A Community in Your Classroom

Creating a community in your classroom is so much more than just pronouncing names correctly. But if that is where you are most comfortable beginning, then that is a good place to start. Community. It sounds easy, but you know it will be more challenging. One of the reasons creating community is so complicated is that the definition of community changes for each class, each semester, and each [...]

2018-02-13T03:38:17+00:00December 8th, 2017|Belonging, Student Success|

NameBadge: Let the World Really Know Your Name

NameBadge is my favorite feature on NameCoach. It is a fun and free way to express your identity as an individual. It also makes a great presentation for the beginning of school year or as an attachment on a professional profile (like LinkedIn) or social media. After registering, follow the three easy steps to create your own badge. First, record your own name in your own voice. You [...]

2018-03-09T02:42:17+00:00November 19th, 2017|Belonging, Name Pronunciation Tips|

Commencement Ceremony

The Academy Awards is one of the most glamorous and celebrated events in Hollywood. Millions of viewers tune in to watch as stars gather to celebrate major achievements in the film industry. For some of these actors, actresses, technicians, directors, and producers, it is the most momentous evening of their lives. In recent years, it has become a platform for celebrities and academy members to advocate for diverse [...]

2018-03-07T09:31:04+00:00November 8th, 2017|Belonging, Commencement Ceremonies, Graduation|

What Inclusion Means

Last night, I was talking with my friend, Olga. She shared that all through school, teachers never pronounced her name correctly. When I told her I just so happened to be writing an article about this, she got very serious. “Do you think it’s important?” I responded that it is extremely important because a name is an integral part of a person’s identity. At One Extreme Mispronouncing or [...]

2017-11-27T00:53:14+00:00November 7th, 2017|Belonging|

What’s in a name?

As it turns out, quite a bit. It’s the first day of school and you wait, anxious and excited, to meet your new teacher: you’ve purchased the necessary supplies, arrived on time, and found your seat. As you wait for the teacher to begin, you’re filled with a sense of dread--she has started to call names from the attendance sheet. Will she get yours right this year? Should [...]

2018-02-13T03:40:59+00:00October 14th, 2017|Belonging|