A question for parents who volunteer (or volunteered) in their childs' classroom..

[skiwee1]

I volunteer all through elementary school. It isnt' just in classroom time but also computer lab, media, office, and so on. Once they get in to middle school then I stop.

 

[Cindy B]

I have to say I see no parent volunteers at the middle school level in any of the classrooms. Sometimes I see a mom helping with the school newsletter or PTA, but never ever ever in a classroom. I work with 6th grade parents, and its hard to even get parents to chaperone trips. (not many even ask!)

 

[Beanie]

I am a classroom volunteer for my daughters Kindergarten. I did it when my son was in K last year as well. It is a lot of fun and I enjoy it very much.

In my sons first grade class, they don't have many things they need volunteers for, but his teacher knows I am always available if needed.

 

[Otto's Doll]

I have been a volunteer at the kids school since my son was in pre-k (Seven years now). He is now in Middle school which only has parent volunteers in the school store or at the dances. I have not been to the school for anything else, they do not allow it. I am very active at my daughter's school. We have been book shelvers in the library, office helpers, the person who checks the kids in at the door if they are dropped off in the AM (when they don't ride the bus) and we have helped at the hearing screenings. This year will be our 3rd year running the school store/reading incentive program, and we are the classroom parents for my daughter. (Class parties and field trips.) I am always amazed when I hear the teachers say that no one has volunteered to help. However, I will say that there have been years when teachers have not asked for any help except class parties. It just depends on the teachers at our school.

 

[cruisnfamily]

I volunteered in each of my kids classrooms from K-5. DS is currently in 3rd and DD is in 6th. I always came in 1 day every week and did a half day in each class. I would do whatever the teacher wanted which was sometimes working with kids but usually clerical like filing, grading, copying, etc.

Last year, DD's 5th grade teacher said "absolutely no parents in the room". I let her know I'd be there each Wednesday anyway for my son and said I'd stop by each week to see if she had anything for me to work on(out of the room, obviously, like copying or whatever). It worked out fine for everybody.

This year it's harder to find things to volunteer for in DD's middle school but I'm managing. I've helped file in the clinic, helped the office gals, hung student artwork for the World History teacher, sorted books for the Lang Arts teacher, and I'm chaperoning the Halloween Dance. They don't allow you in the classrooms at all but there's still plenty of work for anyone who wants to volunteer.

This other mom friend of yours has no right to argue that she should be allowed in the classroom. Each teacher has their own way of doing things which is to be respected.

 

[Tinkbell]

The school where I teach places parent volunteers in grades other than thier own child's. They started this policy because of too many parents who "needed to know" what was going on at all times. Some of these parents would work with children and then compare their child's grades to someone elses and question the teacher's ability to grade fairly (ex.--"Why did my Johnny get a C when Timmy over there obviously doesn't know his Math facts either and I see he received a B."). Others were only concerned with their child, not wanting to help the other children. However, parents are always welcome to visit and observe at my school. Only a few do.

 

[BrerMom]

I had a 7th grade parent help me grade papers one morning a week for a couple of months last year. It came about because she wasn't happy that I wasn't grading every single homework problem by myself every night. So she volunteered to help. After it consistently took her over two hours just to grade her son's class of 31 papers, she said she understood that I didn't want to grade all the problems of 125-150 papers daily.

She and I both knew that the main reason she was there was to observe me teach, but we never talked about it. Otherwise, she would have accepted my offer to grade in the media center or to visit during my planning period. She would make a point to mention something that she would have to explain to her child when they got home because "I'm sure he wouldn't know what you were talking about." (One was coloring Easter eggs. I had talked about the number of drops of each color to put in a cup of water. She explained that they only used pre-packaged pellets.) I don't think I heard him say more than 25 words all year, but it was because "you just haven't taken the time to get to know him." It's hard to get to know somebody that will only nod.

I don't have any parent volunteers this year. In some ways, it's just easier to do it myself.

