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Our names are important. Think about those times you have been called by name: at birth, being comforted as a child, during school attendance, being cheered on for sports, during rites of passage or religious ceremonies, being given an award or graduating, by a loved one, being called home, or on a publication or theatre marque. Our names are uniquely us and are much more than just a name. They contain history, culture, expectation, affection, spirituality and belonging.<\/p>\n
Even our brains recognize the sound of our name differently than other names or sounds; activating parts of the brain that are stimulated when recognizing one\u2019s own image in a mirror, taking perspective, understanding one\u2019s own and others\u2019 state of mind, and creating self-descriptive adjectives (Carmody & Lewis, 2006<\/a>). Hearing one\u2019s name has even been observed to cause a reaction in the brain of people who are in a persistent vegetative state (Carmody & Lewis, 2006).<\/p>\n Using names provides connection with others, belonging and familiarity, acknowledgement of worth and presence, and respect. Think about these situations:<\/p>\n Names matter.<\/p>\n In higher educational settings, students reported that when instructors used their name in class that they were more comfortable asking for help and talking to instructors, and they were more likely to attend office hours if they perceived that instructors knew their name (Cooper, Haney, Krieg, & Brownell, 2017<\/a>). In K-12 settings, using student names has been linked with increased accountability, pro-social behavior, engagement, empathy and decreased bullying (Crowe, 2012<\/a>;\u00a0Sternheimer, 2014<\/a>).<\/p>\n Given our current context of social isolation and online learning, using names in all forms of communication (i.e., emails, feedback, discussion boards, and videos) can reduce feelings of anonymity and invisibility, increase connection and belonging, and build empathy.<\/p>\n In addition, our current context has been marked by attacks and increased politicization based on one\u2019s identity, specifically marginalized identities and communities. Intentionally knowing and using our students\u2019 names is not only important for connection and learning but an act of social justice. Honoring identities by acknowledging and pronouncing names correctly are two actions we can take to disrupt white supremacy and dismantle power imbalances in higher education.<\/p>\n No matter how hard we try or how much we prepare, there will be instances when we mess up. If possible, address the mistake in the moment and take time to clarify if you need more time to understand a name. Reassure the person that mispronouncing or forgetting their name is about you and your abilities, not them. Often students will try to rescue you and say something like, \u201cdon\u2019t worry about it, you can just call me Jon.\u201d Try to resist the rescue unless that is the student\u2019s preferred name. Tell them you will practice and may have to ask again. Correct, apologize, move on, and get it right next time. See the resources below for how to deal with forgetting and messing up.<\/p>\n Thirsty for a Strong Instructional Practice? Our names are important. Think about those times you have been called by name: at birth, being comforted as a child, during school attendance, being cheered on for sports, during rites of passage or religious ceremonies, being given an award or graduating, by a loved one, being called home, … <\/p>\n\n
Take a SIP of This: Call Me by my Name<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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What happens when we mess up?<\/strong><\/h4>\n
Still Thirsty? Take a SIP of This:\u00a0<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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