teacher bride - last name change

It depends on how old the students are & if you have a new class every year. I teach elementary (and am gettin married in November as well), so I plan to begin the school year with my new name to make it easier on the kiddos.

It may be weird for adults but they all understand what happening and they'll be fine. Older kids too. Just warn them ahead of time and introduce yourself to new students as "Mrs NewName." You'll just have to respond to "Mrs OldName" too

When my kids 4th grade teacher got married she sent hm a letter but told us it was fine for us to call her by her maiden name. Within a wk the kida were callin her by her new name. Adults had a harder than the kids

I had quite a few teachers in elem, middle and high school and we all new that the teacher was getting married and that her name would be changing.

I'd say tell them ahead of time and the timing would probably wont matter.

Glad to hear from another teacher. Thanks for the response I teach instrumental music in grades 4-8 and have about 140 kids. A large majority of the kids in 5th-8th grade I've had since they were in 4th grade and they do know that I am getting married. I feel weird starting with another name cause the kids know that I am not getting married until the fall! lol I just think it's going to be super weird to come back after the wedding and be like "Okay guys, call me this now!"

We had the same experience as Loren A futr J. My daughters teacher last year (kinder) sent home a letter saying she got married and what her new name was. She said the kids could still call her by her maiden name if they wished but my daughter was so excited she got married that she called her by her married name from that day on. The teacher would use her married name in everything she sent home after that. It was an easy transition for us.

I'm a high school teacher and got married over the summer, so that made it a little easier. Nothing had been processed by my district when school opened (I think I got my new social security card just before school started), so on all the official stuff like the system that generates kids' schedules and our website for seeing grades and class info, my maiden name was the one kids/parents saw for awhile.

I had returning students and new students (I teach foreign language) and it's funny how some of the kids who were new to me would call me the maiden name randomly throughout the year. I certainly introduced myself as Mrs. "new name" at the beginning of the year and explained why they had a different name on their schedule cards, but I didn't make it a huge deal whenever they'd call me the maiden name. Just be cool with having kids (and colleagues) call you either name for the rest of the year.

I don't teach anymore, but when I did, I had a co- worker do it mid year with 2nd grade- she just explained it to then, and they did fine. She just answered to both names for the rest of the year- her class even corrected other teachers

My sisters second grade teacher changed her name mid year. She just let the kids know ahead of time and talked to them about it. Theyre were all excited and got to practice her new last name.

I teach high school English (with usually 160-180 students). I'm getting married in March, but I'm going to continue with my name until the end of the year. My last name is the most common name in the English language, and I'll be changing it to a really complicated, long Polish name. Changing it at the end of the year will cause more headaches (especially because my email will change and the district's email system won't forward emails send to my old name).

I'm also thinking about switching to the History department, and if I do I'll get some former students again - and it'll be fun to mess with them over my name. They won't know who I am and then seeing their faces when they realize it's me will be fun. :-)

I'll be getting married in June so it'll be right after the end of the school year... luckily I;ll be able to start the following year with a new last name and a brand new class. I teach 4th grade so they're old enough to understand and catch on pretty quick. However, a lot of the students on campus already know my by Ms. MaidenName so I'm sure it'll be a while before everyone gets used to it...

A coworker (1st grade) got married in november last year and when we returned from thanksgiving break everyone began calling her Mrs. NewName without a problem.. even her little ones. I guess it just depends on how you handle it with your class, as far as speaking to them about it in advance.

I am currently the only teacher on campus with my last name.. and when I get married there will be two of us with the same last name... so I don't think I'll mind if my kids forget to call me by my married name. I like being the only one! lol

I'm getting married a week before school starts so I know nothing will change in the school system. I am also going from a very common last name to an even more common last name, so for work purposes I'm going to use my maiden name but in "real life" I will use my married name.

Since you'll never have completely new students, there will never be a good time to change it. I would let them know before the wedding that you're getting married and your name will change, then let them know after. I think mailing home a letter is smart. I would just expect some people to still call you by your maiden name. Either way, they'll figure it out.

I'm thankful that my students call me Ms. Ryeanne

I teach high school English, and I'm changing my name over the summer, so definitely not as hard as your. However, I will have repeat students, and I'm going to go by either. I'm a little sad about changing my name so if they still call me by my maiden, I'll respond, but I suppose I have to introduce myself to my new kids with my new name, lol. Other teachers I work with have had a hard time getting the kids to call them by their new names as well, but they don't seem to care. There is one teacher that was married 7 years ago, and the kids are STILL calling her Miss J in reference to her maiden name, which makes absolutely NO SENSE because they never knew her that way... must be the trickle down theory

Thanks for all the responses! I think I will probably end up being more awkward and weird about it than the kids.

I plan on taking FH's name, but I honestly really don't want to change my name at school. Besides being attached to my current name, I'm kind of dreading IT changing my email. FH's last name is Bee. Our emails are last name, first initial. I am dreading having my email be bee j . I work in an inner city school, these kids are savvy, they'll work stuff like this out on their own lol I'm hoping I can plead my case and they'll keep my current email active.

My sister was a teacher at the time of marriage and changed her last name with no issues. the kids were actually very supportive and excited for her. She is now the superintendent for a very large scholl district and has been the speaker at many events across the country.

I know this is an old feed, but how does changing your name affect your degrees? Do you have to change those as well? What about teacher licenses?

View Quoted Comment This is what I want to do. Is there any rule that a teacher has to use their legal name at school? I’d like to use my maiden name as my school name forever.