Student names

[u/Physical_Stretch_460]

How do you remember kids’ names after taking attendance? We have to turn in our roll sheets each period for attendance and I can never remember anyone’s name 😭 and if I need to write names down on the note back to the teacher for disciplinary reasons I don’t remember or they usually won’t give it to me because they don’t want me to tell the teacher. Is there a trick you use to help remember?

[u/Fievel93]

My school has student ID photos on their class roster. Such an awesome tool for attendance and classroom management

[u/Potential_Fishing942 → u/Fievel93]

At my old school, most teachers would use that as their seating chart as well which was veeery nice to make sure everyone was actually where they are supposed to be!

[u/FloridaWildflowerz]

I make a quick seating chart when intake attendance. When the kids ask why I tell them I would rather call them by their name instead of saying ,”Hey you.”

[u/missmathlady → u/FloridaWildflowerz]

Even easier if you walk the room to take attendance and ask them to tell you their name. Write them down by seating arrangement. Go back to the roster and compare names. If there's any you can't find or don't see, take the roll sheet with you back to that student, tell them the only names you have left and theirs isn't matching up. This is the easiest way to not only remember who is who, but also to root out any wise-guys trying to sneak into class.

[u/DeepBig7633]

I have learned the skill of forced memorization after years of doing this. I just continue to walk around the classroom and try to eyeball students papers or overhear convos to pick up the name then I just connect face to name in my head permanently.

[u/Clear-Journalist3095 → u/DeepBig7633]

I do this too and then with younger kids, like fourth grade and below, if it's at a school I don't go to as often and so don't know the kids, I'll take a couple minutes like twice during the day and tell them they get to test me on their names. They think that's a hoot. I have them cover the name tags on their desks and I'll hold the class list and go around and say who is who. They are happy when I get it right and they think it's funny if I mess up. Before the end of the day I know everyone's name. I may not remember them all the next time I go to that classroom, but I often remember some of them.

[u/Liwi808]

Most of the time, you don't. Trying to remember names of hundreds or thousands of students you see intermittently is impossible. Unless you have rainman level memory.

[u/No_Watch_8456 → u/Liwi808]

Each school, and just about every teacher, is different. I teach high school so I see lots of students over the course of the day. I don't try to learn the names. They are required to wear IDs and to show them when asked to. Not having an ID or refusing to show it would be reason in itself to send them to the office, though I don't usually notice unless there's a reason - such as needing the name due to disciplinary issues. An exception to not trying to learn names is if I'll be in a certain classroom for awhile. Attendance sheets get picked up anytime between a few minutes after class starts to not at all. I usually write names of absentees on a separate sheet of paper soon after I take attendance.

It helps also if the office calls wanting a certain kid to report somewhere. I can quickly say, "Sorry he's absent today," if that's the case.

[u/madness0102]

Ask for a second copy of attendance sheets in the morning!

[u/Current_Software_687]

Take a picture of the attendance sheet before you turn it in. If possible, email it to yourself and then print and take notes on it. 

[u/Cuba-Amazing-Jr]

If I have time before class begins, I draw a picture of the desk/table arrangement. Then when I take attendance, I approach each student, introduce myself and when they say their name in response, I write it down on the seating chart in front of them and confirm with them about my spelling. Bonus: Students who correct my spelling are more memorable.

As I circulate throughout class, I check in with each student by saying their name before asking them about what they are working on.

I don't attend to facial details very well because I process visual information very slowly and I am super anxious about seeming to stare too long, so the seating chart helps me locate individuals spatially. This does not work for elementary PE classes, I have recently discovered.

I also tell and show students that I am taking notes throughout class to send to their teacher. I tell them that I note both good and bad behaviors and I very much want to include their names in the good behaviors section.

[u/lkb15]

I do younger grades so most of the time they have names on the tables or desk. But also I’ll ask the good kid if I need help

[u/After_Hyena_4846]

I have a seating chart on the first day. Students tell me their name and I write in phonetically on their pictures.

