Lesson One: CALL Them BY NAME, Nothing Else is the Same.

“You remembered my name!” are the words I hear when I pull out the name of a student who I just met the other day. That exclamation could be translated as, “Wow! He cared enough to remember me,” “He knows me,” “He notices me,” “He cares!” One student told me the other day that he spent a whole basketball season with a coach who mispronounced his name every time throughout the season even after some of the other players tried to clue him in. The student then told me, “I didn’t like that coach!” Relationships start by an exchange of names. When you call a student by their name, it shows that you value them. A student’s name is the most personal and individualized word you can speak to him. “Hey you,” just doesn’t have the same ring to it.

I even try to go to the next level, bestowing nicknames on my students. These usually just happen, but it definitely shows a level of attention to the student. Besides, a nickname is something only you and the student (and perhaps a few others) know him by. Nicknames show you are fun-loving and not so formal.

Learning names is a challenge for some of us. When you meet a new student, try to use their name at least three times before you end the conversation. Use a memory aid if you need to. If the student’s name is Ben, picture him bald like Benjamin Franklin. Think about another Jill this Jill reminds you of. And, if you forget a student’s name, just ask for it again. That definitely shows more interest in the student than pretending like you remember.

Then, call them by their name as much as possible.

Zach Skipper has spent over 12 years working with students. He has served as a youth minister, speaker, and bible study teacher. He is currently leading Bigtime Ministries while coaching part-time at one of the country’s leading Junior Highs in Birmingham, AL. To find out more about Zach’s ministry, contact him at www.bigtimeministries.com.