Called You by Your Name

I worked as a substitute teacher for several years.  It’s a tough gig.  My teaching experience, though I took education classes and completed student teaching requirements, came from my work as a Youth Minister.  I think it worked to my benefit.

As a Youth Minister I knew how to create lesson plans and execute them.  But I also knew how icebreakers help to build trust and how important it was for me to see each student.  I spent about the same amount of time reviewing the lesson plans left for me as I did looking at the names of the students.

In the younger grades, it was easy because they have their names plastered on everything!  It’s on their desks, their folders, notebooks and even their writing utensils.  When I would address them by name, their eyes would get big and you could physically see their awe.  I couldn’t help but giggle a bit when the occasional student would ask me how I knew their name.

It was more of a challenge with the older students, especially middle school age.  They didn’t have their names on everything so I had to work harder to learn their names.  However, they too had a physical reaction when I’d call them by name.  No longer were they surprised and in awe, but often embarrassed or deflated.  Embarrassed because they didn’t want to be called out in front of their peers or deflated because I knew their name and they’d not be able to act out.

This was the thing with the older students, they would try to ‘trick’ the subs by switching seats or say they could do things that they knew their teacher wouldn’t allow.  Though these schemes were meant to throw me off, they often played to my advantage because I got to know their names more quickly.

I subbed at three different Catholic schools, Kindergarten through 8th grade.  When we’d go to Mass, I’d look at the children gathered, especially the classes I’d taught and test myself on their names trying to remember as many as I could.  Over the years, it was fun to watch how they’d grow and change.

Another thing I enjoyed was seeing siblings from one year to the next.  If I had a new group of students, I’d notice similar last names and ask if they were related.  Often this helped me remember the students name more quickly because I had a reference point.  It also endured me to the new student because I new their brother or sister, sometimes cousin.

There was a game I’d play to help me learn names.  Well, not really a game but a strategy.  If the lesson plan required the students to read something, I’d have them play Popcorn.  One student would begin to read a paragraph and the next paragraph they had to choose another student to read the next one.  I not only learned their names, but who were friends.

All of my work to learn names was based on this greater idea that God calls each of us by name.  I wanted the students to feel noticed.  I remember when a teacher remembered my name and how it made me feel.  I believe each child deserves to know that feeling that they are seen and accepted.  I felt it was my gift and perhaps obligation to share a bit of God’s love with them.

They in turn shared it with me when I’d be on Recess Duty and a student I wasn’t teaching that day would come up to say hello.  Or when I would pass a student in the hallway, they’d smile and say, “Good Morning, Mrs. Neds.”  It especially filled me when I’d spend the day with a group of students I’d taught before and they would cheerfully welcome me, glad I was their substitute teacher.

I guess it’s true how when you share God’s love with others, it comes back to you.  It’s also a good lesson in treating others how you want to be treated.  I wanted the students to feel noticed and they in turn made me feel welcome.  Thank you Lord, for calling us by our name!