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A story about self-advocacy for one's name to be seen, heard and known.

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A story about self-advocacy for one's name to be seen, heard and known.

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Always Anjali by Sheetal Sheth Illustrated by Jessica Blank || Read Aloud Read Along ||

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A story about a boy's relationship with his name.

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A story about a boy's relationship with his name.

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The Boy Who Tried to Shrink His Name | A story about coming into yourself

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These strategies can help teachers commit students' names to memory, even in large classes.

It's the start of a new school year and you have five classes with 25 students each-125 names to learn. Impossible, right? Wrong. I make it my challenge to learn all my students' names by the end of the first week. In this article, I offer five strategies to help you do the same.

But first, let's see why committing students' names to memory is important.

Taking the time to learn their names shows students that they matter. Have you ever had someone repeatedly get your name wrong? My name is Rae, just three letters, one syllable. Yet, a colleague would always call me Rea. A simple mistake, but it made me feel unnoticed and unvalued.

Show your students that you care by learning their names and pronouncing them correctly. This effort makes students feel seen and valued. If they ask why you're spending so much time on it, tell them the truth: "I care about you and want to get it right." This fosters strong, respectful relationships and a sense of belonging in your classroom.

"But," you say, "I'm hopeless with names."First of all, start by telling yourself that you're not hopeless. Like any skill, learning names takes practice and the right strategies. Use making the effort to commit students' names to memory as an opportunity to model persistence and humility to your students-you'll likely make some mistakes, and that's OK. Be explicit about the strategies you're using; this helps students develop their own memory skills.

5 Strategies to Learn Students' Names

1. Make it stick: Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Once you've done an icebreaker to introduce everyone's names, get students working on a task. (You can use the name tent task in strategy three below.) Use the time to walk around the classroom, repeating each student's name out loud: "Sanjay, Sanjay, Sanjay, Sanjay." Repeat their name just loud enough for you to hear it, letting the students know that you're practicing learning their names. Studies show that you are more likely to remember something if you read it out loud.

Chunking helps: Throughout your first class, whenever students are working independently, practice their names. Perhaps you go to one table group to help answer a question. While you're there, practice (aloud) the names of each student at that table. Start with one row or table group of four students, and repeat their names until you remember them. Move to the next group, practice those names, and then add the first four to your recall list. Now you've got eight!

By the end of class, mix up students' positions or have them line up by the door, and see how many names you can remember. Remind them not to immediately call out their name if you pause-you may need some wait time. This is a perfect moment to explain to your students the science behind short-term memory recall. Repetition, chunking, and active recall (testing yourself) are all strategies they can apply when learning new material.

2. Make it fun: Learning names doesn't have to be a chore-play some games to make it enjoyable. An easy option is name toss. Stand in a circle with your students, using soft objects to toss to each other. Say the person's name before throwing the object to them. Try to get to everyone in the circle without repeating a name or dropping the object.

Once you've done it with one object, make it more challenging by adding a second object, having an object go backward, or going as fast as possible.

3. Make it visual: A name is easier to remember with a visual cue. Have students create a name tent for their desks, including a drawing of something starting with the same letter as their name. To create a name tent, have students fold a piece of paper lengthwise in three equal parts, using the middle section to write their name. For example, I'd draw raspberries, rabbits, or rainbows next to "RAE." Then fold the paper to make a 3D triangle that can stand on their desk.

These associations are a powerful way to help remember a student's name. Next lesson, visualize their name tents to recall their names.

4. Make it meaningful: Turn learning names into an opportunity to deepen your relationships with students and get to know more about them, their families, and their backgrounds. "The Story of My Name" asks students to talk to their parents or caregivers to learn and share the story behind their name.

Give some prompts to help students, especially those who might not have a parent available to talk to at that moment. Each student should share a two-minute story about their name with the class. Not only will you be more likely to remember their name, but also you'll foster deeper connections among all members of the class.

5. Say it right: If you teach in a multicultural school, as I do, you'll encounter unfamiliar names. Learning how to pronounce them correctly shows students that they are worth the effort. My favorite way to learn the phonetic pronunciation of my students' names is anactivity called "My name is... My name is not..., by Ceci Gomez-Galvez. (Here are her curated resources on names and identities.)

