Miss when addressing a teacher? / Name or last name?

[englishhobby]

In the following example a trainee asks a pupil's name and the pupil replies adding "miss" to her answer. Is it a bit old-fashioned? How would such a conversation go in a modern school? Is it natural for a pupil to tell his last name as an answer to the question "What's your name?"

“Sit down, please” said Mary as she took her seat. “I guess the first thing I should do is check the register,” Mary began, getting hot and red under the children’s scrutiny. “What’s your name?” she asked turning to the monitor.
“Belova, miss.”

 

[5jj]

In the following example a trainee asks a pupil's name and the pupil replies adding "miss" to her answer. Is it a bit old-fashioned? How would such a conversation go in a modern school? Is it natural for a pupil to tell his last name as an answer to the question "What's your name?"

“Sit down, please” said Mary as she took her seat. “I guess the first thing I should do is check the register,” Mary began, getting hot and red under the children’s scrutiny. “What’s your name?” she asked turning to the monitor.
“Belova, miss.”

It is common in British schools to address female teachers as 'Miss'.

The use of surnames among pupils is becoming less common, but still exists in some schools.

 

[englishhobby]

And do you pronounce miss as miz (so that the married status wasn't emphasised)? You don't use Mrs to address teachers, do you?

 

[MikeNewYork]

And do you pronounce miss as miz (so that the married status wasn't emphasised)? You don't use Mrs to address teachers, do you?

"Miss" is not pronounced as "Miz". "Ms." is pronounced as "miz".

 

[englishhobby]

Do they use Mrs and Ms too?

 

[5jj]

Do they use Mrs and Ms too?

Only if these words are followed by the surname of the person addressed.

 

[englishhobby]

Then I am confused again. What if an elderly teacher is substituting for another and the pupil doesn't remember her name? Will he use miss to address an elderly lady? :-o

“What’s your name?” she asked turning to the monitor.
“Belova, miss.”
:-?

 

[emsr2d2]

Yes. If not using a surname, use "Miss" to any female teacher regardless of her age.

 

[MikeNewYork]

Then I am confused again. What if an elderly teacher is substituting for another and the pupil doesn't remember her name? Will he use miss to address an elderly lady? :-o

“What’s your name?” she asked turning to the monitor.
“Belova, miss.”
:-?

When the marital status of a woman is unknown, the best bet is "teacher". Next best is "Miss". In your example, nothing would also work -- just "Belova".

 

[emsr2d2]

In BrE, we generally don't address a teacher as "Teacher" or as "Ms".

 

[MikeNewYork]

In BrE, we generally don't address a teacher as "Teacher" or as "Ms".

In AmE, "Teacher" is acceptable for a teacher. I changed "Ms." because that really doesn't work.

 

[konungursvia]

It is common in British schools to address female teachers as 'Miss'.

The use of surnames among pupils is becoming less common, but still exists in some schools.

I often call my students by their surnames, if only because I'm an absent-minded fellow and often I only recall that part of their names.

 

[riquecohen]

In AmE, "Teacher" is acceptable for a teacher. I changed "Ms." because that really doesn't work.

I do not recall ever being called "Teacher" in the US. It was always "Mr.", followed by my surname. Many years ago, I had a wonderful high school English teacher who possessed a doctorate. On the first day of class, she asked us to call her Mrs. (Surname) rather than Dr. (Surname), because "the MRS was more difficult to obtain than the Ph.D."

 

[Walt Whitman]

English teacher

Your name is Nick Smith, isn't it?
Yes, sir.

Would you use "sir" when addressing a male teacher?
WW

 

[emsr2d2]

English teacher

Your name is Nick Smith, isn't it?
Yes, sir.

Would you use "sir" when addressing a male teacher?
WW

In some schools, yes. I have never been in that position though. I always knew the surname of all my teachers so I always referred to them as "Miss/Mrs/Mr + Surname". At my sixth form college, we addressed our teachers by their first names.

 

[engee30]

I would, yes.

 

[5jj]

In some schools, yes. I have never been in that position though. I always knew the surname of all my teachers so I always referred to them as "Miss/Mrs/Mr + Surname". At my sixth form college, we addressed our teachers by their first names.

I am reminded of a rather starchy colleague of mine who went to teach in one of 'these new-fangled' sixth form colleges. He told me that the first words of his first class were:

Teacher: Good morning. My name's Postule. I shall be spending the next three terms working with you on [...].
Student: What's your first name?
Teacher: Mister!

 

[emsr2d2]

I am reminded of a rather starchy colleague of mine who went to teach in one of 'these new-fangled' sixth form colleges. He told me that the first words of his first class were:

Teacher: Good morning. My name's Postule. I shall be spending the next three terms working with you on [...].
Student: What's your first name?
Teacher: Mister!

Wow, I bet those three terms dragged!

 

[Barb_D]

I confess I am always a little taken aback for a moment when I hear a student referring to a teacher by his or her first name. However, we certainly don't use "Miss" or "Sir" in a public school.

Younger students might refer to a substitute teacher (whose name they have forgotten) as "Teacher" though usually the sub will write his/her name on the board.

Older children who need to address the substitute teacher will probably say something like "Excuse me, Mr... uh... Mr..." and the teacher will helpfully supply his name, rather than saying "Excuse me, teacher."

 

[emsr2d2]

I confess I am always a little taken aback for a moment when I hear a student referring to a teacher by his or her first name. However, we certainly don't use "Miss" or "Sir" in a public school.

For info for everyone, a "public school" in BrE is what you would expect to be called a "private school". It is a school where you have to pay a fee to attend. Free schools are called "state schools".