Dear Parents,
A note about Volunteering! I love volunteers! Have no doubt that if you are willing to give of your time in my classroom, it is greatly appreciated!
One of the easiest and most effective ways to stay in the loop about what is going on with your student is to drop in and visit our classroom! Parents, please know that you are welcome to come in for 15 minutes or 2 hours- whatever window you have. I will try to keep a folder of things to be done, or you may help children stay on task generally by rotating in the room providing assistance and encouragement. Being a 'regular' in the classroom has the added benefit of knowing the children by name and face who you hear stories about at home, seeing your child's strengths in action, and the honor of a child lighting up and saying at the grocery store, " I know her. She's Ashley's mom!" For your child to see you during the school day for a visit to the classroom or to eat lunch together is as good as having Show-n-Tell or a celebrity visit them! Dads, grandparents, aunties, mom's with siblings in tow... please feel welcome in our classroom. If you are unsure of time frames and need to squeeze in a quick visit, see the general schedule page that I will try to keep current with approximately when they will be at art, PE, or library for example.
I am a parent of five children ranging from age 24 to 12, so I get how it feels to be spread thin! We can only be in one place at any given moment- no clones available to make everyone content at the same time! Whatever way you can be involved this year in supporting your child, it is worth it. If you will work with me, I am willing to be creative in finding ways for those who work school hours, moms with little ones in strollers, dads, grandparents, and other people in your child's life to be involved. Please email me with other ideas you have or if you'd like to be involved in some way I have not mentioned above. I'm a parent myself and I have some idea of the sacrifices made to spend time at the school. And I thank you in advance for any assistance from home and in the classroom!
Benefit #1 Teaching what you know is one of the best ways to contribute to society- and you can do that in your child's classroom community. Having another grown-up just for the sake of students being more on their toes, having an extra pair of hands during a lab experience, or a calm voice with suggestions rotating during group work is more appreciated than you may know. I also love having guest speakers come in to tell about jobs, past experiences, ethnic traditions, and lessons of life.
Benefit #2
Come in and watch them at work! Let them have the confidence boost of showing what they can do and you may find yourself warming inside to the noticeable talents your child has and improvements they've made.
|
Benefit #3
The example of service that you set for your child is the best way to teach such a value. Although service, by rule of thumb, is typically inconvenient on some level, I try to make flexible ways to volunteer from home by preparing for upcoming projects, etc. There are also folders with things to do right by the door anytime you stop in and have a half hour to spare before meeting your child for lunch or carpool.
|
Benefit #4
There are also evening and early morning activities spread through-out the year, and a field trip schedule if you can plan to take a day off for a memory filled day. Take time away from the hustle and pressures of the work place to spend time with your child while they are still young and before they are teenagers who are almost constantly gone with friends.
|