends/family/co-workers call him "chan". But, I've also seen 3 year old boys who go by "Suzuki-kun".

I also noticed that Japanese people laugh when we, foreigners, say something that is so Japanese, which is what you did. You probably sound just like his homeroom teacher and all the kids were surprised. (and they want to give kenji-kun a hard time )

[homersimpson]

My junior high kids still freak out when I address them by first name. I suppose it's because they are so used to being referred to by last name from all their teachers. Of course, I don't know all their first names (there are over 600 of them), so often the class is in a state of shock when I call certain students by first name.

[Brooks]

it`s complicated.
One teacher is named Mr. Uemura but my boss calls him Ue-chan (he`s 37 I think).
My boss calls my girlfriend Kieko-san (when talking to me).

I asked some of my high school students what they want to be called and these are their responses:

Sakurako chan (for Sakurako Fujiyama)
Hitom chan (for Hitomi).
Wakana or Abe chan (for Wakana Abe).
Yuki or Yuttan
Chika (for Chikako).
GoNana(for Nana - she is good at kendo).
Yuko or Yuchan
Junna or Junchan or Otani san
Chi (for Chihiro)

Homeroom teachers often just call their students by their last names.