BUILDING COMMUNITY WITH NAMES 1

Building Community, One Child at a Time: Using Names to Build Relationships

Denise Robinson

George Mason University

Abstract

Children’s names have traditionally been used to build phonological awareness and literacy skills in the early childhood classroom. Here, weIn this article, I suggest that we expand the use of names to build a positive learning environment that celebrates individuality while strengthening connections between home and school.

Building Community, One Child at a Time: Using Names to Build Relationships

“Vivien is here, Vivien is here, it’s a great day because Vivien is here! Samuel is here, Samuel is here, it’s a great day because Samuel is here!” The children in Mr. Gold’s class greet each other with a song or chant each morning. The children look forward to this time, when they are recognized as individuals and as part of the group. Mr. Gold will use their names frequently throughout the day. For instance, he may use students’ names to signal transitions and or to form groups[s1].

Each day as they enter class, students bring with them an important tool for building community. It is personal. It is unique. It can help form a bridge between home and school. This relationship building tool is the child’s own name. Forging a sense of community through the use of children’s names can help produce a positive learning environment, thus increasing students’ interest and engagementthroughout the day. Early childhood teachers may already be familiar with the effectiveness of using children’s names in promoting phonological awareness and emergent literacy learning (Bloodgood, 1999; McNair, 2007; Welsch, Sullivan, & Justice, 2003). Here, we will explore ways to expand the use of names to promote a sense of unity and the joy of learning together—one child at a time[s2].

Connecting Home and School

It is sharing time in Ms. Garcia’s kindergarten classroom. Billy is explaining that he was named after his grandfather. The children listen carefully as Billy explains that his name is “short” for William, his grandfather’s name. Juan tells the children that his name is the same as his father’s. At home, his family calls him Juanito. Billy and Juan smile at each other. During work time, Ms. Garcia will helps the boys each add a page— with his picture, name, and some facts he would like to share about himself— to their class book. When the book is complete, every child will receive a copy of this book to take home.

In the example above, Ms. Garcia has written to the families of the children in her room to find out more about how they chose their child’s name, if it has any special meaning, and if it is a family name. She has been careful to learn the correct pronunciation of her student’s names and respects family wishes regarding nicknames (McNair, 2007). She values the opportunity that focusing on student names provides for connecting home and school, as well helping students learn from and about each other. Taken together, the emphasis on the social nature of learning offers the opportunity to focus attention on children’s names as a culturally relevant means to connect home and school cultures (Welsch et al., 2003).

Today’s classrooms are increasingly diverse in regard of ethnicityally, raceially, linguistic proficiencyally, and ability diverse. The students mightClassrooms often represent several cultures and may include speakers ofk a number of languages, not always including the primary language of instruction. Teachers are models for the way children in a classroom treat each other. Celebrating children as individuals, as well as part of the classroom community sets a tone of respect and acceptance, which is vital in schools preparing students to enter a democratic society. Recognizing the importance of families and including them in the children’s learning through communication and as resources, as Ms. Garcia has done, helps to create a community of learners (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009)

Name Games: Keys to Unlocking a Positive Classroom Community

Every child deserves to spend his day in a positive learning community. Positive classrooms host students and teachers who are respectful of both individuals and learning. Management systems are in place to provide students with a safe and accepting environment. Lessons are engaging, and students and teachers work together to construct learning throughout the day (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009). Incorporating games and greetings based on the names of children in the classroom can be an integral (and engaging) way to build positive relationships among students (Kriete, 2002; Rule & Kyle, 2009), while still promoting emergent literacy skills (CITE).

Using Names during Circle Time

It is Habeeba’s turn to choose the day’s greeting. She suggests “The Elephant Greeting,” which her class had made up based loosely on the song, “Willoughby, Wallaby, Woo.”(Raffi, 1976). She turns to her neighbor, saying “I say Theresa, but an elephant says Meresa.” Her classmates wait happily for their turn to create a rhyme for their neighbor’s name.

Many early childhood classrooms begin the day with some form of circle time or meeting. Here, students and teachers have the opportunity to greet one another, share information, take part in an activity, and plan for the day. Addressing students, and helping them to address each other, by name shows students that we value them as individuals and as part of the classroom community.Creating a tradition or ritual of greeting each other by name every day can help students see each other as part of the group (Kriete, 2002). It becomes a part of the day that everyone looks forward to. Hearing your included in a song or chant immediately draws even outside individuals into the community, as is evidenced when guests find themselves included in greetings such as “Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar” or “2, 4, 6, 8, Who Do We Appreciate?” As in the example above, some classes make up their own greetings or choose favorites that never seem to get old. Celebrate this[s3], while taking opportunities to revisit greetings or name games that may have been forgotten along the way.