With this activity, students use Padlet to record a 10-second video introducing themselves, pronouncing their name slowly and clearly. They can also tell you how not to pronounce their name. For example I might record a video saying something like "My name is Rae-it rhymes with 'day,' just like the name 'Ray Charles.' My name is not 'Re-ah' or 'Ry.'" Watch these videos as needed to ensure that you get your students' names right. As a whole school, you can even try recording the pronunciation of student names in your learning management system.

The next time you have a new class, club, or activity, invest the time to learn all your students' names correctly. It's an excellent opportunity to model that you are a learner too, willing to try something new and make mistakes along the way. Most important, it shows your students that you care about them.

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These tips for learning students' names can help teachers remember this important detail, even in large classes.

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Great reflective article written by a teacher.

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Great reflective article written by a teacher.

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Dear WeAreTeachers:
I teach high school, and I have this one refugee student whose name is really hard to pronounce. I tried, but I really butchered it and ended up coming up with a nickname. One of my colleagues is giving me a hard time about it. She says I'm not creating a welcoming and respectful space. That feels harsh! I really care about my students, and I'm not a bad teacher. Truly, I don't see what the big deal is since this student says he's fine with the nickname. What's the problem?
-Tongue Tied

Dear T.T.,

We've all struggled to pronounce someone's name. Our ears hear one thing, and our mouths say another! Not only does it feel strange in your mouth, but it can also feel uncomfortable when you are really trying your best and not having success. It sounds like you have good intentions. It's helpful to pause and reflect on the power and importance of learning to say someone's name.

Let's take a moment to think about working with refugee students. Welcoming refugee students into your classroom takes intention and effort. Remember that your new arrival students are navigating U.S. school systems often for the first time, learning English as a new language, immersed in different cultural norms, trying to make new friends, and more. They may have experienced various forms of trauma in their journey to the United States. Many refugee students have been in refugee camps for a long time with limited access to schooling, poor housing, possible separation from family, and food insecurity.

Making the effort to get to know your newcomer students is essential. And it all starts with their names. Learning student names is one of the most important community-building strategies we have as educators. Names are springboards for learning the stories of our students' lives. One way to begin is to find out what students know about their names. This builds strong connections, values multiple perspectives, and shows a deep level of care.

It might take some extra effort to get your students' names to flow off your tongue. Try meeting with your refugee student one on one. Be humble and stick with it. Your newcomer students are immersed in a new language all day long and feel wobbly. Your empathy and compassion go a long way. Consider video recording the student saying their name so you can practice and see the articulation of the sounds. Once you learn the name, write it phonetically to help yourself remember.

Let's also think about the possible effects of mispronouncing names in the classroom. Whose name is most often mispronounced? Our multilingual learners and students of color face this issue most frequently. Your intentional efforts send a message that THEY matter and that YOU are a learner, too.

We may think that nicknames are the answer, but there can be some unintended consequences of a teacher giving a student a nickname. Names are connections to our families, identity, and culture. Imagine if each teacher gave the SAME student a DIFFERENT nickname. How would that feel? Some advocates say that learning to say someone's name is a form of allyship.

I'm sending along lots of patience and self-compassion on your journey to learn how to say your students' names. It will take deliberate practice for sure. Psychologist A person's name is the greatest connection to their own identity and individuality. Some might say it is the most important word in the world to that person ... It is a sign of courtesy ... When someone remembers our name after meeting us, we feel respected and more important."

Dear WeAreTeachers:
I'm so delighted to have been offered the job of my dreams as a third and fourth grade gifted and talented teacher. However, I was recently diagnosed with cancer, and we haven't figured out my treatment plan yet. I just had surgery, and I'll need some recovery time. Life feels upside down and inside out. I'm having a hard time focusing, and sometimes I'm overcome with worry. Teaching is an important way for me to connect and find meaning in life, so I really want to keep working. My hope is to be healthy and have this dream job. What are my options? -Cancer Sucks

Dear C.S.,

Sending you patience and love during your recovery and healing. Hang in there! Sometimes thinking too far into the future can feel like too much. It might help to try focusing on small moments at a time. You are going through some major challenges right now, and it's a lot to manage.

