How important is a name?
A name is one of the first things couples think about when they find out they are expecting a baby. We name our children after family members, or other people who are important to us. Names have meaning and we associate names with certain qualities or traits based on people that we have met throughout our lives.
A question was posed in our #4OCFpln group last week: "Would you rather somebody call you by the wrong first name or call you by the wrong last name?" How many of us have a first or last name that often gets mispronounced? I'll admit that my last name is many times a topic for discussion when I first meet someone, but for the most part, it's not an issue. Mispronunciation aside, I am often mistaken for our school librarian by our students because of our hair color and hairstyles. I thought it was just a kid thing, except one of our teachers who is new to our campus this year has made the same mistake more than once. It makes me smile to be compared to our sweet and gracious Mrs. Fowler.
I will not fault anyone for making a mistake in remembering my name, because I know how hard it can be for me to have everyone's name on the tip of my tongue. As a Reading specialist, I see around 60 different students in one day, and around 90 different students in a week. I carry with me a ring of cards each containing a class roll for each period I have during the day. I tell my students I will do my best to learn their names, but I also explain that I have around 90 student names rolling around in my head and any one of them is likely to pop out at the wrong time!
I really admire another Reading teacher with whom I work. She stands in the hallway each morning to monitor and greet students as they come in the building for the day. I am amazed at how many times she calls students by their name, and gets hugs for the recognition. Students make a connection with her that lasts throughout their years on our campus, and longer! Our students will never forget Mrs. Odneal (or Mrs. Oatmeal to many of them!).
As I stood in the hallway this morning monitoring and greeting students on the other end of the campus, I spent my time telling students "Good morning!", "How are you this morning?", and "Have a good day today!" As I remembered a student's name, I made an effort to include it in my greeting. One little boy must have noticed, because as he passed me by, he looked back over his shoulder and told me "My name is Joseph." and continued on his way. Judging by the way he took the time to share his name with me, I would say that his name is pretty important to him!
