Hello & Goodbye: The importance of names!

Once upon a time I worked my first elementary general music job.  Prior to that position, I had only worked with older elementary, middle school and high school instrumental students.  The only general music class I had was 7th grade.  I wanted to be a middle school/high school band director, after all.  Here I was in a new school teaching something I never thought I'd want to do!

Oh, now we can all really laugh as 

I'm Ms. Jenni 

the musical toddler whisper!  

Back then I had A LOT of music classes in the school I was in.  I had to take attendance every class and I felt like the 50 minutes they had music each week made it nearly impossible for me to remember their names.  Plus it's very hard when you're trying to manage a class saying, "Hey, kid in the orange shirt!"  Then I started to sing hello to the kids each week using their names.  Every kid.  Every class.  It helped!

One of the things I still do is sing Hello!

Today I was teaching one of my preschool classes and they sang my hello so beautifully with great energy.  I just had that moment where I played the guitar, listened and smiled.  They have come so far and truly were enjoying making music and singing to each other. 

If I have toddlers or big kids, I try to get to know there names and use them throughout class.

At the end of class I sing Goodbye to all the kids too.

I feel that singing Hello and greeting them each time I see them, using their names throughout class and singing Goodbye using their names makes them feel that they are a part of class.  It also makes them feel that I truly care.  (I do!)  Knowing their names really helps with the overall dynamics of class because I can point out the children that are good models and the other children can follow suit. 

Don't over look the importance of learning and using names!