Get Your Students Hired
In small classes, especially when you've taught the student cohort before, it sometimes seems a little odd to be calling roll. Yet I think this is an important little ritual to follow at the beginning of a class. First, it tends to bring students to their seats and to attention. Second, few people do not enjoy hearing their name--and the roll call gives you an opportunity to say their name and greet them again. Third, it pulls together non-class time into class time, organizing and making orderly. Fourth, it emphasizes that the instructor believes being present, on time and accounted for is important. For these reasons I think one should call roll even when it is clear all students are present.
Thoughts?
Karen,
Like your list of reasons for taking roll. It sends a signal to your students even if you already know them via the cohort that you expect accountability and accountability is not only being on time and in class but it is being prepared. There is a lot of power in terms of career development in this simple act of taking roll.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.