Setting Priorities on Getting to Know Your Students' Names the First Day
For myself, getting to know my students' names the first day is so important. Of course, it will depend on the size of the class. In a live class setting, I usually have 25 students or less. I am sure I would find a way to figure out how to learn the names no matter the size of the course that I would be teaching. If it was an extremely large class, I would study my class roster before going to class. I believe this would be half the battle.
I try and put myself in the shoes of the students taking my courses. I would like my instructor to learn my name and get to know me as a student too. It is amazing if you take the time to greet each student, call them by their first name or nickname, how it gets them engaged even before the class begins.
Michael,
Wow, you do have a challenge. I can really appreciate your effort to learn the names of all the students. You are doing a great job of trying and your sharing with the students what you know about them helps them to see that you value them and that you are listening to what they tell you about their lives. By them knowing you care and are trying you are a long way down the road when you can't remember a name.
Gary
Dr. Gary Meers
This continues to be a problem area for me. I can associate their story, manythings about the student, their clinicals, life story, but am terrible at names. Have tried the roster, with and without pictures.My classes are approximately 40. I do call up by name and study faces with a name for each quiz and test, calling roll each morning, not just pass a sign in sheet, but still struggle, I seem to really block on names. To makle up for names, I do apologize, ask for name, explain How bad I am with names, but include other personal information I do remember they have shared. Now add to the fact I have 2 or 3 cohorts of 40 students at the same time and know a hand ful of students. Mostly those who were in my clinical group, or those who are in my office for reprimand. Usually it is a good thing if I do not automatically remember a student's name.
Hi James,
You are right. I have to do the same thing with each of my new classes so I can get the names down quickly and correctly.
Gary
This is the hard part for me. I am good at remembering faces but names escape me almost immediately. What I have found that works for me is to use their names as often as possible when doing introductions. Repetition is another key to memorization.
Hi Pamela,
I know exactly where you are coming from with remembering students in a setting other than the classroom. I have anywhere from 130 to 300 students every 15 weeks. I get their names fast but can lose them just as fast when they are in the hallways. Another challenge in the name area is that I have students call me for a reference and tell me they were in my fall class in 1999 and was wondering if I remembered them and their project. That is when my brain really starts to fog up when I try to remember that one person from the past 1,000 or so students I have had.
The key is that we try our best to remember each student and be of help to that student as they move through their career.
Gary
I know my students by face, and by tidbits about themselves, but so often, I get names mixed up with other students. I tend to confuse students that have similar appearances and may have taken a class from me at a different time. It is a struggle sometimes because I hate getting names wrong. This happens because I have taught many, many classes. Usually I keep my roster VERY handy in the classroom just to make sure I don't mess up, but it is still a problem for me in the hallways, without the roster.
John...I too get to know my student and their names on the first day. It is my belief that it engages them in the classroom right off the bat and lets them know that they matter.
I also have a hard time remembering names, and occasionally call a student by the wrong name. In personal response to this, I try to engage every student as much as possible in a work related way. I ask about jobs they have, skills they might have learned from previous experience, etc.. This helps to solidify them in my mind. Sometimes I will remember a student by something they have done in their previous experiences.
Hi Laurie!
I agree that getting to know the student by name is so very improtant. Remembering something about them or something they said in a fleeting conversation also helps to make them feel that we do take an interest in them.
My very first class was 28 students and I used association techniques to remember them by the end of the first day. I would picture them in my classroom and where they sat and went over their names and something about them that night to make sure I would remember their names the next day.
Hi Jeff,
Thanks for sharing this great idea of how to get to know students names. It gets them involved and you get results a win win for everyone.
Gary
I'm a visual guy. . . and remembering everyone's name doesn't always come easy. With cell phones in everyones pocket, I've often asked large groups to each shoot a current picture of themselves or send me their favorite shot. I then collect the images and write or type their name next to it. I then have a visual "directory" of who's who. This is particularly important for an online class or clients that are located some distance away. Many of todays popular mail programs allow you to attach an image to the address and phone listing as well as type in some personal detail until the student/teacher relationship develops.
Jeff
At the beginning of the first day of class I Like to introduce myself to the class,afterwards Iask the students to introduce themselves so that I can learn who they are & where they came from as well as the students getting to know each other better.This not only helps to build a good rapport with the students but also help with team building skills.Then it seems easier to get students to work together as a team instead of competing with each other on a one on one basis. J.P.
I like to get to know my students the first day. During the time for introductions I typically have the students provide their name, why they are in roll and something they find interesting about themselves outside of school and work to break the ice. You learn a little about their personality. Definitely having the 1-1 interaction helps with the atmosphere for class.
