I was in the grocery store a week ago...

When I saw my 85-year-old Kindergarten teacher. She gave a disapproving look at my Pop Tarts and Chef Boyardee, gave me a lecture about proper nutrition (I can't live off of apple juice and animal crackers forever), told me my pants had holes in them, and asked me if I still liked to paint pictures (I'm entirely serious). However, those things weren't even the most astonishing thing about seeing my old Kindergarten teacher-- instead it was that I had not seen her since I was roughly 10-years-old (I promise I didn't repeat Kindergarten five times) and the woman still remembered my name.

How do you remember one child's name from twenty years ago when you saw roughly thirty new faces every year for thirty-five years? She literally taught over a thousand students and still can remember almost everyone's name.

She can probably recite the Iliad backwards too.

Anyway, I ran across what might be the answer for future teachers who are trying to memorize names (thanks to BBC):

The idea

This technique helps you to make a memorable connection between the face you’re looking at and the name they just said. It takes a little effort at first but once you’ve mastered it, you’ll get quicker and quicker, and hey soon it’ll be almost like these people have got their names written all over them …

Here’s how to do it:

Step One

Might seem obvious but PAY

ATTENTION when you’re

told the person’s name.

Step Two

It’s good to hear the name more

than once. So you could get

the person to repeat it – or you

repeat it. Perhaps ask a question.

Step Three

Think: what does that name remind

me of? The name ‘Roz’

might remind you of a ‘rose’ for

example.

Step Four

Now have a close (but subtle) look

at the person’s face and decide what’s

their most noticeable bodily feature.

It could be a big nose, or freckles or

a beauty spot.

Step Five

Now use your imagination to link

the name image with their noticeable

feature. If Roz has a lots of freckles for

example, you could imagine each of them

turning into a tiny rose. If possible, make

the link memorable! Funny, bizarre,

weird – all good.

Step Six

Next time you see her, scan her

face, and you’ll see those freckles

again … and remember the rosebuds …

and remember her name was like

rose … Roz.

A little silly, but consider that it makes me feel special

that my Kindergarten teacher still remembers my name

(and it makes you feel special too, don't lie). I know

I'd like to show my students that I have enough respect

for them to learn their names and pronounce them

correctly--even if the method I use is completely

corny. :)

Heather