1. I have a student this year named Chigozie but goes by the name Joseph. Taking this in-service course actually prompted me to ask him about the meaning behind his name and inquire when people started to refer to him as Joseph. The student informed me that not only was Joseph his middle name, but Chigozie was also of Nigerian descent. His classmates and teachers had such a hard time pronouncing his name, that they suggested using his middle name in school at the age of 5 or 6. As other students entered my classroom and listened to our conversation, it actually sparked a few students to attempt to say his name Chigozie. It was a very cool and humbling experience to see this podcast’s message in real life. This interaction reaffirmed the podcast’s major lesson that our names have so much meaning and importance. They are rooted in our culture and traditions. It is worth the effort to get it right and show students you respect them.
I was genuinely surprised at how dismissive Ryan Seacrest was of not even attempting to pronounce Quvenzhané Wallis’ name. The young actress made such a valid point that Hollywood took to the time to learn other difficult actors’ and actress’ names, but felt she was not “worth the time or energy” to learn hers.
The podcast has made me reflect on what steps I can take to grow as an educator. These instances where we struggle to learn students’ names are learning opportunities. We can take the time to pull students aside, ask him/her to slowly repeat their name, practice after class and check back later to ensure it is correct. While this may put us in an uncomfortable and humbling position, it is worth the effort to make students feel comfortable and avoid feeling marginalized. I loved the idea of carrying around your roster during the day on a clipboard and asking the students during a study hall, lunch, etc. in a different setting instead of in front of a class of 20 students.
I was genuinely surprised at how dismissive Ryan Seacrest was of not even attempting to pronounce Quvenzhané Wallis’ name. The young actress made such a valid point that Hollywood took to the time to learn other difficult actors’ and actress’ names, but felt she was not “worth the time or energy” to learn hers.
The podcast has made me reflect on what steps I can take to grow as an educator. These instances where we struggle to learn students’ names are learning opportunities. We can take the time to pull students aside, ask him/her to slowly repeat their name, practice after class and check back later to ensure it is correct. While this may put us in an uncomfortable and humbling position, it is worth the effort to make students feel comfortable and avoid feeling marginalized. I loved the idea of carrying around your roster during the day on a clipboard and asking the students during a study hall, lunch, etc. in a different setting instead of in front of a class of 20 students.