I've Got Your Number

I thought I would share one of the best and easiest systems I implement all year.  I number my students.   I use this number for everything- lining up, collecting school work, signing their papers, calling on them in class.

I don't do it alphabetically like many other teachers, because if kids leave or enter the class throughout the year the system gets out of order.  Instead, I make the number system a game.  I let the kids draw a magnet from a bag on the first day of school.  Each magnet is numbered. These later go on my magnet behavior chart.  If another child enters the class later in the year, they simply take the next number in line.  If someone leaves, we let the last child take that number if they want.

Here's the best part about this system. I never have to learn anyone's name! I have this issue with children's names.  First off, most years I end up with two or three kids with the same name. I think there might be two Hannah's, an Anna and a Joanna on my list this year. WTF? How am I supposed to know who is who?  Also, a lot of kids look the same.  Two little blond boys with glasses will have me mixed up all year.  Even if their names are completely different, like Stevie and Max, or something, the mere fact that they even look similar is a big pain.  The worst is when I have two kids whose names start with the same letter AND they look the same.  Now that boys have longer hair, it's even worse because I can't even tell the boys from the girls.

So, I don't ever really need to know what their names are.  If I want someone to answer a question, I just call out "Number 8, can you tell me what you'd do if you were facing a zombie attack and only had access to a baseball bat, a kitchen knife and a boomerang?" I usually have 20-22 students. That's a lot of kids... this system alleviates the challenge of learning 20 different names, and the children they belong to! It also makes labeling charts, making bulletin boards and choosing groups so simple. For example, my small instructional groups are created in sequential order, so the groups are kids 1-4, 5-8 and so forth. It makes it so easy to do guided reading! Below is a picture of my welcome board, which is the large bulletin board outside my classroom.  I didn't even need my class list to finish it!

I highly suggest this system.  I guarantee your parents and children will love it! There is nothing like the sense of relief the parents get knowing you really know their child's number, and the sense of confidence the children get from being identified by their number (especially the kid who gets #1!)