Every few years I have my students write about their names--an exploratory exercise where they have to involve their parents of another relative. This year, I personally needed a new angle:
And so it began. Last week while teaching my first group
of university students the question came up: “So…what do we call you?”
“Just
don’t call me late for dinner,” I retorted.
The
young Padawan was not to be deterred. “No, I mean, like Mister or Professor or
what?” She apparently didn’t get the Dad joke I laid down, but I knew exactly
what she meant. A few knowing chuckles
from around the room let me know that others did, too.
I
replied that I didn’t really care. Doctor, Professor, Mister, or even my
previous title Master, as many of my junior high students liked to use, were
fine with me. I’d answer to just about anything, but again, I reiterated, don’t
call me late for dinner.
Although
I had a quick answer, it caused me to ponder. What should I have people call
me? Beginning last year or so, I had colleagues ask me if when I earned the
Ph.D. I would make people, specifically my students, call me Doctor. Then the
stories about stuffy, snobby professors would start, and I would leave the
conversation.
I
thought about my own professors. As students, most of us in the classes, called
them Professor or Doctor out of respect, even when the instructor hadn’t quite
cemented that final diploma. As a doctoral student, many of the professors
allowed us to call them by their first names, but I think that is different.
So…how
do I sign my emails? Do I call myself Doctor Anson? Sound snobby and include
Ph.D. on every closing tag line? What do I write at the top of my papers now
that I have achieved this status? Do I still go by Joe as my colleagues know me,
or do I go back to the more professional-sounding Joseph? Do I start using the
middle initial, too? That might turn some heads. Man, I haven’t had this type
of identity crisis since I was in junior high.
I’m curious. We can open this up for public debate (if anyone really
cares). What do you think? Should I go with one way or the other? Or is it just
a contextual thing?
Like it or not, you finished the degree. In professional settings, I think you should go by Dr. Anson. Just don't be surprised if people look to you when there's a medical emergency. All other contexts, Joe it is. Besides, you don't want to change your blog's name. Do you Joe?
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jonathan. You earned the degree; own it. You are a professional. The kids may still call you Dr Dad every once in awhile. But you'll always be my Josephđź’•
ReplyDeleteGo with all, go with none. You have earned the right to do whatever you wish with your title. Use it at opportune times as needed, but not too much or it loses its potency. I believe we earn our titles by our everyday actions and deeds, only then we become our title. Make sense?
ReplyDeleteIt does get weird because at times you'll have students who are older than you and, for me, it seems odd when someone older than I am is formal. I think you should have Dr on all your paper work and on your name plate (good for students to see what they can become too--a doctor AND cool) but then if you are okay with a less formal title, or no title, let your students know. My first job in education, our whole staff went by first names and we had no problem with respect but we all were great friends with our student body who were both adults and teens.
ReplyDeleteI think you should go with, "Ph.D. Joe." It gives your students that highly sought after hip 'n' cool feeling when talking to and about you that is well suited to a teen/young adult's learning processes. And it does this while keeping the "Ph.D." component to smack your peers around as needed. It's a Double Barreled Shotgun of Personal Interaction(TM).
ReplyDelete