Should teachers know the names of their students?
By kilani123
@kilani123 (864)
United Arab Emirates
March 19, 2008 8:07am CST
I have been teaching for three years and never knew a name of a single student.
but parents seem to hate they are telling me that memorizing the names means that i care about students.
However I find this assumption redicioulus.
would you please tell me if this is important or nor?
2 people like this
6 responses
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
19 Mar 08
It depends on the person. Personally, I find that it is nice to have someone know my name, but as a teacher myself, I know only a few names because something about the particular student sticks out. Some are more confident than others (I teach English in China and confidence in my classes is a rarity), or there is something about their appearance or personality that makes them stick out. They are sometimes bothered that I don't remember names, but I don't worry about it. I tell them I have 120 students (last year it was 700). If it is just one class of 30, I might still only remember a few, but with as many as I have had the last two years, I'm surprised I remember any.
@kilani123 (864)
• United Arab Emirates
19 Mar 08
thats exactly what happens with me i guess iam not the only teacher that forgets his students names ... latley i was using notes just to remember the names of the students that i have in my class
1 person likes this
@daeckardt (6237)
• United States
19 Mar 08
I think the thing to do is to use notes (as you mentioned). It may not look good, but if you can start relating a name to some feature about the person, the name might stick. I have one class that I have had for two semesters, but sofar, I only know a few names that I can put with faces. I can recognize the faces and I can recognize the names (I gave most of them their English names), but most of them I can't put the two together. Like I mentioned before, if I noticed something that stuck out, then I could remember the name easier.
@pollydhuca (227)
• Indonesia
19 Mar 08
yes, even you a good teacher , ithink better u remember their names cause that make ur pupil respect to you more,
a thecher not only teach a knowledge but they give some advice about sosialism too. and one of inside is to know one each other around us !
maybe it's sound rudicoulus, i hope u understand with their parent too.
however thay wanted their son get more attention from their theacher that's why all parent let their child go to scholl !
@kilani123 (864)
• United Arab Emirates
19 Mar 08
Yeah you are right but i am so socialized with my students they like me but dont like that part of me.
I dont know how to change this habbit. i have used not to memorize any names. I am bad at memorizing.
Can you tell me a way to remember.???
@pollydhuca (227)
• Indonesia
19 Mar 08
i have no mean to make you mad, but usually someone be hard to memoriez something it's caused they to much think another or to much pending their action.
it's happen to me too.
but i know how to be a good memoriez with easy way.
* u make a tidy places i mean if u looks untidy thing front of u like a room maybe or your table, just done it ! caused without u know u already use ur mind to remember something.
* u must do direct what u thinking; like if u want get lunch , just get it just now, that's one of trick for ur mind to work fast caused if u pending ur lunch time even u have thought it, that means u instruct ur mind to forget something...! if to much u will loss many memories.
i hope this work to u caused i alredy done it anf it work to me...
good luck !
i salute to ur job !
@cripfemme (7698)
• United States
25 Mar 08
When I taught for three semesters at college, I knew the name of every student I taught, but I also give my students my phone number so they could call me if they had problems. I taught health education, so people would have issues and need to talk outside of class with me.
@lecanis (16647)
• Murfreesboro, Tennessee
19 Mar 08
When teachers knew my name in school, I always paid better attention and cared more about what they thought of me. If a teacher didn't know my name, I didn't feel that they really cared about me, and therefore I had no motivation to make their lives easier by paying attention or following the rules in their class.
Most of the teachers I know have systems they use for learning the names of their students, even if they have a lot of students. Finding ways to relate their names to their faces through mnemonic tricks works for most teachers from what I've seen.
If you really can't remember their names, no matter how hard you try, then that's one thing... but you should at least try.
@kilani123 (864)
• United Arab Emirates
19 Mar 08
Thanks that was really convincing
1 person likes this
@goldwin65 (935)
• Malaysia
19 Mar 08
Like my case I am teaching 5 different classes of about 35 students in each class. It is impossible for an ordinary teacher to remember and by hard the names of each student but I am trying my best to remember as many as possible names. Now, within 3 months of teaching them, I do know about 45% of my student's names by now.
Being a good teacher, we must try our best to know their name in order to have good rapport and be respected by the students.Every student feel good and honor if the teacher knows they name.
@redrover (597)
• United States
19 Mar 08
This puzzles me that so many have posted this.
When I was in school I never had a teacher not know my name, of those in my classes (that i know of). There are still teacher that recognize me when I see them.
Maybe because we are a smaller town? Still had 20-30 in each class, each teach 6 classes.
Perhaps they knew my name so I assumed they knew all of us?
@redrover (597)
• United States
19 Mar 08
As a teacher i would think knowing of names important.
How can you expect them to learn all you teach, when you can't remember theirs names.
It does show you care to know their names.
It also sets up a personal connection between you two so you can better communicate with them, also increases trust.
I doubt anyone expects you to know the names the first day, but a month in there is no reason why not.
If you have trouble maybe a seating chart may help you learn the names? Or by your post, maybe a little effort.
