How to Remember the Names of Children as a Substitute Teacher

Substitute teaching is a wonderful career opportunity for teachers who do not have the circumstances to work full-time, as subbing gives them the opportunity to accept work assignments when it is convenient for them. However, substitute teaching is not without its drawbacks as well as challenges. To be an effective substitute teacher, you must be adaptable, flexible and up to the challenges that lie ahead of you as you walk into each and every classroom. One of the biggest obstacles that substitute teachers face is learning, and remembering, the names of children. While it is not practical to ask children to walk around with name tags simply for your benefit, there are ways to remember the names of children, whether you will be with them for just a day, a week or longer.

Just Ask!

Children are very perceptive and will know that a substitute teacher will not have all the answers that their regular teacher has. They will also know that substitute teachers will need time to get used to them, their names and their learning methods, even during their earliest stages of their academic development. There is no shame in actually asking the children for their names. When they raise their hands to ask or answer a question, ask them to state their name and then try to remember it for future reference throughout the day.

Label Classwork

A very effective way to remember names of children as a substitute teacher is to simply ask children to label their classwork with their names. Ask them to write their names on the front of their classwork, rather than on the back, where their names cannot be seen, and then as you walk around the classroom, take notice and refer to each child by their name. Kindergarten children will enjoy the opportunity to show off their writing skills, as they carefully write out their names, so use this as a teaching tool, in addition to a personal learning tool, in the classroom. Even older children can be encouraged to label their classwork so that you can remember the names of children.

Children deserve the dignity of being called by their names, so it is in their best interests, as well as the substitute teacher's, to try and recall the names of children in their care.