AP classes. No seating chart. I really, really hate calling out the roll.
But AP classes. Surely they were all present.
Period 1. 24 on the roll. A quick head count and... 21 students in class. Noooo!
Period 2 was missing 1. Period 3, 2. Period 4, 1.
But AP classes. So, surely a simple "who's absent?" would yield results. (It's worked for me in the past.) No?
Oh, come on, guys! All I have to do is say, "Who's absent?" and somebody rattles off a couple names.
Not this day. I had to read all 34 names to find the one absent in period 2. (And I have to do the whole list or the students at the end of the alphabet start hounding me--"But you didn't call my name. I'm here." Yes, I know.)
Yes, it's cheating. I'm supposed to call roll. I must take accurate attendance. But you should see some of these names. (I'd share them with you, but they're minors, and I never name them here. Any names I use on the blog are changed from their actual names.) If the vowel sound can go two ways, I invariably pick the wrong one. And when I encounter that kid again, I usually use the incorrect version, even when the kid's informed me of how his/her name is pronounced.
So, I avoid calling out the roll whenever possible. Seating charts are wonderful.
I was so grateful that 5th period had all 29 students present.
Parents get so ridiculously creative with names now, I can only imagine. Nobody wants to name their children a name that any other child has so they come up with some doozies!
ReplyDeleteIt should be "creative" names. Because some of these "creations"...
DeleteI remember hating it when the sub had to call roll, but we all loved correcting the sub when he/she mispronounced a name. ;)
ReplyDeleteOh yes, and loudly...
DeleteJust because they're AP students doesn't mean they're not kids. They're going to make the substitute work hard to earn her pay :).
ReplyDeleteWe are having more and more creative names in classrooms in Japan, too.
ReplyDeleteWhy do parents do this? Why?
DeleteI always mispronounce names as well, and then I feel bad...
ReplyDeleteI can imagine the names on the rolls! What a diversity I'm sure and not many common names I bet! Kind of like with the patients names I type. All over the board. I'm glad I don't have to pronounce them :)
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could enlist a student to take the roll? (but I'm sure that could be against the rules)
betty
Some teachers do have "helpers", and that can work from time to time. Especially when I've got a strange list. I tend to want to do it, though. Just to make sure it's accurate.
DeleteI don't envy you trying to figure out how to pronounce all those names. There are so many ways things can be pronounced.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes. When I see "ta" I think "tah", but most of the time it's actually "tay". So, then I say "tay"...
DeleteHave the students call out their own names rather than the standard, "here." Start from the person closest, working your way to the back or however the seats are rowed.
ReplyDeleteI would also make them spell their first and last names, if they're going to be difficult.
ReplyDelete