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How long does it take to learn childrens names?

35 replies

OdinsLoveChild · 11/10/2016 21:11

My DS had a new teacher in September (Year 5). Its a small class of only 22. She calls him, and the others, by other childrens names, some not even in their class. When he doesn't respond to her because she has called him someone elses name she gets cross and deducts team points/golden time etc

How long does it usually take a teacher to learn childrens names? I don't want to go into school and ask about it if it's not unusual to not know their names until after half term/later in the year. This has never been a problem with any of my other DC's Confused

Would as a teacher you think I'm being cheeky if I sent him wearing a name badge until she starts calling him by his actual name?

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Sleeperandthespindle · 11/10/2016 21:17

It doesn't take long, normally, but this year in my class of only NINE (SEN) I just cannot get Hayden and Harley right. I just can't. I KNOW which is which, but the wrong word comes out. Now, we just laugh. Some days we tally my mistakes. They know it's not because I don't care.

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Helbelle75 · 11/10/2016 21:23

I teach Secondary, I have 4 year 7 classes (90 students?) and I would say I know about 80% of them by name after 4 weeks. So I would expect to know 22 by now!

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DesolateWaist · 11/10/2016 21:24

I usually have the, learned within the first couple of days. This year it was by the second day.
However, I often get names wrong. It's a bit like when your nan goes through the names of all your siblings and cousin before they get to you! I've also been guilty of repeatedly calling a child by the name of their sibling for the first few days (Her mum sent her in with a hairband with her name on)

However, when I realise that I have got it wrong I apologise to the child, I don't tell them off.

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Scorbus · 11/10/2016 21:27

Took me til day 3 to be absolutely 100% right. I used to teach secondary and that was much harder when you only see them for an hour a week but in Primary (am also Year 5) there is no excuse beyond the first few days.

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OdinsLoveChild · 11/10/2016 21:27

DesolateWaist so a hairband worked for you? I don't think he would wear a hairband Grin but I do think a badge would be ok.

His teacher never apologises for anything at least not so far anyway Sad

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Biscuitsneeded · 11/10/2016 21:28

I can learn them all in the first lesson, make a point of it, but with multiple classes in secondary it doesn't mean I don't sometimes have a blank moment when someone's name eludes me. However, if it's primary and the teacher only has 22 names to remember it is a bit shite if she hasn't mastered them all yet. Maybe she's horribly, brain-paralysingly stressed!

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LottieDoubtie · 11/10/2016 21:28

Yeah I am teaching approx 90 kids this year that I had neve clapped eyes on before September (plus all the ones I already know!).

I won't lie and say I know them all... in some of the bigger sets that I only see once a week there are perhaps 3 I haven't quite got sorted out.

One class of 22? That the teacher sees all day all week? Yes she should have had them all by the end of the first week!

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OdinsLoveChild · 11/10/2016 21:29

Biscuitsneeded If shes stressed at week 4 goodness knows what she will be like by Christmas. Maybe I should get her an extra large bottle of gin wine for Christmas Grin

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snakesalive · 11/10/2016 21:30

Send a name badge

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OdinsLoveChild · 11/10/2016 21:34

snakesalive I didn't want to send a name badge without asking if anyone would be a miffed about it. I felt it was a bit rude really and didn't want her to think I was judging her.

I will be sending a badge in with him tomorrow and hopefully it wont be needed for more than a few days.

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MissClarke86 · 11/10/2016 21:34

She should know them, but I highly doubt she is deducting golden time just for a child not responding to the wrong name. Don't believe everything your children tell you!

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snakesalive · 11/10/2016 21:58

The other teachers will surely notice she can't remember the names..

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snakesalive · 11/10/2016 22:00

Have a chat with the other mothers in yr child's class...maybe they could all go with name badges...or maybe it's not as bad as yr child says???

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OdinsLoveChild · 11/10/2016 22:10

Other parents started commenting before I realised it was happening Shock. She approached one parent and asked to speak about Deirdre when her DD, who was stood next to her, is called Phyllis (not real names).

I will give it until after half term and then see if she comes back gets sorted then maybe mention it to the Head if it continues. I have a name badge for my DS though to wear tomorrow.

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Snazarooney · 11/10/2016 22:13

22 children = 1 day!

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MrsKCastle · 11/10/2016 22:22

Well, I know the children's names by the end of the first week at the latest, but I do still make mistakes. Sometimes the wrong name just comes out. It's no reflection of how well I know my class, I probably confuse my two daughters with each other more often than I make mistakes with my pupils! The teacher should of course be apologizing.

