Korean Job Discussion Forums

[NYC_Gal]

cheat sheet of students' names?

I replace it every couple of weeks as I memorize more and more of them. It's really only the special kids that participate or come to visit me that get on the list, but it makes a difference. I still give funny nicknames to the kids that haven't made it yet (Soondae boy, Goat boy [he was chewing his sweater], Frankenstein, etc), but the kids love that I know them by name. It's hard, as I've got hundreds of students, but I try.

Recently I've had one teeny 4th grade boy come by every day with a small snack for me. I picked up a bunch of cute pencils, erasers, and stickers, and whenever he comes by, I give him one as a thank you. His name is 경훈.

[tanklor1]

When I was working at a hogwan I had a really rough class of high level students that no other teacher wanted. Me being the loud one in the office bragged about how I only had one class on Fridays. (Learned a lesson right there) They gave me the toughest class of the school. I sat down with all of their names and devised a seating chart. Once I "introduced" myself I showed that that I knew exactly who they were and I had all of their parents phone numbers. Then I quietly mentioned that since that was an extremely high level I was willing to bet that their parents spoke pretty damn good English.

After that never had a problem and the class turned out to be one of the most fun.

[toonchoon]

how about a seating chart? when I used to teach kids Ii thought about a seating chart, after separating the "troublemakers" of course, but I never did it.

[NYC_Gal]

Too many kids for seating charts, and my coteachers are always rearranging the way the kids sit. I'd rather focus on the favorites.

[nathanrutledge]

[kimdeal54]

I have about 800 students, and it's taken me the better part of a year to learn about half of their names. The rest I read off the seating plan at the front of each class.

I'll spend about a week learning all the 'Min's (Min-jeong, Min-yeong, Min-ji, Min-ju, Min-su etc.), then move onto the 'Hyeon's for example. I have no particular focus on 'good' or 'bad' students, but I make a bit more of an effort to learn the quieter students' names... it helps to engage them.

[ThingsComeAround]

Its def. a challenge to remember all the kid's names, unless they are unique in some way. I've got a seating chart (perk of having my own classroom) but haven't secured the pictures of students That's on the list for next year.

[nomad-ish]

i'll be honest; there's absolutely no way that i'll ever remember all my kids' names or even half for that matter. i teach over 500 students so it's just not going to happen. the good kids, the bad kids, i don't usually remember their names either. i remember the kids who attend extra english classes or camps, or just go out of their way to talk to me.

how do i call on them in class, you ask? by student number.

[nathanrutledge]

NYC Gal, I had over 1000 students at my last school, and I currently have about 600, so don't try pulling that crap on me. I think only learning the names of your "favorite" students is crap. It alienates the other students, it shows the bad students that yes, in fact, you DON'T care about them. So yeah, you're a classy lady.

[NYC_Gal]

I know a LOT of my students' names. I used the term favorites in the broader sense. If you'd read the list, you'd have realized that. Out of each class, at this point in time, I know 5 or 6 kids' names. That's over 120 students. Like I said: My mom teaches 200 kids with ENGLISH names and she can only remember about 2/3. This is the case with most teachers. There's a limit. If a student doesn't shine, you help them. I don't neglect them in the least, but it just isn't possible for me to learn all of their names, especially with so many that are far more engaging both in and out of the classroom.

Of course I'm going to add the more interested kids first. Should I ignore them? I give all students my time and attention, but those who stand out have their names learned more quickly than others.

And yes, I am. <<bats lashes>>

[kimdeal54]

[wiganer]

[nathanrutledge]

[NYC_Gal]

[NYC_Gal]