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It is best to start small[s5] when incorporating name games into classroom instruction. Sitting in a circle and greeting each other by name, including student names in a short poem or song, or rolling a ball to greet each other are fun and non-threatening name-related activities. As children get used to the routine of greeting each other or playing name games, you can increase the complexity and challenge.

  • To learn each other’s names, try simple activities such as greeting each child individually, moving to having the children greet the child next to him/her and having that child return the greeting, then advancing to shaking hands or giving a “high 5” while exchanging greetings.
  • To learn more about each other’s names, play Four Corners: select a category with 3-4 possible responses; children position themselves according to response. For example: if your name has one syllable (clap), go to one corner; if your name has two, three, more syllables, go to the respective corners. Other possibilities that focus on literacy skills include the number of letters, vowel sounds, or names that are longer/shorter/same as the teacher’s name.
  • Playing Four Corners or similar sharing games allows the class to learn more about each other as well. Categories can focus on children’s culture and home experiences by asking about siblings, whether children live in apartments, townhouses, houses, or mobile homes, or if and how they visit grandparents. Categories may also relate to other topics of interest: favorite insects, vegetables, games, etc.
  • To learn about each other, play a memory game to greet each other: the first child says his name, followed by a response to the category of the day (favorite insect, sport, etc.); the second child repeats the first child’s response and adds her own. Older students can try to repeat all previous responses.
  • Develop emergent literacy skills by using names to reinforce syllabification, identifying onset and rime, alliteration, identifying ending sounds, segmenting and combining phonemes, and rhyming. Use or create simple chants and songs, roll balls, toss beanbags, or use body motions to increase student’s engagement in the activities.

Using Names throughout the Day

Early in the year, Mrs. Nguyen’s kindergarten class is gathering on the carpet for a read-aloud. As the children clean up their previous activity and come to the carpet, Mrs. Nguyen lead’s them in a song based on “Old MacDonald Had a Farm.” The children join in enthusiastically, singing:

Mrs. Nguyen has a class, e-i-e-i-o

And in this class we have a Mario, e-i-e-i-o

With a /m/ here and an /ario/ there,

Here an /m/, there an /ario/,

Everywhere a m-ario.

Mrs. Nguyen has a class, e-i-e-i-o

Community is not built only in the morning. Because learning takes place through social interaction (Vygotsky, 1978), it is important to continue to build social relationships in the classroom throughout the day. Classroom traditions and rituals help to make students feel valued as individuals, while solidifying their identity as part of the group (Scully & Howell, 2008). This feeling of inclusion and recognition is enhanced through the use of children’s names in a positive way all day long. In the example above, Mrs. Nguyen has learned that this simple song encourages her students to clean up quickly so that their names can be included in the singing. She makes sure that all students’ names are sung over time, even those reluctant to join the group.

Tips for using names in transitions and routines. Incorporating children’s names into the songs used to call children to the carpet, into the way children are dismissed or lined up, or the way students are grouped for learning activities can support a sense of community and a readiness for learning. Here are some tips:

  • Try going beyond lining up and dismissing students by the first letter or sound in their names. Connect categories used for these routines to those used during Four Corners or other literacy activities (i.e. number of syllables, rhyming words, ending sounds).
  • Repeat chants or songs used as greetings to bring the class together and to help them prepare for learning activities.
  • Play quiet name games as children transition from centers and gather on the carpet. This will encourage stragglers to join the group, while keeping first comers engaged. For example, play an “I’m thinking of …” game to help students guess the mystery child. Clues can focus on sound-based skills currently being developed or facts the class has learned about their friend’s interests and culture. With practice, students can learn to give the clues to the class.

Names in a print-rich environment. The use of children’s names and pictures in many places around the classroom identifies it as a place belonging to each member of the class (Kirk & Clark, 2005). There are many ways to accomplish this:

  • Post a name chart with children’s names and pictures; add last names as appropriate.
  • Make student’s names highly visible when displaying work; consider using a special place for each child’s creations labeled with both name and picture.
  • Display names in lists used to manage classroom routines—center choices, computer use, jobs, ways to go home. Children like to be able to predict when it will be their turn to be line leader or use the computer.
  • Use student names in community or shared writing experiences such as the morning message or stories created by the class; names can also be used in content area writing or reading responses. Class books written by the students, with teacher scaffolding, can be reduced and copied so that each child can take a copy home to share with family members.
  • Include student names and pictures at the writing center and/or in baskets placed conveniently around the room. This encourages students to used classmates’ names in their writing.

