Remembering Student Names
I sometimes have a difficult time remembering all of my students names in large classes. Aside from calling roll and making name tents, what other strategies do you find effective in recalling students' names?
Hi Karla,
Some instructors like to assign seats in alphabetical order to help with name memorization. I have heard that some instructors like to take pictures with their cell phone to help with name memorization as welll. I simply give the student a 10-second stare on Day 1 and say their name silently for 10 times to help with name memorization.
Patricia Scales
It helps for me to go around the class and let the students tell about family, pets, interests, etc. I then repeat their name whith the personal information, ai... Denise, you have five children and still go to school and work part time? I really admire you Denise. That works for me.
Hi Karla, I do the exact same thing. On the first five days students must sign in for attendance then after that the instructors do roll call. In doing the roll call myself I am able to recognize the name with the face.
My main problem with student names is remembering nicknames that aren't even close to their name, and then having the student's real name is reinforced through daily attendance rosters. Still looking for a way to do that. I catch myself, but the students are always upset if I accidentally call them by their real name. I know that it is their identity and it is important to them so I apologize. I have the names memorized right away, but still the real name creeps in there. Embarrassing.
Be careful about taking a student's picture without permission. Many students may not want their picture taken for various reasons. Even asking this question could create a potential problem.
Once the students are seated for the fist class, I have them give me their name and place it on a seating chart. This is their seat for the remainder of the class. Not only do I know their name, I can make marks on my chart based on participation and other items.
I also have this problem, students wishing to be called a name other than the one on paper. It really gets to me when they submit papers with only a nick name on them and expect me to figure out who the writer was.
I tell them up front that I will attempt to remember and call them be the name that they want, but on paper they must use the one in the gradebook.
Thank you, Calvin. I have been able to call this one particular student by her nickname, as she is visibly angry if I do not. But your comment makes sense that on papers, tests, etc., legal names rule.
Hi Karla, I do the exact same thing. On the first five days students must sign in for attendance then after that the instructors do roll call. In doing the roll call myself I am able to recognize the name with the face.
I try to remember their names by associating to places,celebrities.
Hi Rebecca,
Some instructors use name tents for the first couple of weeks to help with name memorization.
Patricia Scales
I find that if I don't learn their names in the first few days, it's a lost cause! Once they are all in uniform and look more alike, it becomes even harder.
I make a game of it the first day, trying to learn as many names as possible. I don't even attempt it until after they've talked a little about themselves - it's easier to build associations if you have something besides just a face to associate!
I find it helps to learn them in small groups - I'll take 4 to 6 students and get their names down pat before adding in another 4 to 6. Still, there are 2 or 3 in every class that I just struggle to get. I'm not sure why I can get some names so easily and others become mental blocks.
We also have a system that allows us to print a roster with student photos. I don't use that, though. I find that if I do use it, I rely too heavily on it and never force myself to learn the names.
