Volunteering is among best ways to become engaged with child's
educators
By TIM SHENK
The Arizona Republic
With each new grade or school their kids enter, parents wonder
how to keep up — and how to fit volunteering into their busy schedules.
Fortunately, parents and educators have helpful suggestions
for any level of children's education. Here are a few:
Kindergarten
In kindergarten, kids are learning such basic skills as cutting
with scissors and writing their names. Most teachers appreciate
parent volunteers in the classroom to read to children in groups
and help keep the lessons moving.
"They get a little more individualized attention," says Kelly
Ramsland, who often read to her daughter and other kindergartners
at an elementary school in Tempe, Ariz., last year. "It's really
good for the kids to hear different voices and their inflections."
Other ideas:
— Organize a party and bring decorations and food.
— Visit class and let your child practice making an introduction.
Grades 1 to 3
Children in the early grades often can use help with reading,
and teachers can use a hand with some of the arts and crafts they
use with their lessons.
Students in Carrie Hartson's third grade class learn about continents
and oceans on papier-mache globes. Hartson got help on her projects
last year from a pair of PTA mothers and several parents who couldn't
come in during the day but donated supplies.
"For the working parents, that's sometimes their way of volunteering,"
Hartson says.
Workroom programs are a hit with elementary school teachers —
parents can pick up such behind-the-scenes chores as photocopying,
laminating and stapling. A centralized workroom lets parents complete
"work orders" from teachers throughout the school, anytime during
the day.
"We get out at 2:35, and lots of parents come in at 2 (p.m.)
and say 'What can I do?'" says Lisa Bjotvedt , a former elementary
school PTA president.
Others simply help out with special events once or twice a year.
"We have parents that come in on school picture day — all they
do is make sure that kids' hair looks good for the picture," she
says.
Other ideas:
— Make flashcards for a teacher.
— Donate some pencils and notebook paper.
— Arrange to help teach kids basic math skills.
Grades 4 to 6
Field trips, tutoring and organizing schoolwide events are good
ways for parents to plug in at this stage.
Ramsland, who also has a son going into third grade and a daughter
entering fifth grade this year, teamed up with other moms to do
art presentations for her oldest daughter's class. They showed
the kids works by Leonardo da Vinci, Vincent van Gogh and Pablo
Picasso and talked about the artists' philosophies and lives.
Other ideas:
— Make a bulletin board display for a teacher.
— Volunteer in the library or special education classroom.
Grades 7 to 8
In middle school, helping out with extracurricular activities
and athletic events is probably better than trying to volunteer
in the classroom.
"Their peers are more important to them than anything else, and
they don't want to see their parents (in class)," says Judy Dewalt,
an information officer and former teacher and principal in the
Paradise Valley (Ariz.) Unified School District.
Teachers encourage middle school students to think about career
choices and often invite parents to speak about their jobs.
Other ideas:
— Raise funds for a field trip.
— Help organize a dance.
— Make sets and costumes for a school play.
Grades 9 to 12
When their kids reach high school, parents often can help out
with booster clubs and such extracurricular activities as athletics
and band.
Volleyball coach Jayne Radu says parents are a big part of her
boys' and girls' teams. They keep statistics, sell concessions,
take photos and organize a big banquet at the end of the year.
Mike Burm, a dad who has played volleyball for the last 30 years,
has found time to volunteer with his son and daughter's volleyball
teams. He brings Gatorade, takes photos and encourages players
one on one.
"With high school athletes, sometimes the little things bother
them — they can't let it go," says Burm. "And so I've talked with
some of the boys to give them a perspective that's not (their)
parent or a coach."
Other ideas:
— Make photocopies.
— Translate for the school office.
— Sponsor the cheerleading squad.
