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I teach a number of one or two session adult education classes for a local school district. These are fun evening classes in art, travel music and communication skills. My students seem to like me and the classes I teach and it is a fun way to earn some extra money. I am not a professional teacher, trainer, or educator, but I do OK.
At the end of the class I am required to hand out a survey where the students evaluate my teaching skills and the class content. Usually they like me but I do have critics! One of the main complaints about me is I don't remember their names. Yes, I do ask for everyone's name at the start of the class but with 15-20 students in a one or two session class it seems like an impossible task to remember everyone's name, so I find it an interesting criticism.
No, I am not going to put a name tag on everyone because their name is not that important in a short one or two session class, in my opinion.
Well...it appears you do enjoy teaching the classes, and it is a fun way to earn extra money and you're not a teacher by profession so I would disagree that their name is not that important. Doing just OK? Reach for the stars and be the very best you can be, of course, just my humble opinion.
In light of the fact that you are required to hand out a survey wherein the students evaluate your teaching skills I would definitely say it is very important to your students and perhaps even your ability to retain this position.
I agree with some of the previous posters that you should have them wear name tags, it seems very respectful of your students to me and shows that you care who they are by name.
Good luck and enjoy yourself and your students, how fun is this!
I teach a number of one or two session adult education classes for a local school district. These are fun evening classes in art, travel music and communication skills. My students seem to like me and the classes I teach and it is a fun way to earn some extra money. I am not a professional teacher, trainer, or educator, but I do OK.
At the end of the class I am required to hand out a survey where the students evaluate my teaching skills and the class content. Usually they like me but I do have critics! One of the main complaints about me is I don't remember their names. Yes, I do ask for everyone's name at the start of the class but with 15-20 students in a one or two session class it seems like an impossible task to remember everyone's name, so I find it an interesting criticism.
No, I am not going to put a name tag on everyone because their name is not that important in a short one or two session class, in my opinion.
What do you think? Should I remember everyone's name by the end of a one session class if they introduced themselves at the start of the class? (In a 15-20 student class) Would you be insulted if I did not remember your name in a one or two session class?
Since your classes are only one or two sessions, I'll agree with the suggestion you have name tags for your students. It's really not reasonable to be expected to know them all by name in one or two sessions but people don't like being asked over and over. That sends the message they aren't important to you. Name tags solves your problem.
Interesting replies to date but I doubt most students expect me to remember everyone's name in a one session class of 15-20 students, especially when most of them just sit there and don't participate. It has been mentioned a few times but I wonder if they know the challenges of teaching a class like this and the mental energy that would be lost if I spent all my time trying to remember everyone's name as they introduced themselves at the start of class. A good percentage of the students have unusual names I could hardly say properly, let alone memorize.
Because of the layout of the room and the distance between me and the students who sit in the back, I could not see name tags anyway.
The instructor survey results are 95% excellent but the 5 percent of the students who did not like the instructor (me) or the course, have said some incredibly angry and mean spirited things through the years. (I have taught hundreds of students.)
So, if 15-20 students introduced themselves one at a time at the start of the class, could YOU, without nametags, remember everyone's name throughout the class period in a one session course?
I'm also a CC instructor. I teach a linear algebra/programming course. In my class I've mostly retired the practice of introducing yourself at the beginning of the class. Instead, what I do now is use an app on my iPad that matches names with faces. I memorize who everone is.
Interesting replies to date but I doubt most students expect me to remember everyone's name in a one session class of 15-20 students, especially when most of them just sit there and don't participate. It has been mentioned a few times but I wonder if they know the challenges of teaching a class like this and the mental energy that would be lost if I spent all my time trying to remember everyone's name as they introduced themselves at the start of class. A good percentage of the students have unusual names I could hardly say properly, let alone memorize.
Because of the layout of the room and the distance between me and the students who sit in the back, I could not see name tags anyway.
The instructor survey results are 95% excellent but the 5 percent of the students who did not like the instructor (me) or the course, have said some incredibly angry and mean spirited things through the years. (I have taught hundreds of students.)
So, if 15-20 students introduced themselves one at a time at the start of the class, could YOU, without nametags, remember everyone's name throughout the class period in a one session course?
Whether or not the class is a lot of work to prepare is pretty irrelevant to students. Why do my students need to know or care? I chose the contract and profession. Your students take many roles - beyond student and colleague, they are also clients and customers.
Your job requires you ask for feedback, some offer it, you dismiss it as unimportant and won't use name tags. Okay, as an adult educator myself, I find that to be a poor teaching practice, but its your class to do so.
To answer, I have never attempted to learn any names by memorization. Name tags/cards for the *student's benefit* are one of the first things I learned doing my degree (TESL - adult education). We even used them amongst each other in class.
I have got lots of great constructive criticism from the students that have been incorporated into improving the class. The classes are always being improved based on both positive and negative feedback but the people who think I am going to memorize 15-20 students names are crazy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by aliss2
Whether or not the class is a lot of work to prepare is pretty irrelevant to students. Why do my students need to know or care? I chose the contract and profession. Your students take many roles - beyond student and colleague, they are also clients and customers.
Your job requires you ask for feedback, some offer it, you dismiss it as unimportant and won't use name tags. Okay, as an adult educator myself, I find that to be a poor teaching practice, but its your class to do so.
To answer, I have never attempted to learn any names by memorization. Name tags/cards for the *student's benefit* are one of the first things I learned doing my degree (TESL - adult education). We even used them amongst each other in class.
I have got lots of great constructive criticism from the students that have been incorporated into improving the class. The classes are always being improved based on both positive and negative feedback but the people who think I am going to memorize 15-20 students names are crazy.
WHY? Because I was told it was by my supervisor. They live my student evaluations of the Instructors and the customer is never wrong.
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