It's important to listen to your own intuition and decide what feels right to you. Choose whether you want to wait and sign the contract first before letting leadership know about your health. Or you can inform them now. Either way, you have legal rights. The Family Medical Leave Act and Federal Rehabilitation Act protect you from being discriminated against at work because of your cancer diagnosis. You have the right to take time off to heal and also receive accommodations.

Let's think through some possible next steps:

1. Focus on your health. Explore your treatment options. Rest and recover. Be gentle to yourself. Work will be there when you are ready.

2. Take advantage of cancer support groups. You are not alone! Hearing how others have navigated a cancer diagnosis and are moving forward can be meaningful. So many people have experienced cancer and want to help you get through this.

3. Communicate with the leadership and be upfront about how you are a GREAT fit for this new position. Remind your current or new leadership team that you will need grace and time as you recover.

4. If it feels more manageable to stay in your current position, consider that option. The familiar might be a balm as you deal with so many unknowns in your life. The established relationships with your current team may feel comforting and supportive.

4. Reach out to Human Resources to find out more about your family and medical leave options. Taking the time you need will help your health in the long run.

5. Let your health care provider know that you are considering work options during your recovery. You might want to schedule treatments near the end of the week, so you have the weekend to rest.

6. If you feel like you want to isolate yourself and anxiety and depression are taking hold, consider talking to a professional to manage the intense emotions that you may be experiencing.

7. Ask your friends, families, neighbors, and coworkers for help. Please don't feel like you are a burden to others. Remember that you can get through this!

Wishing you good health and happiness one moment at a time.

Dear WeAreTeachers:
I'm a high school English teacher, so correct grammar is important to me. I am super careful in my own communications to make sure that they are error-free. I am so over all these teachers and staff members who use poor grammar in their emails, announcements, and posters in the school. It's like they don't even care. I'm not trying to be a prude, but I want to make sure our students have good role models and examples. Is it something that should be addressed or ignored? -Grammar Stickler

Dear G.S.,

Thanks for bringing up this issue that so many of us notice but often don't address. I often wonder and feel similar things as you as a teacher who is hyperaware of language. Most people advise to move on and ignore, and I say it depends!

Schools are places where educators are role models. The way we communicate, what we say, and how we say it all matter. Sometimes we express ourselves in more informal, context-dependent ways. We may use more everyday language when talking about what we did over the weekend. While other times, we use more precise and academic language to communicate which character from a text resonated most with us. Language falls on a continuum with every day, spoken language on one end and formal, written language on the other.

School offices, hallways, classrooms, playgrounds, emails, and announcements are all ripe with opportunities to model and develop language. All students are working on expressing themselves in clear, coherent, effective, and nuanced ways. Also, it's important to take into account that in 2020 there were approximately 4.9 million students categorized as English Language Learners in the U.S. So, let's consider schools as a place to build effective use of language for ALL students.

We definitely need to give feedback about incorrect grammar, conventions, and word choice when the message is in the public eye. When you notice grammar and language mistakes in public-facing communication, have the courage to speak up. The thing to consider is HOW you will give the feedback. Sending the administration assistant an email calling attention to some language that needs fixing up is one approach. I think we all agree that giving feedback about mistakes is part of learning. Wouldn't you want the feedback if you were sending out communication to families?

With that said, if you are noticing errors in emails and informal communication or conversations, it's less clear about what to do. You can let it go and move on. Most people have a "pick your battle" kind of attitude. Errors in an email to teachers might not be one of the things you decide to not worry about. Or you can gently bring up what you are noticing. You might extend yourself and offer to proofread emails, bulletins, or whatever other forms of communication.

The thing is, we all have biases. There are many types of biases, and some may creep up when they are errors in speaking and writing. There is something called the Halo Effect, which describes how your overall impression of a person influences how you feel and think about them. So, if your principal is sending emails that have errors week after week, this might affect the leader's credibility and instructional leadership, especially for an educator that focuses on ELA.

It's also important to remember that language is dynamic and is evolving over time. What we once considered incorrect, may now become common usage. For example, think of the way pronoun usage has changed as we consider the gender identity continuum. With language, we inform, influence, negotiate, hurt, express compassion, and so much more. Language is powerful!

