I have the hardest time remembering names. Numbers are relatively easy, particular formulas are okay, but names have always been a problem for me. I always tell my students that it’ll be about October that I’ll know most of them, and some will take longer. It stinks, and I always feel bad about it, but I promise I do work at it.
So this year, partially because I needed to try some new technique, partially because I think it’ll work well as part of my National Boards entries, I tried doing Sara VanDerWerf’s name tents.
So. Much. Amazingness. (And the name tents were magical too.)
But really, I didn’t expect to have so much fun with them. And it’s in the vein of getting to know each kid better, even (especially??) the quiet ones. I’ve now had a mini-conversation with each of my students, something I don’t usually get a chance to do.
The types of conversations were interesting too. My AP kids, whom I’ve already had for a year, I now know much better. Their questions to me tended to be much more casual and silly. My new chemistry students were generally more academic or non-personal. But I still got a glimpse of what kinds of things are in their heads. A few asked if we could do another round, so I may see if I can afford that kind of time around the semester break.
notphlogiston 