Saturday, October 30, 2010

What's In a Name?

“What's in a name? that which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet”- William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet

The first week of school is over. You’ve had children complete and return a number of forms. They may have even turned in some assignments. So, let me ask you… Do you know all of their names? Unlike, Shakespeare’s famous line from Romeo and Juliet, calling a student by another name would not be as sweet. In fact, it may make them feel insignificant. If you are looking for a small way to motivate your students, start here. To a new student, the one thing that can help them connect with you early on is when you call them by their name. It means a lot that you took the time to remember their name. If you can recall all your students’ names, maybe the challenge for you will be pronouncing it correctly. Let’s face it we have students from all parts of the world right here in our classrooms. So, stretch yourself and write it out phonetically if you need to but say it right! Some simple ways to remember their names early on is to say it as often as you can. Look at your roster and their face when calling attendance. It may be a simple motivator but you will strike it big with your students.

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