The deducting points and golden time sounds strange, but I think you should get the teacher's view on that. A simple 'I understand x lost some of his golden time, can you tell me what he needs to work on so that I can talk to him about it at home?' There's a world of difference between 'Miss x called me the wrong name and I didn't realise she was talking to me' and 'Miss x called me the wrong name so I laughed and refused to do what she asked.' Not saying the latter is true at all, just that there's always two sides to a story.

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PrincessHairyMclary · 11/10/2016 22:24

I work with 400+ different students a week as a Secondary TA I really struggle with identical twins and I often get childrens names muddled if they have the same characteristics. One boy let me call him by the completely wrong name for 6 weeks Blush. I wasn't specifically supporting him but I was mortified. I always apologise if I get the names wrong and to be fair it's an issue I've always had but no matter how hard I try and remember some peoples names I never get it right.

With just 22 kids I'd pretty much have them memorised in a morning if it was my actual class, I'd play name games etc until Id got it.

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BizzyFizzy · 12/10/2016 17:46

If it's just one class, I would know their names by day 2.

I have 7 classes plus a form, and I am this week comfortable with their names in lessons. I still have a few wobbles outside of lessons. Every aspect of teaching is so much easier when you know their names.

I think a teacher needs to, and should, make a big effort to learn names quickly. I do so by handing out their books personally, so that I can look the child in the eye and put a name to the face. The more one-to-one contact, the quicker the names will come.

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TeacherBob · 12/10/2016 20:53

30 children = a day and a half

there are 2 children I always get muddled up, I know who they are but get them mixed.
they laugh at me!

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ninnypoo · 12/10/2016 21:21

I learnt all mine before first day (EYFS so did home visits etc) but I call them all the wrong name constantly- worse than ever before! Usually when they are doing something they shouldn't and I try to get their attention which makes the whole process must less effective!

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Minispringroll · 13/10/2016 18:15

As a class teacher, I usually know all of the names of my new class before the first day. I either take photos before the summer holidays or ask for some (if starting at a new school) and use them like flash cards. It's quite useful...and freaks them out a little.
I'm surprised that anyone would take that long to learn the names of the children in their class. Confused
At the moment, I don't have my own class but tend to do cover...I know the names of everyone in Year 6, all of Year 5, most of Year 4 (taught each class once so far) and some of Year 3 (only taught them for about 20 minutes). We are two-form entry and this is my first proper year at my school.

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SawdustInMyHair · 15/10/2016 19:48

I learned mine within the first week (again, primary). Most in the first days but took a little longer to separate two who look similar, three with very similar names etc. But everyone's different, and I did make a particular effort, and had a class list to examine over the holidays. When they were in assembly I'd be standing at the side looking at each kid and remembering their name! I still sometimes blank on a name when I'm tired or distracted.

I would expect a 'normal' person to have learned them by now! But maybe she's just particularly rubbish at it.

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HardToDeal · 15/10/2016 19:52

Ha at being stressed by week 4; I most definitely am and I'm a very experienced teacher. But that's the job. I know most names (secondary) by now, but I have a class of 5 (year 12) where I consistently get one girl's name wrong. Say her name's Shannon, and I always call her Sharon, but that's because the lesson before there's a Sharon who reminds me of her. Now she just looks at me wearily and corrects me Blush

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clary · 15/10/2016 20:00

I teach secondary and I have about 250+ students, this year I have quite a few groups that I have never taught before (not just yr 7s); I am getting there and have some groups off pat, but do still struggle to remember the quiet girls in my big top set yr 8...

Sometimes you have a blind spot - I keep muddling up Ebony and Emily in one group and I suspect I might do that all year arrgh. I've done the sibling thing too Blush I used to hate that as a child but sometimes they look soooo alike! I have brothers in year 8 and 9 who could be twins and I got them muddled yesterday, taught them consecutive lessons. Sorry lads. I also teach a pair of twins in the same class and can only get them right when they are sitting in seating plan!

But yes primary, no excuse by now, should have known all their names after a week IMHO.

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OdinsLoveChild · 15/10/2016 20:48

He wore his name badge for 2 days and by the end of the 2nd day she was getting it right. She has asked that he doesn't wear the badge next week as it's against the schools uniform policy. I guess it will depend if she remembers his name next week as to whether he wears it again Wink

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