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[conjugate]

I've had more students come up to me here to ask questions after class than I did at the last place.  Though I haven't seen my evaluations here yet (haven't given them out yet since we're less than halfway through the first semester), I hope that indicates less intimidation.  But I've found I scare students, which amazes me.

I can understand. You are easily the scariest person on the fora.

And I have a new signature line.  Thanks.  I was happy with "Most Hilarious," which was awarded to me by my peers some time back, but this is cooler. 

[dr_evil]

I've had more students come up to me here to ask questions after class than I did at the last place.  Though I haven't seen my evaluations here yet (haven't given them out yet since we're less than halfway through the first semester), I hope that indicates less intimidation.  But I've found I scare students, which amazes me.

I can understand. You are easily the scariest person on the fora.

I am so disappointed.  I was trying for that honor.

[punchnpie]

Up until now, I never had a student call me anything but 'Dr,' 'Professor,' or my first name (grad students). However, I am now recruiting for a study on grad students and had a prospective participant refer to me as 'Ms.' in hu's email to me.  I admit, after reading this and similar threads, to being a little surprised at my feelings about that. I am one of those weird people with my degrees in my signature line (I have my reasons), so there was no guessing involved. And, I was a little surprised since the person was a grad student, but what the heck, I need participants.

Well, it wasn't a day later when hu sent me another email apologizing and wondering how hu could have missed my correct title when it was right there in my sig line and asking me to forgive the oversight. For some strange reason, I felt better. I don't take this stuff too seriously, maybe because it just hasn't been a major problem, but yeah, I was glad hu realized I wasn't a 'Ms.'

I guess I was surprised because I've never have had this problem with members of my ethnic group; I am always Professor or Doctor. There are still too few of us and most grad students in my group are very knowledgeable about the historical struggles of our people getting PhDs. Lord knows they are facing their own struggles. So I think I was more surprised that this member of the same group called me 'Ms' because it just isn't done; people respect the PhD, even if they didn't get out of high school and even if you would be OK with them calling you by your first name.   It's not that hu had to refer to me as Dr or Professor, it's just that I see this as a cultural thing and I was surprised when it didn't happen. I didn't cry about it, though like I said, I was a bit surprised at my own feelings at being called 'out of my name' by a group member.

[octoprof]

Mrs. Octo is my mother...


conjugate, students tell me to my face that I am intimidating. I just don't get how a short fat cuddly old woman is intimidating! Hmph!

[t_r_b]

conjugate, students tell me to my face that I am intimidating. I just don't get how a short fat cuddly old woman is intimidating! Hmph!

I heard a similar comment recently from a faculty member I know who shares much of that physical description. The trick is that intimidation has very little to do with body type, and much more to do with eye contact, tone of voice, expenditure of red ink, and a reputation for high academic standards.

I've had more students come up to me here to ask questions after class than I did at the last place.  Though I haven't seen my evaluations here yet (haven't given them out yet since we're less than halfway through the first semester), I hope that indicates less intimidation.  But I've found I scare students, which amazes me.

I can understand. You are easily the scariest person on the fora.

I am so disappointed.  I was trying for that honor.

Never fear, Dr_E: no one could ever terrify me the way that you do.

[octoprof]

conjugate, students tell me to my face that I am intimidating. I just don't get how a short fat cuddly old woman is intimidating! Hmph!

I heard a similar comment recently from a faculty member I know who shares much of that physical description. The trick is that intimidation has very little to do with body type, and much more to do with eye contact, tone of voice, expenditure of red ink, and a reputation for high academic standards.

I never grade in red! Red is mean! Red, in accounting, means BAD (ie. negative numbers), so I never grade in red, on principle. I used a pretty shade of orange this time. :o)  See, how sweet I am?

[prof_smartypants]

Today, I got another "Ma'am" and I said, "geez, I hate being called ma'am". The kid was so apologetic - "what do you want to be called? Ms? Miss? Doctor? Shoot - sorry!"

I said, Ma'am is perfectly polite and appropriate when trying to get my attention, and that I'm just not used to being of the age that boys in their 20s think to call "Ma'am" (I'm 33 and still get carded all the time). I got a laugh and then, a "I'll call you Miss if you like, Dr. Pants. Whatever floats your boat."

[octoprof]

Today, I got another "Ma'am" and I said, "geez, I hate being called ma'am". The kid was so apologetic - "what do you want to be called? Ms? Miss? Doctor? Shoot - sorry!"

I said, Ma'am is perfectly polite and appropriate when trying to get my attention, and that I'm just not used to being of the age that boys in their 20s think to call "Ma'am" (I'm 33 and still get carded all the time). I got a laugh and then, a "I'll call you Miss if you like, Dr. Pants. Whatever floats your boat."

I had this same experience tonight. The student is in the Army and I joked and said,"Call me sir!"

[temporaryname]

I never grade in red! Red is mean! Red, in accounting, means BAD (ie. negative numbers), so I never grade in red, on principle. I used a pretty shade of orange this time. :o)  See, how sweet I am?

I used glittery purple one semester (ah, the lure of odd-colored gel pens!), and I had a student tell me afterward that purple had been their favorite color before they took my class.

[mar768]

You should establish on the first day of class what you prefer to be called; it should also be reinforced on the syllabus.  Another thing you can do is refer to yourself in the third person when telling a story/describing an example.  If they still call you "Mrs", what can you really do without sounding arrogant?  If you do correct them, it might instill a tension between you and the student that might impair the student's affection for the course. 

I also think it's ridiculous that a student can't just call a professor by their first name - after all, we're all adults, and we all put our pants on one leg at a time (or at least most of us do).  I'm not saying become BFF's with your students, but sometimes you'll find students perform better if they view you more as a human being than some untouchable genius that only answers to certain titles.

[llanfair]

conjugate, students tell me to my face that I am intimidating. I just don't get how a short fat cuddly old woman is intimidating! Hmph!

You realise that you've just described Queen Victoria, don't you?

The trick is that intimidation has very little to do with body type, and much more to do with eye contact, tone of voice, expenditure of red ink, and a reputation for high academic standards. 

"To which is added, the Eyeball Ray of Death: Or, the Student Eject'd."

[conjugate]

conjugate, students tell me to my face that I am intimidating. I just don't get how a short fat cuddly old woman is intimidating! Hmph!

You realise that you've just described Queen Victoria, don't you?

Speaking of whom, did anyone but me see the news story about her recently-rediscovered underwear?

Added on edit: I also see that stories about the auction mention that the Queen's underthings were frequently a perk of much-trusted servants.  Strange and potentially disturbing scenarios come to mind.

[llanfair]

Sorry to disillusion you, Conjugate, but the servants have always had employers' castoffs as perks - no weirdness involved.  One of Queen Anne's laundresses got in trouble with the Mistress of the Robes for helping herself to worn mantuas; the Queen told the MofR to get stuffed and continued handing the items on.  Clothes were worth a lot, so most of them were pawned or sold.

[octoprof]

conjugate, students tell me to my face that I am intimidating. I just don't get how a short fat cuddly old woman is intimidating! Hmph!

You realise that you've just described Queen Victoria, don't you?

Well, it could be worse. At least you didn't say Dolores Umbridge.

[llanfair]

conjugate, students tell me to my face that I am intimidating. I just don't get how a short fat cuddly old woman is intimidating! Hmph!

You realise that you've just described Queen Victoria, don't you?

Well, it could be worse. At least you didn't say Dolores Umbridge.

Or Hyacinth Bucket!