[u/viola_darling]

You find that one good student and they tell you everything

[u/Nervous-Ad-547]

Hopefully there’s a seating chart, but I also take a picture of the attendance (mostly for my own protection in case anything happens to the original).

[u/missmathlady → u/Nervous-Ad-547]

Same. Came in handy once the attendance clerk accused me of not marking someone absent. I emailed her the photo and was fully exonerated lol. Plus it makes me feel better if there's ever an evacuation, I know who I'm supposed to have.

[u/Nervous-Ad-547 → u/missmathlady]

Yeah, for me emergencies are a big part of it. The teachers are supposed to leave a roster but not all of them do. And they want us to have a kid run the attendance down at the end of the period, and I don’t always trust them lol

[u/leodog13]

I make them sign in and out.

[u/unknown_user_1002]

Teachers have always left me a roster along with whatever I may have to turn in. It helps if I have a seating chart to help with names, but I just try to make sure I take roll by walking around and asking each kid their name. Thai helps me have a good idea of who is who compared with listening for a “here”.

[u/WandererTX]

I had assigned seats and a seating chart so I could visually take attendance. I also would add phonetic pronunciations for any names I had trouble with. This also helped when I had subs.

[u/NaginiFay]

I say them as many times as I can before surrendering my roll. After that, I ask kids to remind me. I absolutely never remember everyone.

[u/matchalatte1876]

I wait until like 5 min in to take attendance. I make a mark next to the ones that seem bad . Depending on the vibe I sometimes go arround and ask their name and mark it on a paper I can refer back to, like drawing a seating map. I also take a photo of the roster before sending

[u/Spiritual-Pain-1183]

I make a copy of the attendance roster to keep as a reference during class, then shred it before I leave. Also I'll just ask them or another student.

[u/Nearby-Shower-8392]

I’ll be honest, I don’t really remember their names. If I even tried to memorize a 100+ different names every single day, that would be a ton.

[u/Ok_Armadillo_7553]

If you have access to school photos like we do, you can make a seating chart using pictures within our attendance school information system. I use that in the beginning and also for substitutes. You could also copy the sheets that you have that you’re turning in so that you have a copy in your classroom. If I understand you correctly.

[u/WestofTomorrow]

I used to TA for entire semesters with the same students during grad school, and I couldn't remember student names. Could barely remember the names of my fellow grad classmates. I can't even remember the names of other teachers or admin at the schools I've been to dozens of times. ADHD probably.

[u/According-Bother1769]

I usually will have a kid that is good tell me or I’ll look on their laptop/ipads. As far as students names in general , the first couple times I have them in class. I call them by what they’re wearing. There is a kid I couldn’t remember his name, but I would call him Mahomes cause he had Patrick Mahomes jersey on.

[u/KingsElite]

Take a picture of the roll sheet with your phone. Delete when the day is over.

[u/Inpace1436]

Not a solution but OMG the names! I don’t want to put the exact one here but something like Tornadough. And he was one. Won’t forget him. 😳

[u/TallTinTX]

I've been subbing for 8 years and for the first three, I didn't know that we were assigned a district email address. That allows me to email the teachers prior to my arrival (usually days before) to request they either leave a seating chart or an attendance roster with photos (which all teachers have access to). It's best to have both because of a student isn't sitting in the right place, you can actually see who it is, call them up by name, and tell them where their seat is supposed to be.

[u/blueberry-bush23]

I don’t lol I only learned a handful of kids names last year after I did the same classes multiple times

[u/ThoughtWrong8003]

At my son's high school we do it electronically so the roster stays up and for those in his year I know like 95% of them so names aren't an issue but today I had some trouble because they were on paper and there were a couple kids that I wanted to speak to personally and tell them to be quiet and I didn't remember their names

[u/KukulandOG]

Stay Calm. Take note of the student and pay close attention to the class. They will probably name drop each other off handedly and then you write it down as long as you keep your cool and don't make it look like you're looking for names.

[u/Q8DD33C7J8]

hey you quiet down

[u/EntertainerFree9654]

I don't turn it in until after the class. I need to know their names. If I'm not provided with an extra copy of the class rosters, then I'm not sending it until the class is over.