My last name's a difficult one to pronounce. The type that kids abbreviate to a letter out of necessity. Mr. G's been it since my very first week of teaching. Over 180 days, name variations are inevitable. I've had it all: "G-Dawg," "G-Man," "O.G.," "G-Baby," "Mr. Garro," "Jizzle," or just plain "G." It's all in good fun, and I don't mind.
We as teacher's also have the ability to christen students a new name. Sometimes it's bad, like the time I mispronounced two student's names in the same day. "Wallet" and "Lovin-ya" is what I pronounced. Never-ending ridicule ensued. Sometimes it's necessary. Two Kimberly's? Howbout I call you Kim instead? (I do. And thus, Kim she is to the rest of the class). And sometimes it's good. Take Monday, for instance with one unruly student:
T: "Is it cool if I called you gangsta?"
Me: "Is it cool if I called you T-Dawg?"
T: "Aright, I'm coo w/ that."
Me: "Me too."
Since then, unruly student's been a lil less unruly and our relationship is that much better. I hear other kids in the class taking up the same nicknames - for myself and said student.
It's my theory that students who christen my name a new twist feel more comfortable with me as a person, making them more receptive to my teaching.
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