Sadly I've had other teachers tell me the wrong way to say a name with great confidence ... which I kind of get, I might make the same mistake if the student hasn't clued me in that I'm doing it wrong.

I think I might ask students to do this during our first two classes as they also need to get to know each other.

Not a bad idea.

Repetition on its own works sometimes, but putting that repetition into a functional context seems to work better. (Same thing with facts in general: anki cards work okay, but actually using a fact — say, writing it into a story or deploying it in conversation — works better.)

I get mixed results.

We have a place in our online system where students can record their own name and I need to twist the arm of the tech staff to have them all do this when they set up their machines in the fall.

Hearing the student say it is the best.

This is one thing I love about some support groups. It's customary to say your name not only at the introduction part of the meeting but also at the start of each time you share. This is super, super helpful.

I'd like to know where the expectation comes from that you're supposed to remember everyone's names after only one introduction. I don't know anybody who can do that.

if I realise I’ve met someone before & I can't recall their name or the context about where we met previously, I’ll just say something like, "I’m sorry but I’m a bit face-blind so names don't stick, what's your name again?"

most people seem fine if you're just matter-of-fact about it when they realise that you're not deliberately slighting them / that you didn't think they weren't worth bothering to remember / that it wasn't that they aren't memorable ‍️

and of course I’m if they haven't heard about aphantasia before their minds are often a little bit blown & it can be a great organic ice-breaker ‍️

Doesn't show lack of connection. Shows you care!

If names cause you stress I say "make the cards" it will save you so much distress and it's fun to see if you can say every name that you have learned each day "in context."

When I started using flashcards for names I felt bad about it (since it seemed like someone who really cared about the people around them would just naturally remember names)

But, when I started doing it I realized it was a chance to think about each student a little without the classroom distractions, so, it stoped seeming cynical to me.

One fall I had over 200 new names to learn. That's what drove me to the cards. No normal person could learn that many names "naturally"

handover?

I have #aphantasia, so I don't get a visual refresh when I think about people – all I see in my "mind's eye" is… nothing. if I didn't do all this I’d basically never remember anyone's name 🫥

Otherwise, most people do seem to appreciate the honesty of just admitting you're crap with names and apologising in advance. ‍️

Oh, we want a tale of your childhood shenanigans !

(maybe I should say "tales" as there should be a lot of them ?)

Cat though, I never have a problem with. No cat that comes near me leaves without a name or a nickname within an hour of meeting them.

for two years in my early twenties I attended a school that was a lot like primary school in that most of the classes were with the same people and it was every weekday from morning until early afternoon.
6 months in, during lunch, somebody complained about a Nicole in our class and my response was "We have a Nicole in our class?!" They spent several minutes describing her before I knew who they meant.

At more "business networking" events, I sometimes ask if I can take a photo of a new-to-me acquaintance with their name badge ‍️

I can get photos from the yearbook.

If I didn't have that I'd insist on taking group photo on the first day of class I think. I need to know all of their names somehow.