I do recall instances when a student was given a nickname because their full name was hard to pronounce. In the past (before knowing better), I may have been grateful that it was easier on me to learn. But, now I know more about how much value is in someone's full name. It can tell you about their family, their heritage, and it represents their place in the world. The Hollywood story about the young actress is a good example of a chance for all of us to grow. Even though many people might be offended at first about calling it a "micro-aggression," I do think it is one. In my own classroom, I will continue to be a "calibrator" as much as possible. I will continue to check in with my students to make sure that I am pronouncing their family names correctly. I will use any tools available to me to remember the correct pronunciation, and I will help others (such as Special Area teachers) learn the names correctly as well.
