All Those Names!

I grew up in the same area that I am now living and working. Growing up, going to school and church, names were not that difficult. Probably the most unique names I can remember are the "old ladies" who had old fashioned names. Today, many parents are being more creative when they name their children. The area is also becoming more diverse. This presents a challenge to all the people that these children encounter. One of the first things that a substitute teacher has to do with the students is take attendance and the lunch count. In many classrooms, this is done by the teacher calling out the students' names. Of course, I want to pronounce everyone's names correctly just as I want my name pronounced correctly. Most of the time, I can do this without a problem. Just this week, though, there were two names that I struggled with in a class. One of the names I just couldn't get to stick in my head correctly all day! The student was patient with me though!

Many classes are between 15 and 25 students. They usually have name tags on their desks, which helps quite a lot! I use those to call on students to answer questions, or to get their attention if they are being disruptive or daydreaming. I try to learn their names as well. This way, if we are not in the classroom, I can still get their attention.  Also, if I see them in the hall when I am teaching another class, I can say hello. Many students have committed my name to memory, especially the ones that see me in their building with some frequency, so I should be able to reciprocate. Names can be a tricky thing, but it pays to get it right.