HIT,ELEM:(2nd part)Getting to know students' names

[Tanya Dillon <dillonta@RT66.COM>]

Hello,
     Here is a HIT consisting of more of the wonderful responses I've
received concerning my inquiries about learning students' names and
using library cards.  Thanks again to all who responded! This list is a
lifesaver. (By the way, many of you asked if my library was automated or
not. We are automated and are using Athena.)
Tanya Dillon
School Librarian
Painted Sky Elementary
Albuquerque, NM
dillonta@rt66.com
*****
-I don't use games per se, but always have the class list with me.  The
first week or two I call names and ask students to raise their hands.
After that for a few weeks with the little ones I will "tell a story and

ask them to raise their hands when they hear their names..."  the story
is made up on the spot and is something like...On Friday morning Sara
and
Jane and Julie got up and went to school where they saw Brad and Jimmy
and..."

I get a copy of the student photos from the office and arrange each
class" photos on a sheet of construction paper with names attached to
each student....glancing at that before and during a class can help
reinforce names.

As I dismiss students from the lesson to checkout books I again do it by

name...using my class list if necessary.  It's just another way to
connect the name and face in your brain circuits!

I don't know if you are automated....I use a magnetic pages photo album
and put all of the barcodes for one class on the page.  Quick and
visible.
*****
I also teach in an elementary school (PK, JK, SK, grades1-4=about 450
students). Good luck learning their names!!! The only way you will
manage it is through repeated association--attendance, games,
assignments, etc. I find that if I don't handle their names every week I

can't remember them-although I often can tell you what they like to read

or who's class they are in. I may use an attendance sheet with 1-4 that
has their pictures attached to help me but it is such a time saper to
take attendance I ususually just rely on a head count from the teacher
before she leaves in case of emergencies.

We keep their library cards at the checkout desk in a three ring binder
filled with plastic pocket pages (provided by Follett)with one page per
class that holds their cards in alphabetical order.We arrange the book
by grade level, then alpahbetical by teachers' names. We haven't
included the student's photos but this is an excellent idea-especially
since I have a new aide starting this fall.I have had a harder time
learning everyone's name than my aide because the aide has the book with

their cards in it. The children bring the books they wish to checkout to

the desk-the aide asks them their last name (the book is open to their
class during a classroom visit), their name is easily found, scanned,
and the books checked out. I don't think you will want them to handle
their own cards--it will take more time, and you risk misplaced cards,
etc. our system is very, very effecient. If students visit on their own
they smply state their teacher's name, we flip the book to that page and

then search for the child's name (usually they can point it out on the
page even reading upside down!!).the repitition of their name also helpd

to ensure the books are checked out to the correct person, and we flip
the cards as they are used to be sure all are using the library
regulary--my aide lets me and the classroom teacher know if anyone has
been renewing the same book for a month or not visiting the checkout or
has overdues preventing checkout. try our system, I think you will like
it.
*****
I couldn't tell if you were automated or not from your request so I may
be off
base with my suggestion!

I have a notebook at the checkout desk that has all the children's
barcodes
printed out by class. Each page is put in a page protector which still
allows
the child to scan the barcode.  I printed these pages on  3 different
colors
of paper so that kids could find their grade level quickly (we're
multiage so
they are K-1, 2-3, 4-5).  These pages are kept in a 3-ring binder.

 This has been very successful and efficient for the children and myself
as my
automation program (Athena) allows me to print out by teacher name.  It
also
can hold up to 30 names per page, though I don't need that many.

If this is a possibility for you, then you could spend the first couple
of
visits calling out the children's names to come check out their books
(kind of
like I used to when giving back the library cards years ago).

If you are NOT automated and your children are writing their names on
the
library checkout cards, then you might be interested in this suggestion:

Instead of having posterboard per room with each child, have a board or
with
boxes for each teacher where the kids can put their cards after checking
out.
At the end of the day, take the cards out of the box, count them and put
them
in a card holder at your desk.  When the kids come the library for a
class,
call out their names from the cards, have them put cards in books and
shelve
them for you.  (This is the ONLY reason I miss the OLD WAY!!!  :-).
You can
also allow them to check out and return at non-scheduled times by
including
about 10 cards made of colored construction paper, laminated with room
numbers
on it, in these boxes. That way they can come at odd times, put the
colored
room number card in pocket, and return the book.

*****
Good luck!  That is a lot of names.  I was in the same position last
year, but
with only 350 kids.  For the 4th, 5th, and 6th graders, I took a video
camera
into the classroom and had them each tell me their name and 1
interesting
thing about themselves, or their favorite kind of book to read.  I then
took
the videos home and watched them over and over....I also have each grade
level
on one tape.  I then will video the 4th graders as 5th graders on the
same 4th
grade tape.  When they get to 6th grade they'll still be on the same
tape,
too.  At the end of the 6th grade year I show the video as part of the
end of
the year activity for their graduation.  they LOVE seeing how much they
have
changed over the years!  There's nothing that says you can't start it in
K!
For my k - 3 group, I have found that teachers take pictures of their
class
the first day of school.  I just ask the teachers to have double prints
made
and they are happy to give me a set.  I then had them posted all over
the
library by class.  I would stand in front of the pictures and recite
names
over and over!!!
I gave myself until Halloween to learn everyone's name.  I did pretty
well,
but there were still one or two that slipped through the cracks,
especially
the quiet ones.  Good luck.  I hope this helps.
*****
This is a lesson plan I used for Kdg, but it could be used up through
2nd
grade pretty easy.  I also got the year book from the previous year and
started putting faces with names.  When they came in at the beginning of
the
year I said every name I could remember with the face and then started
using
their name all the time.  I had safety patrol duty and would greet each
student by name, when I didn't remember...I reminded them that I had 560
names
to learn.  By December...I had all the names.
*****
Lesson Plan
Kindergarten
Sept 2nd and 4th class

1.  Lesson to be taught:  Learning the library staff.

        A.  Anticipated Outcome
                The students will become familiar with the library media
staff while
                        being exposed to a book on manners.

        B.  Content
                What Do You Say Dear by Sesyle Joslin

        C.  Lesson Design

                Anticipatory set
                        I am going to read you a story, on each page,
you will be asked a
                                question.  We will say thank you please,
or how do you do, or                           maybe "
no, thank you".  This is practicing good manners,
and                            we always use good
manners in our library.

                Imput
                        Read the story. Pause each time and give the
students a chance to respond to the questions. Discuss that we use our
manners daily when we talk to people.  An example of this is when we
are  meeting our teachers and classmates and learning their names.
Unless we tell people our names, they can't learn them.

                Modeling
Begin with  "My name is Mrs. Crawford," ask Mrs Francis to   model what
the
child would say, (thank you, my name is Mrs Francis).  As time permits,
introduce yourself to several students.   They may start selecting their
book.
from the books on the table.  When they go to Mrs. Francis, she will
respond,
my name is Mrs. Francis, the child will thank her and say "my name is
______________.  Mrs. Francis will thank the child and check out the
students
book.
  .
                Independent practice
                        As the students go to their tables to sit down,
go up to each child  and
introduce myself.  Explain that we can also say "hello" my  name
is__________.  It's the my name and thank you that are our  clues to
using
an introduction.

                Closure
What is a polite response when we leave?  "Thank you" and goodbye.  How
could
we say goodbye as we leave, without saying a  word.  (wave).
*****
Thanks again, everyone!
-Tanya

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