Names
Why do we name people, places, and things? Is it to give something meaning, to help us remember something, or to make us feel some type of way? When we hear a certain name, it sometimes can stir feelings inside of us whether that is anger, sadness, or joy. Other times, a name can inspire us to be or to do something great. In Jacqueline Woodson's (2014) novel Brown Girl Dreaming, the author shares her story of how she got her name and what certain names mean to her while growing up. At the beginning of her story, she mentions names that came before her and were considered to be public figures to her community like author James Baldwin, Ruby Ridges, and Rosa Parks. Wooden also mentions how some names like South Carolina, colored, the South and other names can be hurtful or can even remind people of some painful memories. For Jacqueline Woodson, her father originally wanted to name her 'Jack' but her mother said no. So, they settled on Jacqueline. While reading this part of Jacqueline's story, it made me wonder whether if my parents almost named me something else. If so, what would that name have been? As I continue to read more about Jacqueline's story, I am curious about how her experiences will shape her name as her world has now been divided by the North and the South.
My Name Poem
S is for Scintillating, you shine brilliantly H is for Humble, never putting on airs A is for Analytical, breaking down problems simply N is for Noble, self-sacrificing N is for Noteworthy, having remarkable achivements O is for Outstanding, excelling beyond others N is for Nice, a sweet soul
My birth name was given to me by my parents Kathleen and Stephen. My mother was born in Clearwater, New Jersey. My father was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but spent the majority of his childhood in Florida. My parents didn't name me after a famous person or one of my relatives. No, instead they named me after a river. Yes, that's right, a river. One of the longest and oldest rivers in Ireland. The final decision for my name came down to my mother who's family is of Irish decent being that her maiden name is Mulcahy. In carrying on the family tradition of having an Irish name, my mother gave me the name Shannon. In Ireland, my name carries a deeper mythological with the meaning "wise one." Being aware of the hidden meaning behind my name, it has made me reflect back on my life and think about how I became my name. Being the oldest sister of three, I have always had to set a good example for my little sisters. While growing up, I tried to make the best decisions -- but then again nobody is perfect. However, I did the best that I could do. (: Considering this dynamic between my name and my life experiences, I do believe that our names do shape part of who we are; however, it is the highs and lows of our life experiences that can also influence who we are and forever leave an imprint on our names.
One book that I am currently reading is by Amy Krouse Rosenthal's (2016) Textbook, where the author captures moments of her life in her writing. When I came across this is chart in her book, I could not help myself but to laugh a little as I found this piece of writing to be very relatable to me. Like any human, I have faced many highs and lows in my life. However, it is these moments that have continued to shape me into the individual I am today. As a pre-serviced teacher, I know that I am going to have a lot of highs and lows in my career, but it is on those lows days when I need to remember the highs and that me students are counting on me to teach, to nurture, and to show that I am there for them.
In continuing this idea of highs and lows, there is a daily reflective practice that I would want to implement in my classroom and it is called brownies vs. frownies. The purpose of this writing activity is to engage young writers and to get them into the habit of writing and to become reflective writers. Here is one example of my daily reflection:
References:
Krouse Rosenthal, A. (2016). Textbook. Penguin Random House: New York, NY. (p.1 - 105)
Woodson, J. (2014). Brown Girl Dreaming. Penguin Random House: New York, NY. (p.1-42).