What's In a Name?
A guest post from Okaikor Aryee-Price, a fellow IDEA (Institute for Democratic Education in America) organizer:
I know for many the naming of a child is a deeply personal and spiritual experience that reflects some symbolism of one's cultural, traditional, and familial background. For my children, it was all of the 
above. And because I put so much thought, research and energy into naming them, I expect people to respect that.
above. And because I put so much thought, research and energy into naming them, I expect people to respect that. I get a little miffed when people ask me for a nickname or something short. Because of this, I am sensitive to how our names are more than just letters in a random word our parents chose to give us. When I posted a short story about a recent classroom experience on my Facebook page, it did not surprise me that many related to the story, or found themselves moved by my student's story.
This story is a story about dignity, love, acceptance, and compassion. It is about identity and the small things we can do that go a long way. It is not a story about how well I aligned my classroom pedagogy to the Common Core Standards, or how well I prepared my students for some standardized test that will be used to evaluate my effectiveness in the classroom. As we explore the purpose of education, this story presents the importance of what it means to develop compassionate individuals who understand the dignity that exists in every human
