Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Ya-ta Boy]

I try and try to get students to call me Mr. Boy. It's proper English. Only Miss Daisey can get away with using a title with her first name. I may be many things, but I am not an elderly Southern lady.

Alternatively, I am not Ya-ta Teacher. Or Teacher. I want to be Mr. Boy to the students and Ya-ta to the teachers.

Short of getting the correct form of address tattooed to my forehead, is there a fool-proof way of getting this majorly minor point of English across?

This came up this week because my co-teacher introduced me as Ya-ta Teacher and I corrected her. Then she came late to class the second day. The boys asked, "Where is girl teacher?" After straightening out girl/woman, I asked what her name is. No one knew. She hadn't told them her name. I know kids don't call teachers by their name, but I was startled that she hadn't even told them her name.

It's just a quirky littly thing, but it does annoy me when called Mr. Ya-ta or Ya-ta Teacher. I'm Mr. Boy!!!

[TheUrbanMyth]

[schwa]

I'm odd. I prefer just plain schwa from one & all, young or old, & no I dont believe it has any effect on due respect. Many who have known me for years dont even know my family name.

[Ya-ta Boy]

I agree that it doesn't have anything to do with respect. I know they are just thinking Korean, speaking English. What I really want them to understand is that in English-speaking countries, the title goes with the family name only, or the full name. Clearing it up now will eliminate one potential embarrassing situation later.

It came up because it's the beginning of the semester. I just have to do more drilling, like Mr. Myth Teacher (^^) said. (As for the teachers, I don't think anything will help.)

[peppermint]

I let the kids call me Miss Pepperming, just because they'd butcher my family name if they had the chance. I'm pretty insistent on the Miss part though- I just ignore kids who call me by my first name.

As for the teachers- the new co teacher is good about it, since I took her aside before the first class and explained. Now, if I could just get the other teachers onside.

[Son Deureo!]

I agree with you your students calling you "Teacher" is a bad habit, and you're right to try to put a stop to it. They are trying to show you respect, however, so I hope you don't get too bent out of shape about it.

Here's how I handle it (but keep in mind that I don't teach children). During the first lesson of each new class, I tell them my name, and explain that I prefer to be called Son. If I were teaching high school in the U.S., my students would call me Mr. Deureo!, and so can they, but this isn't high school so that isn't necessary. If they cannot remember my name, they may call me "sir", but that will make me feel old. The one name I do not ever want to be called is "Teacher". If they ever call me Teacher after that I gently remind them, "Please call me Son." It seems to work.

[Kyrei]

Why is calling us "Teacher" a bad habit? How is that different from calling a professor in class, "Professor" when trying to get their attention. I know I have done it. I admit that the 'professor' is a title and 'teacher' is not, but I think that is a cultural peculiarity that we can let slide. And, along with Ya-ta Boy, I must agree we should make an effort to stop the Mr. (First name).

I'm lucky though, since I only have one name, they are forced to call me Mr. Kyrei or Professor Kyrei. Kyrei Professor, Kyrei Teacher, or any other is ignored. They get the point when I start deducting marks on essays and e-mails really quick.

[pet lover]

It was announced in a teacher's meeting a couple months ago that the "Pet Teacher" and "Free Teacher" and also "Hyun teacher", etc. had to stop. We were all to insist on Miss or Mr. and then either our first or last names.

I'm assuming that is out the window as the boss himself introduced a new teacher to the students as "Lee Teacher".

I don't mind being called "Pet Teacher". But my favorite way to reply is, "Yes, Ye-Rim Student?"

For many students, I'm just happy that they address me at all. So many are so shy.

[ajuma]

If I could just get them to call me "ma'am" instead of "sir" I'd be happy!!!

[huffdaddy]

[Son Deureo!]

[Zark]

This is not unusual to Korea. It is a common issue through out Asia - and even the Middle East.

I worked with Arab Ph.Ds (in English) in Saudi Arabia who called themselves Dr. Omar or Dr. Anwar - in spite of the fact that they had been educated in the States and were providing instruction to students who were going to the States for advanced educations.

It is quite possible as English internationalizes (is that a word?) that this use of the first name will become perfectly okay in ten years or so.

Frankly, I enjoy being called "Mr. Teddy"!

[OiGirl]

[OiGirl]

[Dan The Chainsawman]

I am still working on the saluting part. Some of these kids have never seen any WW2 movies at all! How hard is it to learn a Nazi Salute?