Want to know student names the second day of school? There's an app for that...

I have about 185 students this school year and back to school night the second week of the year.  I teach many freshmen as well.  Therefore, it is a race for me to learn names and something about my students to get the school year off to a good start.  I use the app InstaEditor to learn students' names and what it is that they like to do.  

I use my iPad to walk around the room and have individual conversations with each student about what it is they like to do.  During this conversation, I am generating an image of them that shows their name followed by whatever it is that they enjoy.

Before doing this with any student, I show them what I am going to do my taking a selfie and typing over the selfie "Mr. Gensic, basketball."  Here is the example...

Other students are working on notecards individually or some other "all about me" sheet quietly during this time, as we are practicing the individual work time procedure (see First Days of School).

Strengths of using this technology...
1.) I can quickly review names by flipping through my iPad photos.
2.) I can guarantee that I've had a one on one conversation with every student in my classroom on the first day of school.
3.) The app actually leaves 2 photos in your photostream, one with the label and one without.  This is perfect for testing your ability to remember names.
4.) Kids see you working at remembering something.  I want them to remember some things throughout the year, therefore they may see me as a model.
5.) Kids think I'm weird right away

Obstacles to overcome...
1.) The ads on the app are annoying, but they allow for more time to talk with each student.
2.) You still need to review the images to remember names
3.) Kids think I'm weird right away
4.) Make sure you have memory available on your device

This is a fun, engaging way for me to start the year.  I don't think I'll ever start a year without it again.