One of the things I've been struggling with is getting to know students' names. It's more difficult when you're not the instructor and are doing less grading, etc. But it is obviously important to know the students despite that. I have handed back papers and talked to some students throughout the past month and I only know a handful of them by name. This makes me feel disingenuous and frankly kind of dumb. Not only that, but it can be misconstrued as disrespectful. "Oh, you know their name, but not mine?"
What made me think of this was a recent instance in which a student called another student by the wrong name. I'm not sure if this student's response was a joke, but they seemed to be genuinely upset, "My name is ____. It's not ____, or ____ or ____... etc... It's ____." (This student has a name with a lot of "similar" terms that could be used). In that instance, it was kind of funny--only because of the terminology used--but I realized that by not knowing a student's name, I was essentially doing the same thing.
How long does it normally take to remember anyone's name, let alone 25-50? I think being more hands on will definitely help with getting to know students better. But how, as mentees, do we do that? Is that something we shouldn't worry about until we are actually in front of a class? What is the best way to prevent this?
I felt the same way for the first couple of weeks. One, because I swear to you most of the students in my class could be twins to one another. Two, my brain does this thing where it thinks, "That person doesn't look like a 'Dan'," so I end up remembering his/her name as something else.
ReplyDeleteI began remembering their names when they would answer questions in class. Also, my mentor professor had me pass back quizzes and collect papers, I learned names more easily. Now, I am also in charge of taking attendance, so that forces me to know each student's name or ask if I'm not sure. I think the best advice is to just not be hesitant to ask within the first couple of weeks. It's better to ask for certain the first couple of weeks, rather than remain unsure for the first half of the semester.
There are two Taylors, two Briannas, two Kristens, and three Shelbys in my mentor class. It has been a ball trying to figure out how to remember who is who. I've started referring to them by number in my head (Shelby 1, Shelby 2, Shelby 3). You start remembering students names a lot faster when you're the instructor. Both my mentor and I use the same activity on the first day where everybody sits in a circle and the first student says their name, then the second says their name and the first person's name, and so on and so on, until the last person (you) has to repeat everyone's name. That is always super helpful.
ReplyDeleteWhat a good topic! I agree with Olivia that you have to address it quickly. I always spend the first part of every class at the beginning of the semester practicing names--until I know them. I have learned from experience that if I wait too long, I have to have that uncomfortable stage where I can't ask because it's too late. But like Sara says, it's easier as the instructor when you see names on paper or on screen a lot. I'll be curious to know how this turns out for you.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure about this semester, since it's already pretty far in and I'm sure you're improving daily on this matter, but one thing my previous profs have done is either have the students create a power point slide with their picture, name, words to describe them or interesting facts. You can compile the slides and have it as a reference document just in case you're going through quizzes and wonder who is who again. Another idea is to have the students create a kind of electronic signature that they have to put on all the papers they turn in- as well as emails. This should just be a little head shot style picture and their name. This way it's already in front of your face when you're grading or whatever. Maybe if you want to try and avoid this problem when you begin teaching your own classes? I know I'm probably going to utilize one of these ideas, if not something else, since I often find myself in the same boat as you.
ReplyDeleteI do ice-breakers until I remember them (my mentor does them everyday); usually the ice-breakers involve something personal (favorite food, funniest movie, and so on), attaching a personalized tidbit of information to a name helps me remember it. Also, saying the name right after they say it helps too. Finally, I'm upfront about being terrible with names. A sneaky tip involves sitting in front of the class and calling names to hand back papers; this way they have to come to you, so you don't look like you forgot their names. Take a seat and tell them you're tired and don't feel like running around the classroom. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI understand your frustration. Too, I find that students who are quiet are especially difficult to remember their names. In my mentor's class, we have a student who is very vocal and usually says funny things when he opens his mouth. On the first day of class, when we did the circle activity that Sara mentioned, he used the adjective "tasty" to describe himself. There was no way I was forgetting his name after that. While the students were doing group work one day, I wandered over to his group and asked, "how's it going, thirsty?" to which he replied, huh?
ReplyDeleteTurns out, I remembered his name but not his adjective, which made for a moment of comedic relief from peer review.
On the other hand, there's a student who's sooo quiet, and I could never remember her name. I've finally remembered her name--five weeks into the semester. I don't remember her adjective either.
A strategy that has worked for me this semester in my mentor's class is to ask students quick questions about how their lives and/or other school work is going when they are waiting outside for class to start or when they are working in groups. Just a simple, "Mary, how you doing? Did you have a good weekend?" They like when you say their name, and they usually will tell you a little bit about their lives, which has helped me build relationships for when I teach, as well as learn their names.