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To learn student names during the first 3 weeks of class, I start with a simple namecard assignment. Students each create a namecard using their photo, their preferred name, and their area of study. I then keep PDFs of the namecards to review as the days go by - if I see a student name on my class list but cannot put a face to it, I refer back to the namecards. The namecards are also helpful in learning students' preferred names, vs their legal names that are usually on the enrollment listings. 

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To learn student names during the first 3 weeks of class, I start with a simple namecard assignment. Students each create a namecard using their photo, their preferred name, and their area of study. I then keep PDFs of the namecards to review as the days go by - if I see a student name on my class list but cannot put a face to it, I refer back to the namecards. The namecards are also helpful in learning students' preferred names, vs their legal names that are usually on the enrollment listings. 

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V.Gunderson

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It looks like what I do to learn names is similar to others' who have already posted here.  I use name cards on each student's desk.  They write them the first class and pick them up at the beginning of every class until I have their names down.  This works well for me so I haven't had to implement any other strategies.

As for brief meetings, I use a list of questions at the beginning of the semester that tells me a little about themselves and what their previous experiences with math were like.  Then, I meet on an as needed basis.  I especially chat informally with students who haven't been logging into Blackboard or if they have missed homework assignments.

Monica Peeders

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I do several things.  First I have the students make name tags and put them out in front of them for the first couple weeks.  This is very helpful.  I also do a survey from within Blackboard and ask 3 questions.  1.  Do you like mathematics?  why or why not?
2.  What can I do as your instructor to help you learn and be successful this semester.
3.  Tell me something about yourself that you'd like me to know.
I get great responses and this helps me learn something about them and then I follow-up with all of the students within 2 weeks, either by talking to them in class as I'm checking with understanding or through a response in Blackboard.

Mike Eversoll

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I have never taught a class without having students make name tags for themselves. Also, one thing I think important to remember is it isn't just the teacher holding the responsibility of learning all the students' names. All of the students need to learn each others names as well. This is a perfect starting point to get away from the teacher-centered classroom. Be involved in the learning process with your students. Share the responsibility as a classroom unit to know everyone in the classroom.

The name train is also a great way for students to learn each others name and for the teacher to hear each name over and over again. You can google "name train" but basically, the teacher starts by saying "My name is Ryan" then the first student says "This is Ryan, my name is .... " Then the next student says "This is Ryan, this is so and so, and I am ..." Students must actively engage and listen to try to remember all the names. Added bonus for ELL pronunciation of the /th/ sound in "this is.."

Ryan Peterson

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Working as part-time faculty and working with many classes, learning student's names has always been a challenge for me. We have names next to photos of the students that we are able to look at while doing simulation. This is helpful, but only if you are doing simulation. The students also have name tags, which is helpful, but continues to feel a bit impersonal if I am constantly looking at the name tags. When meeting new students, I ask them if they are affiliated with a service, those that are I make up mnemonics to help remember their names. Those that aren't, I ask what they currently do for a living or something about themselves. Once I can tie a face, name and occupation together I can more easily remember names.
Kelly Cloudsdale

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Best Practice #3: Learn student names and meet for a brief conversation:   I am somewhat fortunate in the fact I have small groups of students and students are required to wear name tags at the clinical site. If I forget a name, I will look at their name tag. I greet each student at the clinical site the first day at the meeting place and try to have a brief conversation with each of them welcoming them to class. I try to repeat their name and do ask for pronunciation help. With the first day on the clinical floor I make my way around and speak with each student individually to ask if there are any questions and to help them with log on help and navigating the patient computer chart. Through the semester, I am also able to work with each student individually in passing medications and general assessments if needed. 

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Best Practice #3: Learn student names and meet for a brief conversation:   I am somewhat fortunate in the fact I have small groups of students and students are required to wear name tags at the clinical site. If I forget a name, I will look at their name tag. I greet each student at the clinical site the first day at the meeting place and try to have a brief conversation with each of them welcoming them to class. I try to repeat their name and do ask for pronunciation help. With the first day on the clinical floor I make my way around and speak with each student individually to ask if there are any questions and to help them with log on help and navigating the patient computer chart. Through the semester, I am also able to work with each student individually in passing medications and general assessments if needed. 

