A Teacher's Guide to Learning Student Names - (Teaching, Engaging, and Thriving in Higher Ed) by Michelle D Miller (Paperback)

About the Book

Eschewing random tips and mnemonic tricks that invariably fall short, this book offers teachers clear explanation of what is really going on when we learn a name, and a science-based approach for using this knowledge to pedagogical advantage.

Book Synopsis

If teachers want an inclusive, engaging classroom, they must learn their students' names. Sound advice, certainly, but rarely does it come with practical guidance-which is precisely what this book offers. Eschewing the random tips and mnemonic tricks that invariably fall short, Michelle D. Miller offers teachers a clear explanation of what is really going on when we learn a name, and a science-based approach for using this knowledge to pedagogical advantage.

Drawing on a deep background in the psychology of language and memory, Miller gives a lively overview of the surprising science of learning proper names, along with an account of why the practice is at once so difficult and yet so critical to effective teaching. She then sets out practical techniques for learning names, with examples of activities and practices tailored to a variety of different teaching styles and classroom configurations. In her discussion of certain factors that can make learning names especially challenging, Miller pays particular attention to neurodivergence and the effects of aging on this special form of memory. A Teacher's Guide to Learning Student Names lays out strategies for putting these techniques into practice, suggests technological aids and other useful resources, and explains how to make name learning a core aspect of one's teaching practice.

With its research-based strategies and concrete advice, this concise and highly readable guide provides teachers of all disciplines and levels an invaluable tool for creating a welcoming and productive learning environment.

Review Quotes

"Hearing your name sparks attention and lets you know someone cares--two keys for learning. This brief but rich book offers clear, quick, and scientific ways to learn and use your students' names as a way to engage them. My teaching just got better and so will yours."--José Antonio Bowen, author of Teaching with AI: A Practical Guide to a New Era of Human Learning


"Most instructors know the importance of learning and using students' names. Few of us have Michelle Miller's neuroscience background to unpack the mechanisms, issues, and methods that surround this task. Her balance of hard scientific facts with a humanistic, student-focused approach to applying those facts makes this book highly valuable to any classroom instructor."--Robert Talbert, author of Grading for Growth: A Guide to Alternative Grading Practices That Promote Authentic Learning and Student Engagement in Higher Education