Dear WeAreTeachers:
I have a coworker who will start a fight if you disagree with anything she says. It immediately turns into rude comments and yelling. One such disagreement led to her yelling at me and pointing at my face. I genuinely feel that she is and has been for the past three years, creating an unsafe and hostile work environment. Can I write a complaint to HR? Are there consequences against you for writing such a complaint? What are my options? -Bye Bye Bully

Dear B.B.B,

You are bringing up a widespread issue! It's so intense and upsetting to be around people who are inconsiderate and aggressive. Yelling rude comments is NOT OK. I imagine that showing up to work is sometimes really challenging and may trigger anxiety and unease.

Hostile work environments are unfortunately something many of us have had to deal with. Me included. Thankfully, there are legal protections for all of us. The Legal Dictionary defines a hostile work environment as an "unwelcome or offensive behavior in the workplace, which causes one or more employees to feel uncomfortable, scared, or intimidated in their place of employment." As educators, we address and stop bullying head-on with our students, and we need to do the same with adults, too.

The first thing to do is document what is going on. Bullying brings up so many emotional responses, and it might be hard to remember the details when the time comes to speak up. So, jot down the date and notes of words, nonverbal communication, and actions you have seen and experienced with this coworker. Then, when you communicate with your leadership and Human Resources department, your messaging will be clear and specific.

You can make your information anonymous if you feel fearful of revenge. Or you can share what you have experienced and observed. There may be situations where you do have the courage to speak up and share about the bullying you are enduring, and the leadership does not respond or believe you. Don't stop there! Persevere and talk to HR. Reach out to your union representative, who can help put together a grievance. Check your state government complaint procedures for guidance. There is specific support for educator misconduct.

Allowing individuals to bully others at schools has a negative effect on students, too. Bullying can create emotional and psychological trauma. Stressed, nervous, anxious teachers are not able to show up as their best version of themselves. Our students deserve the best learning conditions possible, and educators need healthy working conditions, too. Sending hopeful thoughts that this situation deescalates and comes to a resolution.

Dear WeAreTeachers,
I work with two autistic third graders, and it feels like my principal is out to get me. I'm in a certification program, and my evaluator gave me good reviews. She even signed off that I was successful. However, my principal said I was unsuccessful and not yet a proficient teacher, so she installed a camera in my classroom. She wrote me up because she saw me on camera working on my computer. She said I was not interacting with kids, and my students were unsupervised. I've had several instances where my principal is watching me on camera and tells me to do something different. As a result, I feel disrespected and intimidated. Also, to add to this stress, I'm 37 weeks pregnant. How do I get my principal to trust me?

Illustration: Jennifer Jamieson

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I Can't Pronounce a Student's Name, So I Came Up With a Nickname. What's the Problem?

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In this week's edition of Ask WeAreTeachers, we take on why we learn student names, educators diagnosed with cancer, and more.

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An incredibly powerful 1min video about how changing someone's name can strip away at their identity.

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An incredibly powerful 1min video about how changing someone's name can strip away at their identity.

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Daniel "Jun Ho" Lee | A 1-Minute Film About Names

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A great read-aloud for first days of school, addressing the topic of names that look and sound different than others.

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A great read-aloud for first days of school, addressing the topic of names that look and sound different than others.

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My Name Is a Story: An Empowering First Day of School Book for Kids

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My Name Is a Story: An Empowering First Day of School Book for Kids [Ashanti, Mikai, Monica] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. My Name Is a Story: An Empowering First Day of School Book for Kids

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Joseph Aninakwa, (A-ni-na-kwa) delves into name pronunciation in and outside of the workplace, challenges that may arise, and how to overcome them.

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Joseph Aninakwa, (A-ni-na-kwa) delves into name pronunciation in and outside of the workplace, challenges that may arise, and how to overcome them.

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The Importance of Name Pronunciation | Inclusive Employers

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It’s important to understand the importance of name pronunciation and what it means to many people. Read our name pronunciation guide to learn more today.

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A simple but powerful read-aloud about how we get our names.

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A simple but powerful read-aloud about how we get our names.

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Alma and How She Got Her Name [Martinez-Neal, Juana, Martinez-Neal, Juana] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Alma and How She Got Her Name

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Namedrop.io ~ Great for recording name pronunciations and allows for embedding into email signatures, etc.  Free!

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Namedrop.io ~ Great for recording name pronunciations and allows for embedding into email signatures, etc.  Free!

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Here's a sample, this is the one I have.

