CHIRP Lesson: Put Your Name on Every Slide

The other day, I told you about the CHIRP presentation that I assign to all of my students every semester. The CHIRP is meant to be a gentle early introduction, timed at exactly 6:40 (20 slides timed for 20 seconds apiece), so each student can quickly and creatively introduce themselves to their classmates.

One requirement (and yes, this will be graded) is that students put their name of each of the 20 slides. This was inspired several years ago, when one member of the class needed to reach out to his project teammates before we all departed for spring break. I suggested he simply email them, and he admitted that he had not bothered to learn their names. Halfway through the semester.

So now, not only does each team project and presentation start with introductions, but each CHIRP slide includes the presenter’s name. These are your peers, your partners, and your future network, people! Learn each other’s names!

How does this apply outside the classroom? The legendary Dale Carnegie once wrote that “a person’s name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” You won’t hear your name if people don’t know it. Whether you are introducing yourself for the first time or the twentieth, state your name clearly and with pride. Be heard. Sign your work. Establish your identity.

As the name suggests, the CHIRP allows students to talk about their career, hobbies, institution, relatives, and personal details that they want to share. And in the meantime, we all gain some important skills.

What do you think?

See you tomorrow!

#dalecarnegie #identity #igotaname