Toronto teacher asks students to call her by her first name

A Toronto teacher at Ursula Franklin Academy asks students to call her by her first name as part of a school approach to reduce hierarchical norms. Quebec has introduced new civility rules that require formal titles and 'vous', and Ontario is monitoring the outcome.

A Toronto high school teacher at Ursula Franklin Academy tells students to call her by her first name as part of a school-wide approach to reduce hierarchical norms. The practice is framed as a way to create a more personal classroom atmosphere while teachers still set boundaries and expectations. In Quebec, provincial rules now require students to use formal titles and the formal French pronoun "vous," with penalties for non-compliance. Ontario has asked Quebec to share evaluation details as it watches how the policy unfolds. Key facts: - Caitlin Dacey, who teaches French and biology at Ursula Franklin Academy, asks students to call her Caitlin and discusses the approach at the start of class. - Ursula Franklin Academy treats first-name address as part of a community-focused, social-justice rooted culture and encourages shared rules in classrooms. - Quebec introduced civility rules requiring formal forms of address and the use of "vous," citing concerns about bullying and violence, and the rules include penalties. - Ontario’s education ministry has asked Quebec to share background on how those policy changes are being evaluated; Ontario does not prescribe specific titles in its provincial code of conduct. - Local Toronto and French-language school boards do not mandate honorifics, though some boards and classrooms commonly use "Madame" or "Monsieur." - Educators and experts say that forms of address interact with broader issues such as classroom culture, language history, and the supports needed to foster respectful behaviour. Summary: The conversation highlights differing approaches to classroom formality and how language signals relationships and authority. Ontario is monitoring Quebec’s experiment and seeking evaluation information to inform its own approach. Undetermined at this time.