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Article which outlines the importance of correctly pronouncing people’s names, and tells the origins of the #MyNameIs initiative.

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Article which outlines the importance of correctly pronouncing people’s names, and tells the origins of the #MyNameIs initiative.

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In this week's guest column, Javed Thomas, CEO of The Collaboratory & Co-founder of Race Equality Matters, outlines the importance of correctly pronouncing people's names, why he's launched the #MyNameIs initiative, and why employers should back it.

Around 73% of people surveyed from more than 100 organisations said they had their names mispronounced. They told us this made them feel "disrespected" and "not valued or important"; that they "didn't belong". Additionally, 88% thought a phonetic name spelling campaign would help tackle race inequality.

So, we started the #MyNameIs initiatiave. The campaign is a simple but significant gesture to get people's names promounced correctly. It might sound like a trivial thing, but names are our identities; linking us to family, culture and heritage. Getting them wrong sends a subtle message; 'you're not important enough for me to care'. We all get names wrong sometimes, but we can and should do better. With #MyNameIs, we've developed a solution that's almost as easy as ABC. Here's how one basic act of politeness can make a meaningful impact.

MISPRONOUNCED NAMES

Imagine the following scenario... this morning, you have a meeting with someone you've never met before. You've arranged it over email, so you've seen their name written down. The only problem is that you don't know how to say it. What do you do? For an enormous number of people, the answer is nothing at all. Whether it's awkwardness, carelessness, laziness or for some other reason, an astonishing number of people stumble through meetings (and life), mangling monikers - and mispronouncing names.

In fact, some 73% of ethnic minorities reported that they've had their names pronounced incorrectly in the past, according to a recent Race Equality Matters Survey from more than 100 organisations. And they're not alone. In April 2021, the actress Thandiwe Newton announced that she was reclaiming the lost 'w' that had been "carelessly" dropped from her first acting credit (Thandie). "That's my name. It's always been my name. I'm taking back what's mine," she stated to media. Thandiwe now goes by her original name correctly pronounced as "tan-DEE-way".

RIGHT NAME PRONUNCIATION MATTERS

But why does getting names right matter so much? After all, most mispronunciations are usually innocent mistakes. That may well be true, but such inattention still has a negative effect. Organisational psychologist and leadership expert, Joyce E. A. Russell, stated that: "A person's name is the greatest connection to their own identity and individuality. Some might say it is the most important word in the world to that person... It is a sign of courtesy... When someone remembers our name after meeting us, we feel respected and more important."

In short, our names are intimately tied to our self-image; to who we are as individuals. Your parents picked your name from millions of options and chose it just for you. When we get someone's name right, it makes them feel accepted, comfortable and gives them a sense of belonging. When we don't, it does the opposite. And that can undermine inclusion in the workplace. If employers are going to tell their teams 'bring your whole self to work', they need to make sure people are called by their whole, correct names. There's no excuse. Putting aside the inclusion argument, it's just good manners.

One of the defences that is sometimes invoked is that some names are difficult. Yes, that's true. But we've all learned to pronounce Tchaikovsky, Michelangelo and Dostoevsky. The worst thing to do is to give someone an anglicised version of their name - or an entirely new one - to make life easier, for instance, Bob for Bhaskara ( derived from Sanskrit and means shining, glittering) or Effy for Efemena (which means " here is my wealth" in Urhobo. This isn't just insulting; it takes away the meaning of someone's name and separates them from their culture.

A COMMON SENSE SOLUTION

Getting someone's name right is more than basic politeness. It's about dignity, respect and inclusion. And that's why we're championing a common sense solution. The #MyNameIs campaign encourages everyone to add the phonetic spelling of their name to their email signature and other business materials. There are several ways to do it - here are some examples:

Thandiwe Newton [tan-DEE-way] /tɑn-dɪː-wæ/

Bijal Patel [Be-Jul-Pat-ell 'as in well'] /bə-ʒʌl/ /pɑt-ɛl/

Ama Afrifa-Tchie [Ah-ma Ah-free-fah-Chee] /ɑ-mɑ/ /ɑ-fɪː-fɑ-chɪː/

Ngoc Nguyen [nock" "WIN] /nʌk/ /wɪn/

1. Add it to email signatures.

2. Have meetings attendees names phonetic spelled in advance.

3. ask for phonetic spellings in advance of clients and suppliers.

