What do you Think?? REFLECT: Perhaps you have a name or you can recall a classmate with a difficult name to pronounce. Predictably, year after year, teachers butcher the same name. What was the outcome? Was it awkward, long-lasting, humiliating? What was the impact??
For as long as I can remember people have had trouble pronouncing my name. I can recognize the uncomfortable look when someone who needed to read names for whatever reason would have and long uncomfortable pause. Typically because my last name was a "beginning of the alphabet" name I'd often jump into rescue prior to any attempts, because it often ended in laughter. Or I'd hear "I'm sorry I'm going to butcher this name", and I'd jump right in to avoid any awkward attempts. It's more of just something I got used to, when I was much younger it bothered me because I was very shy I'd often ask my parents why they couldn't have given me a normal name. As I got older I got more used to it, however it does affect how I approach names I'm unfamiliar with, I know it can have a huge impact on kids.
Now What?? How might you become a “calibrator?” What steps will you take this school year to learn student names properly in your class? (avoid a side-show!)
At Sweet Home we're so lucky to have students from all over the world, it really is important to take the time to learn how to say our students names correctly. If I'm unsure I'll often ask teachers or kids that know the student and practice, I'll write notes down so that I can say it correctly. If I can get it right on the first day, I want to! Otherwise I will privately ask the student to help me, I'll write down and make sure they know I care about getting it right.
For as long as I can remember people have had trouble pronouncing my name. I can recognize the uncomfortable look when someone who needed to read names for whatever reason would have and long uncomfortable pause. Typically because my last name was a "beginning of the alphabet" name I'd often jump into rescue prior to any attempts, because it often ended in laughter. Or I'd hear "I'm sorry I'm going to butcher this name", and I'd jump right in to avoid any awkward attempts. It's more of just something I got used to, when I was much younger it bothered me because I was very shy I'd often ask my parents why they couldn't have given me a normal name. As I got older I got more used to it, however it does affect how I approach names I'm unfamiliar with, I know it can have a huge impact on kids.
Now What?? How might you become a “calibrator?” What steps will you take this school year to learn student names properly in your class? (avoid a side-show!)
At Sweet Home we're so lucky to have students from all over the world, it really is important to take the time to learn how to say our students names correctly. If I'm unsure I'll often ask teachers or kids that know the student and practice, I'll write notes down so that I can say it correctly. If I can get it right on the first day, I want to! Otherwise I will privately ask the student to help me, I'll write down and make sure they know I care about getting it right.