Feb 19 2009
Assign students a number
In the past I was very against assigning a number to each child. Their parents gave them a name and I felt that I should respect them and use their name rather than a number. A number seemed so impersonal. As the years went by I starting seeing how giving numbers were very beneficial.
Today, I think assigning each student a number is a great time saver, among other benefits.This year I have 20 first graders. On the first day of school I told them to write down 3 of their favorite numbers, 1-20. After looking at all their choices, I was able to give most students their first or second choice. This is the first year I allowed them to choose their number. In the past, I would alphabetize my students by first name and assign a number to each of them. This year I am happy I allowed them to choose their own number because it is more meaningful to them. It took a few days longer for me to memorize their number, though.
I number all textbooks, pencil boxes, and erasers. This way if there is a book on the floor or a damaged book I know who it belongs to. When students find an eraser on the floor they can quickly find the correct owner. Rather than writing students names of their portfolios each year I am now able to reuse the same folders each year because I now use numbers instead of names.
Assigning numbers can also be useful to help students learn even and odd numbers. When you allow the odd or even numbered students to line up first they quickly learn if their number is even or odd and this helps them with the even odd concept overall. Some days I say if your number is less than 15 you may line up.
There are many number games you can play with the students. I could go on and on about the benefits of assigning students a number. Check back often for more teacher tips. Have a great day!!!
