tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535543883262225735.post7886598683061007597..comments2023-10-22T20:53:58.823-04:00Comments on String Too Short to Tie: Conversations with Random People: Thirteenvanillahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11978025976591113499noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535543883262225735.post-1978968747875661452015-05-14T13:23:39.942-04:002015-05-14T13:23:39.942-04:00Vee, English teacher in college: You may call me ...Vee, English teacher in college: You may call me Miss Laughbaum or Doctor Laughbaum. Eye-ther is correct. vanillahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11978025976591113499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535543883262225735.post-15466855453251562642015-05-14T09:01:13.520-04:002015-05-14T09:01:13.520-04:00Most of my students thought I was really old - eve...Most of my students thought I was really old - even when I was (in my opinion) quite young. I also guessed that my teachers were old. I was surprised that my second grade teacher, Miss Ramsey, was still alive after I was well into adulthood. <br /><br />I have no problems with what I'm called unless one of my former college students addresses me as, Dr. Powers. I always tell them I would like for them to call me Verla now. Some take the suggestion, some don't. <br /><br />While I was teaching college classes, the first day of each semester I put a list on the board of ways they might address me. "Dr. Powers, Professor Powers, Mrs. Powers, and Verla." They knew first thing that I wasn't hung up on the little stuff. (The person who had the office next door to mine would go off on a student who did not use her title. She always responded to this terrible insult by saying, "To you, I'm Doctor _______. Thank you."Veehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12222653231278680963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535543883262225735.post-22128271592724130982015-05-13T22:12:28.445-04:002015-05-13T22:12:28.445-04:00Lin, I understand and respect where you are coming...Lin, I understand and respect where you are coming from, to which I will add that the large majority of people I was associated with in the schools-- students, parents, and teachers, call me "Mister" to this day. I don't object to those who choose to call me "David."vanillahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11978025976591113499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535543883262225735.post-76654375620153988292015-05-13T21:48:06.750-04:002015-05-13T21:48:06.750-04:00Hmmmm. Call me old-school, but I could not and do...Hmmmm. Call me old-school, but I could not and do not call adults from my youth by their first name EVER. I just cannot. Even if they tell me to call them by their first name. <br /><br />My high school swim coach recently died and I sent his wife a note--she was another teacher at the school. I am 51 years old and I still addressed it to Ms. McKay. I'm sure she found it odd, but to cross that line would make us equals....and we were not. It's all about respect.<br /><br />I don't like the loss of respect.<br />Linhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07042143254001890567noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535543883262225735.post-42896426243173057332015-05-13T12:01:03.371-04:002015-05-13T12:01:03.371-04:00Grace, not a great deal of tact, but I cut her som...Grace, not a great deal of tact, but I cut her some slack since she was thirteen when she was my student, I thirty-five and I suppose she imagined that I had one foot in the grave then. ;-)vanillahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11978025976591113499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535543883262225735.post-26616644209190286012015-05-13T11:26:32.755-04:002015-05-13T11:26:32.755-04:00And I am not 'Gracie'...(and this woman wa...And I am not 'Gracie'...(and this woman was entirely graceless...)Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02779872914493612101noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535543883262225735.post-32309840202069714452015-05-13T11:06:21.757-04:002015-05-13T11:06:21.757-04:00Chuck, indeed it is.Chuck, indeed it is.vanillahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11978025976591113499noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535543883262225735.post-47909970679543659862015-05-13T09:18:04.277-04:002015-05-13T09:18:04.277-04:00And that the way it is . . .And that the way it is . . .Secondary Roadshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05116234285533139701noreply@blogger.com