Minor rant on Names

Names have gotten downright weird.  I know that this is in some ways an "old" problem.  But, I still feel the need to comment on the ever widening problem of name pronunciation.  Maybe it's becuase the melting pot is still getting a good stir, or the need for parents to name their child something incredibly unique.  Either way, I've come across some very strange names over the last few months.  Most of them I immediately forget.  That's just what Ihave to do as a sub.  There isn't room in my brain to remember every child I've met for seven hours.  There are just too many kids in the district.  I've had a few strange names stick in my head though.  Take Jacobe.  I originally thought it was just an interesting spelling (also a viral plague on the attendance sheets) of Jacob.  Instead this child's name is pronounced Ja-Kobe (like the basketball player).  Today, I have a child named A.  Not short for anything, not pronounced weird.  Just A.  Said like the letter in the alphabet.  One nice thing about names in elementary schools is the students always have name tags on their desks AND they stay in the same classroom all day.  In high school however, the students always change, and  usually I have to take attendance for every class period forcing me to butcher through a miriad of ethnic names and creative spellings.

My second comment about names actually has to do with last names.  I just find it odd that with all the Smiths, Johnsons, Browns, and Whites out there I always get stuck with the unpronouncable last names.  They're lovely and fine names for sure, I just don't want to tell first graders that I'm here for *insert today's teacher's name* and then have them all laugh/correct me profusely on the mispronunciation.  I've subbed for many a hyphenated last name, a name too long to pronounce (or remember for that matter) and the all-time favorite simply short name that could easily be pronounced one of three ways.  I usually just tell the students I'm here for their teacher and move on.

Rant over