Student Retention
I find this section very effective in understanding ways to retain students. Simply knowing your students' full name is a great way to start!
David,
I don't use assigned seating in my class either for the reason you state. I let them pick their seats if they stay engaged. As for helping to learn names quicker I use name tents for the first few days. I let the students write their names on the 5X8 cards and then pass a sack full of colorful markers around. They can customize their name tents anyway they want to as long as it is appropriate. They have fun with this and their customization efforts helps me to connect with them individually. I collect the name tents at the end of each class and then hand them out at the next class. This gives me more interaction with the students and speeds up my learning their names. The key is just as you are doing, have exchanges with the students such as the name tents and handing papers back to them.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have two classes each day, usually with 20 to 25 students per class, four days per week. On average it takes my about a week and a half to get everyone’s name and face correlated and memorized. Are there any good tricks to get this time frame shortened? The thing that seems to help me the most is returning papers to students after grading them, looking them in the face and say their name to myself. BTW, I don’t have assigned seating with a seating chart, I allow the students to sit where they want as long as they pay attention and have no unnecessary talking, this seems to work in this class environment. I do realize that this would make it easier to get their names correct faster but I prefer to allow groups to gather naturally. So any ideas other than seating charts?
Larry,
Thank you for the kind words. I wish you continued teaching success and your students rewarding futures.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
