Learning Names

One of my greatest flaws is my struggle with learning names. I have a few tricks for picking up a name or two for a short period of time. But to remember the name of people I will see over and over is difficult for me. After having co-written a unit plan on the subject, I know this flaw also represents a strength. Once I do learn a name, it is pretty well etched into my memory.

When I first came to NAF Prep, I knew this problem would distance myself from the students I would work with for as long as I didn't know their names. Names are so closely aligned with identity, some people connect an ignorance of their name is an ignorance of them. I took much too long to learn the 70+ names of the eighth grade students I co-taught. I was somewhat skilled at hiding my ignorance and they were kind enough to not call me out, but it was a problem. After learning all their names, lessons and drills flowed a bit more smoothly. I celebrated this (to me) awesome feat; now students would see evidence that I care about them and know them not just by their personality, but by their names as well.

Then I transitioned into the high school, left 70+ clients who I served, laughed with, and co-taught for three and a half months, and prepared to meet 100+ new students. With meeting these new students, I had/have 100+ new names to learn. Ugh, and here I thought myself safe from such things for the year.

As I mentioned in my post titled "Pacing" I taught a high school class a lesson for the first time on Tuesday, December 13th. Another area which Mary Ellen called attention to in her debrief of her observations of my lesson facilitation was my need to learn students names. Now I have this holiday break to brainstorm different methods of accomplishing this task.

I have a few ideas from my past experience. One of these is the name game which Phylis K. Lerner. Another technique is having students tell me their name whenever I call on them. I also got some ideas well chatting with my co-teacher. One of these was having a competition to see who can remember everyone's name in class. I will be running the drill from now on and that will be my venue to learn students names. Finally, I ask you members of the internet, what are your strategies for learning names. These may be from the beginning of the year or throughout. The former will inform my general practice and the latter will support my current need. I look forward to your ideas.