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Beth Zahn

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This semester I tried creating an assignment in Blackboard where all they have to do is submit a selfie. Blackboard already has their name, so if I forget someone's name, I can reference this assignment. I made the assignment extra credit so that it could be an optional thing for them and the extra credit would work as an incentive so that most of them would add their picture. I think it worked really well this semester.

Juan Martinez

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Post by: Heather McDonell
One great way to learn students' names is to take a photo of each student and then make flashcards of each student with their picture on one side and their name on the other side.  After making the flashcards, I would quiz myself at home and  I found this technique to be very helpful for memorizing their names early on!

At the beginning of the semester, I break the class up into small groups of 3-4 and we introduce ourselves and we share why we are interested in taking French/our goals for the semester. In this activity, I move around between the tables so that I can feel a part of the community of students and so that I can get to know each of them better. After this class, I take notes so that I can remember the personal reasons why my students have signed up for my class so that I can engage with them on a personal level throughout the semester.

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I took a look here mostly to see if there was any new ideas I could use. Memorizing names has been a struggle as a new instructor. I did the intro day connecting hobbies and their story to help remember with moderate results. the first few weeks I took role call but that still didn't make all of the connections. Next semester I will try table tents and see if that is an effective addition with what I have done. As a student I had an instructor who did a first letter association to a nick name the student came up with that helped him remember that I may try. So how it worked was I was Timely Tim at first the association was what he remembered than eventually that led to remembering the name. Tim Myers

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On the first day of class I take time to have the students introduce themselves. Because people are creatures of habit, they virtually always sit in the same seat, so I have drawing of the classroom. While they are talking I take notes on my chart, they include names, contractor they work for, and their hobbies/what they do for fun. I also ask them questions about what their work experience, children, hobbies trying to find common ground. Although I'm not naturally good at names, I can usually learn everyone's name in a couple weeks. I then make it a point to ask them throughout the semester about things that interest them. For instance,  one guy is planning his honeymoon, another two others own race cars, another plays in a pool league. I've found speaking with them about their interest's not only builds rapport, but sometimes I even learn something!

-Ben Thompson

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In the Nursing Program, group student pictures are taken in their skills course and then student names are attached to the picture. Another instructor provided me with this picture which was instrumental in helping me to learn everyone's names. Attendance is attached to points in my course so the first week I take attendance to put names to faces and make an effort to memorize everyone's names. 

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In the Nursing Program, group student pictures are taken in their skills course and then student names are attached to the picture. Another instructor provided me with this picture which was instrumental in helping me to learn everyone's names. Attendance is attached to points in my course so the first week I take attendance to put names to faces and make an effort to memorize everyone's names. 

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-Jolan Berg

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I typically only have 12-15 students in a given semester, so it typically only takes me three weeks at the most to memorize everybody's name.

Our early-semester activities give me a good opportunity to put their names to their faces, personalities, and interests. Of much help to me is our first assignment of the semester, in which students are teamed in pairs and interview each other about something they consider themselves to be experts on. By the time I've graded their interviews, which are uploaded to a website called SoundCloud, I feel like I have a good sense of each student, and this makes it easier for me to remember their names. I've found this first assignment is not only a good introduction to radio skills for them, but an opportunity for us all to get better acquainted.

Terry Bell

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One of the biggest things that has helped me in learn the students names is making eye contact with each student during my first attendance check. The next step I have begun each course now with introducing myself with answer about 4-6 questions.  I than have the students go into partners or groups that I have created and assign them with calling names and making eye contact again. The students then introduce the other students answering the same 4-6 questions I answered for myself. The final thing I do is have the students complete a writing assignment of why they decided to take the course and what they are most concerned about with the course.