With gender pronouns already a common sight on emails, it's no great leap. If you go into your email settings now, it will take two minutes. That is why we are calling on all organisations and companies to add phonetic spelling to their email signatures. Will you be one of the first 1000 to join this campaign and create more inclusion in the workplace?

Javed Thomas, CEO of The Collaboratory & Co-founder of Race Equality Matters

QUICK SIMPLE WINS

Three quick simple wins that will help to get name pronunciation right and boost inclusion efforts, include:
Click here to find out how Race Equality Week helps to address racial inequality within the workplace; and how the event aims to help leaders move from just talking about race to actually taking meaningful action for a real impact.
Not sure how to write your name? Our guideoffers lots of other common sense suggestions for getting other people's names correct. We also have a launch of the Race equality Week #MyNameIs campaign on 16 November at 12.30pm. Click here for more details.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Javed Thomas, CEO of The Collaboratory, co-founded Race Equality Matters and Race Equality Week with Green Park's CEO Raj Tulsiani. Thomas is an innovator in tackling key societal issues. This includes creating and driving initiatives and programmes that has tackled issues including mental health, D&I, the skills gap, disability and disadvantaged families, children and young people. He excels in creating collaborations to co-create solutions that make a meaningful impact. Thomas created and developed numerous campaigns which have been scaled and gone global including The Green Ribbon campaign for mental health, She Can Be and City Giving Day. He has delivered projects for five Lord Mayors and created the Lord Mayor's Appeal's Vetter City for All Strategy, which has engaged more than 1,000 organisations. Additionally, Thomas has engaged with over 500 commercial organisations, thousands of employees and over 100 charities to create award-winning collaborations that benefit communities and societies overall.

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Why Pronouncing Names Correctly is Key to Inclusion - Fair Play Talks

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The latest #MyNameIs initiative aims to promote inclusion at work by helping people to pronounce names correctly.

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In 2018, I wrote this blog post, " What's In A Name " where I discussed the connection between a name and an identity, and the realities of having a non-Western name in an international context. The majority of students at my school in Vietnam have Western nicknames registered in the database, like Jason or Annie. They have their Vietnamese name, but many of them don't go by that in the class.

It's been 3 years since I wrote that post, and in the last three years, I've learnt more. I've met people who have come from all walks of life, people with experiences so contextually different from mine but conceptually the same. I came across books and posts and Tweets that forced my brain to think and expand beyond what I knew. I learnt and I grew, and as I begin applying for jobs for the next school year, now is the time.

I will no longer be going by the Anglicised pronunciation of my name, Kanako (Ka-Nah-Ko) that I've gone by for 15 years and will be using the proper pronunciation of my name, "KA-nako" ( )

I know I don't have to explain anything to anyone, but if you want to learn about the process I went through to come to this decision, keep reading :)

In 2005 when I moved to Taipei, my first time abroad, I didn't speak any English, I didn't know anything about languages and cultures that weren't Japanese, and so when my teacher pronounced my name as "Ka-Nah-Ko', I accepted that that was "how it was pronounced in English". I didn't know better and a part of me thought it was "cool" to have a name that's MY name but also a bit different. It made me feel... cool. Different. Better. And that was it; that was my "name" for years to come.

In 2010 upon returning to Japan, I met a new group of people; English speakers who also spoke Japanese. I noticed they had the tendency to pronounce my name the Japanese way, and I didn't think too much about it beyond "oh they know how to say it in Japanese so they're just using that". 2010 me was so oblivious and naive...

10 years later, I sat in my living room in Vietnam, reading Dr. Danau Tanu 's book, " ". While this book had many many topics that were eye-opening for me, including examining my internalised racism, believing in the supremacy of Western ideas, concepts, goods, people, etc... which I'd love to write about in another post, but this section really really stood out to me. Growing Up in Transit

In relation to a student, Vandana, who decided on how her name is pronounced based on how her kindergarten teacher said it in the class, not by how it is pronounced by speakers of her language, Danau writes that "(a)lthough (mis)pronunciation of a name may appear trivial, it is symbolic of the power of the dominant culture to shape identities''. Both Vandana and I allowed speakers of other languages, and more importantly, speakers of English, the dominant language, to determine HOW our cultural names are pronounced. And me accepting that as is, isn't that a prime example of internalised racism and internalising the Western "brand"? My name, a beautiful Japanese name, wasn't perceived to be important enough to maintain its pronunciation and I just... went along with it.