Connecting with Books

Books provide another connection to names that can facilitate both community building and literacy learning in the early childhood classroom. There are many books about names suitable for reading with young children. Two are especially appropriate: My Name is Johari (O’Brien, 1992) and Chrysanthemum (Henkes, 1996). Both are about children who love their names until they begin school, where their classmates begin to tease them about their names. Reading these stories provides the opportunity for helping children value not only their own names, but those of their classmates as well, reinforcing the concept of a positive community of learners in the classroom. Children enjoy finding out about their own names, how their parents chose them, what they mean, or if they came from another country or culture. They may want to write a class book about their names or pin their names to a map of the world.

Keeping a Few Things in Mind

Children bring their names with them to school every day. The use of names to build a positive classroom environment while scaffolding literacy learning in early childhood classrooms can strengthen connections between[s6] home and school and recognizes cultural influences in the lives of students. Using children’s names in a variety of ways throughout the day reminds them that they are a valued part of the learning community. Building a positive learning community reflects the belief that children learn from others. Using names in greetings, games, and learning activities acknowledges that development is related to speaking, reading, and writing, and to who we are as individuals. Our names are personal and unique. Using children’s names frequently, respectfully, and in a variety of ways throughout the day can help build a positive classroom environment that encourages learning and working together in early childhood classrooms—one child at a time.

Very well done. I think the outlet you have chosen will love the content. After incorporating my feedback read through it a couple more times to increase flow and cohesion (and I’m happy to read it again, too). The many bulleted lists include good stuff, but it seems a little odd to me. Could you turn some of the lists into tables or figures? Regardless, good job. This paper has come together well, and I’m confident it will be published.

25/25

References

Bloodgood, J. W. (1999). What’s in a name? Children’s name writing and literacy acquisition. Reading Research Quarterly, 34, 342-36.

Copple, C. & Bredekamp, S. (Eds.) (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs: Serving children from birth through age 8 (3rd ed.). Washington, DC: NAEYC

Henkes, K. (1996). Chrysanthemum. New York: Harper Collins.

Kirk, E. W. & Clark, P. (2005). Beginning with names: Using children’s names to facilitate early literacy learning. Childhood Education, 81, 139-144.

Kriete, R. (2002). The Morning Meeting Book. Greenfield, MA: Northeast Foundation for Children.

McNair, J. C. (2007). Say my name, say my name! Young Children, 62, 84-89.

O’Brien, A. S. (1992). My Name is Johari. New York: Newbridge Educational

Raffi (1976). Willoughby, wallaby, woo. On Singable Songs for the Very Young, CD. Canada:Shoreline.

Rule, A. C. & Kyle, P. B. (2009). Community-building in a diverse setting. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36, 291-295. Doi: 10.1007/s10643-008-0290-z

Scully, P. & Howell, J. (2008). Using rituals and traditions to create classroom community for children, parents, and teachers. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36, 261-266. Doi: 10.1007/s10643-008-0279-7

Welsch, J. G., Sullivan, A., & Justice, L. M. (2003). That’s my letter!: What preschoolers’ name writing representations tell us about emergent literacy knowledge. Journal of Literacy Research, 35, 757-776. Doi: 10.1207/s15548430jrl3502_4

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Figure 1: Tips for Choosing Greetings and Games

  • Begin with activities that do not involve touching (shaking hands, for example).
  • Encourage all students to take part but scaffold involvement for those that are hesitant.
  • Keep greetings short until students know each other’s names.
  • Create routines that allow choice in which greetings or activities to use.
  • Include activities that help students find common interests and learn more about each other as individuals.
  • Match your greetings and activities to the developmental levels of your students.
  • Insist on respect at all times; model positive social interactions.

[s1]This opening scenario is great!

[s2]Good introduction!

[s3]What is “this”? Made up greetings? Clarify

[s4]Figures should come immediately after the in-text reference. Where do you reference this figure?

[s5]When doing what?

[s6]Maybe again mention that we already know name games supports emergent literacy skills