Consider Names and Naming: What is your name story? Why do you have your name? What is the ethnic origin? How do you experience your name? How do others experience your name? What is the impact of naming for different cultures of students? How might this create an educational barrier for some?
I have an older sister....my mom named her so my dad named me. He knew a Sandra Jean when he was growing up, and she was someone he admired so...here I am. My mom wanted my middle name to be less "average," so she changed the spelling from Jean to Jeanne. My last name is Towers. Pretty anglo-Saxon all the way around. I married into a very Irish family so my children have Irish names.
I am always somewhat uncomfortable with name discussions in class having had very impactful conversations about this with foster children. Having read research on the impact of having certain ethnic "sounding" names on hiring practices, it makes me want to help students (and adults) to embrace the beauty in different names.
I have an older sister....my mom named her so my dad named me. He knew a Sandra Jean when he was growing up, and she was someone he admired so...here I am. My mom wanted my middle name to be less "average," so she changed the spelling from Jean to Jeanne. My last name is Towers. Pretty anglo-Saxon all the way around. I married into a very Irish family so my children have Irish names.
I am always somewhat uncomfortable with name discussions in class having had very impactful conversations about this with foster children. Having read research on the impact of having certain ethnic "sounding" names on hiring practices, it makes me want to help students (and adults) to embrace the beauty in different names.