Reading this back in September, I began thinking about what this realisation means for me. In a way, the Anglicised pronunciation of my name has given me an identity, an international identity. I was Ka-NAH-ko around international friends, and KA-nako around Japanese friends. And that's how I'd thought about it for years. But now, I'm... more knowledgeable. More inquisitive. More self reflective. More aware of how my beliefs & values have been shaped up to this point.

At the / Conference this weekend, encouraged us to engage in a conversation about names. About getting our students' names right. Trying our best to pronounce names that may be "difficult" for us, depending on what languages we speak. How names that are "difficult" for us are just "unpracticed". So, learn, practice, have students correct you, practice again, master it. Darnell Fine

And that's when it hit me.

If I, an educator, a TCK, an adult, a person who has been a member of the international community for more than half of my life, is continuing to identify by the wrong pronunciation of my name because that is what the dominant culture demanded from me, then how can I encourage my students to be better? If I don't do better *for myself* how can I support my students to do better? If I don't believe in the importance of correctly pronounced names *for myself* how do I instill this belief in my students?

One of the goals I have in life is to model the beliefs, values, and behaviours I want to see from my students. Whether that's being principled, doing the right thing, being vulnerable, or being true to myself, I can't preach what I am not practicing. It's not an authentic example for students to see if I don't believe in it.

So. I am starting by practicing what I believe in. I'm starting with me. So I can do better, for myself, and for my students.

So. Hello. My name is Kanako, pronounced KA-nako. It's nice to meet you all, again.

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Kanako Suwa - Same name, new pronunciation

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A beautiful read-aloud with strong connections to our Ss' experiences.

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A beautiful read-aloud with strong connections to our Ss' experiences.

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Ceci has a copy, happy to lend out!

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That's Not My Name! [Syed, Anoosha, Syed, Anoosha] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. That's Not My Name!

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Hasan Minhaj talks about how his name is always mispronounced and parallels it to his experience as a BIPOC in Hollywood.

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Hasan Minhaj talks about how his name is always mispronounced and parallels it to his experience as a BIPOC in Hollywood.

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Hasan Minhaj Uses Timothée Chalamet's Name at Starbucks

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A phenomenal talk by Gerardo Ochoa on his story of misnaming.

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A phenomenal talk by Gerardo Ochoa on his story of misnaming.

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Getting it right; why pronouncing names correctly matters | Gerardo Ochoa | TEDxMcMinnville

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A great infographic/printable poster on the importance of pronouncing our Ss' names correctly.

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A great infographic/printable poster on the importance of pronouncing our Ss' names correctly.

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Wrote staff an email and then decided I should have made it a graphic. Names matter. Share away.

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Wrote staff an email and then decided I should have made it a graphic. Names matter. Share away. https://t.co/OymJZTJo9V

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Wrote staff an email and then decided I should have made it a graphic. Names matter. Share away. pic.twitter.com/OymJZTJo9V
— Pamela Broussard (@LeadingELLs) August 2, 2021

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Wrote staff an email and then decided I should have made it a graphic. Names matter. Share away. https://t.co/OymJZTJo9V

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.metadata.attachment_props.original_text
Wrote staff an email and then decided I should have made it a graphic. Names matter. Share away. https://t.co/OymJZTJo9V

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Wrote staff an email and then decided I should have made it a graphic. Names matter. Share away.

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A great story that students really connect with.

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A great story that students really connect with.

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The Name Jar [Choi, Yangsook, Choi, Yangsook] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. The Name Jar

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Huda Essa talks about how names are so intrinsically tied to our culture and heritage, and how important that is to our identity.

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Huda Essa talks about how names are so intrinsically tied to our culture and heritage, and how important that is to our identity.

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Your Name is the Key! | Huda Essa | TEDxUofM

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A beautifully written and illustrated story about the beauty of heritage names.

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A beautifully written and illustrated story about the beauty of heritage names.

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Available in our book room.

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Your Name Is a Song [Thompkins-Bigelow, Jamilah, Uribe, Luisa] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Your Name Is a Song