Chris Dennis

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What I try to do at the beginning of the semester is break up the class in groups of two to four to do an assignment. While they are working, I will drop into the groups and just have a conversation with them. It can be about work, hobbies, families or whatever is happening in their lives. MT

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I start the first class by passing around a paper that asks the student their name, who they work for, why they want to be an electrician, hobbies, etc... . Each student reads the paper to the class so we can all learn a little about them. I also have them make a name tent with their name and employer on it. Sometimes having the employer on the card makes it easier for me to remember. MT

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Students create a name card and I have students introduce themselves. I encourage students to use their name cards each week in order to receive attendance credit. I incorporate a variety of ice breakers, get-to-know-you activities, and allow students to teach sections of the course. Perhaps most importantly, I arrange the tables/chairs into a U shape so everyone is able to make eye contact with each other.  Julia

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Prior to the semester starting we have an Intro class that they must take.  We have a white board that the student writes their name on and then we photograph them holding the board.  These photos go into a shared drive file for all the program faculty to access.  I can't tell you how many times I've referenced that as student move around or change their hair.  Meanwhile I also have students create a Table Tent with their name and put that out for the first few weeks.  We also play some ice breaker games early on like "two truths and a fib", they actually really like this one.  In addition what really helps me having to return something back to them, an assignment or a other intro form that I review and return.  

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Prior to the semester starting we have an Intro class that they must take.  We have a white board that the student writes their name on and then we photograph them holding the board.  These photos go into a shared drive file for all the program faculty to access.  I can't tell you how many times I've referenced that as student move around or change their hair.  Meanwhile I also have students create a Table Tent with their name and put that out for the first few weeks.  We also play some ice breaker games early on like "two truths and a fib", they actually really like this one.  In addition what really helps me having to return something back to them, an assignment or a other intro form that I review and return.  

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Tiffany Esser

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Introducing myself is the start of my getting to know the names of the student that I work with in the clinic. They pretty much know each other because of the first year experience in clinic.  On the first day,  as the students begin to sign up for checks I see their names and their room numbers. At that time I make connections with the names and faces.  As the day goes on they have to keep signing up for checks. We have conversations with the student about the patients and also chit chat about the processes of the appointment. These interactions with the students, myself and the patient help build good rapport. I don't have any specific exercise to perform with the students in order to get to know their names.  Three weeks are spent working with the first group then we rotate to the next group of students. Instructors typically interact with more than the students  in their group during the run of a day. We eventually get to know all of the students names during the semester. 

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Introducing myself is the start of my getting to know the names of the student that I work with in the clinic. They pretty much know each other because of the first year experience in clinic.  On the first day,  as the students begin to sign up for checks I see their names and their room numbers. At that time I make connections with the names and faces.  As the day goes on they have to keep signing up for checks. We have conversations with the student about the patients and also chit chat about the processes of the appointment. These interactions with the students, myself and the patient help build good rapport. I don't have any specific exercise to perform with the students in order to get to know their names.  Three weeks are spent working with the first group then we rotate to the next group of students. Instructors typically interact with more than the students  in their group during the run of a day. We eventually get to know all of the students names during the semester. 

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Doris King

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Participation points are part of my course and the students overall grade. The first week  I will do a role call to put names to faces. Weeks two to four I will have  sign up sheet at the doorway and have students sign in while I am standing next to the door so I can glance at the name and have time to greet or chat with the students as they arrive.  In weeks 1-2 I also have a handful of partner exercises where the students will share stories (always making sure the students introduce themselves and their partner). 

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Participation points are part of my course and the students overall grade. The first week  I will do a role call to put names to faces. Weeks two to four I will have  sign up sheet at the doorway and have students sign in while I am standing next to the door so I can glance at the name and have time to greet or chat with the students as they arrive.  In weeks 1-2 I also have a handful of partner exercises where the students will share stories (always making sure the students introduce themselves and their partner). 

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Becky Ingebrigtsen