Most every Tuesday, I have a parent volunteer that comes to my class. On most Tuesdays, I have a basket of work for her to complete. Today, my heart stopped when I saw her walk into my class. In my absent-minded craziness, I had completely forgotten about her coming today.
First, I apologized for not being prepared. Then I sent her to the other kindergarten teachers to ask if they needed help. She wondered on up the hall to other teachers after they said they did not have something for her to work on. I then remembered a couple of things that I could have her do. I felt really bad about the experience. However, she ended up staying busy and then eating lunch with her son.
Parent volunteers are appreciated and needed. However, teachers must prepare for them. In most cases, teachers have much that can be done. However, it takes time to get it ready and explain it to the helper. Because I do not usually have time to stop class and explain what I need my parent to do, I usually write it all down and place it in a tub.
Today, I was caught totally off guard.
When you have a parent volunteer that helps in your classroom, it is always helpful to have a schedule. Have the parent set-up certain days and times that he/she will be coming to your class to help. This way you can always (or like me most of the time) be prepared with work.
In my opinion, a parent volunteer should help with making copies and clerical duties. A parent volunteer could put up bulletin boards or organize files. However, I do not feel that a parent volunteer should be grading papers or working with student grades or tests. These items should be kept private among the parents of the child they concern and the faculty at the school. Some parents have a tendency to go and report to other parents things such as grades and behavior reports of all the children in the class.
Parental Involvement in Education
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