 

[disykat]

Hey, Brer Mom, I'll say this for you because you were being too polite. I'm glad she was able to come to an understanding about the correcting!

 

[BrerMom]

Yeah, I think being "too polite" is one of my faults, but it beats the alternative. As long as she didn't interrupt during class, I was ok with it because, as we all know, "any parent is welcome in any class at any time as long as they give the teacher 24 hours notice" - at least in our district. The things we do to keep the public happy..

 

[amid chaos]

Originally posted by JESW
Thanks for all the replies - I am always amazed by the responses you can get on the CB - I consider it a wealth of information and help!

Just to clarify - this particular Mom volunteers AT the schools (her 2 kids are at different schools just like mine) EVERY day! Her beef is that this teacher won't let her IN the classroom. This Mom is deeply involved in EVERYTHING her kids do...helps coach the sports teams...has been co-room mother in EVERY class for BOTH kids, etc. She is not happy unless she is miserable - the type who puts her name on every list and wants to know all that is going on and then complains that she is so busy. When she has not been asked to chaperone on field trips she has gone along in her own car! I am all for volunteering in the school and plan to do it for years, but there is a point where you have to put your trust in the teachers and the school system. This mom also has no hobbies, her house is spotless, and she is totally uncomfortable to be in her house alone when the kids are at school and her DH is at work - these are things she has told me.

Just wanted to hear others opinions and thoughts....thanks again.

Jill

Holy cow...this mom needs get soem hobbies besides her children!!! she would probably want to take over teaching if allowed in the classroom!!!

 

[bobcat]

I would love to see more parent volunteers in middle school. In fact that is one of my personal goals this year. The middle grades are such an important time for our children and even though they may seem embarassed to see you volunteering they really do love that you care enough to come to their school. Volunteering in the classroom is up to the individual teacher but there are many ways you can help out around the school. Supervision of bus times, class changes, lunch would all be appreciated. In fact a speaker I just heard mentioned that in his building he invites parents to get their exercise in their hallways during the day. He says don't go to the mall to walk but walk our hallways. Just having extra eyes around makes a huge difference.

You can also volunteer to run copies, proctor profeciency tests, help in the library. My daughters school has an afterschool study center for the athletes that they must attend if they don't live in town. They stay here until practice starts and it is run by a volunteer. It is wonderful and I wish we had one where I teach.

I know I was a little long winded but what it all boils down to is get involved in the middle grades.

 

[BrerMom]

bobcat, those were wonderful ideas. Running photocopies is so time-consuming. Some teachers have high school aides and even they aren't allowed to run copies. We have some grandparents that only volunteer once a year for the annual fundraiser and their help is SOOO appreciated. Having extra adult eyes in the hallways would be very helpful. I was one of the teachers on bathroom duty at the middle school last year because the kids kept stopping up the toilets.

There is a program that we used to have but lost due to financing. Kids could stay after school to get help with teachers. Most kids can't get picked up when they are finished because the parents aren't out of work yet. We used to have a person stationed in the library. When the kids left the classroom, they would report to the library to work on other homework and the parents would pick them up there. The parents loved it because the kids were getting extra help, they were usually done with their homework by the time they were picked up, and the students weren't at home by themselves after school. If we could have a group of volunteers that would agree to monitor this group on a regular basis, two per afternoon, it could make a huge impact on the school.

 

[Bella the Ball 360]

Actually, sometimes it seems almost like a breach of confidentiality to allow a parent to volunteer in a classroom as the children get older. Let me explain before I get flamed. As children get older especially kids with special needs their learning disabilities are much more apparent. It does not take a brain surgeon to figure out that this child is much less capable or has other problems.
Parents tend to congregate before or after school while waiting for their children and gossip. I KNOW because as I waited for my own children, I would hear them talk about other kids not their own. It is really no one's business about how a child performs or what his problems might be other than what the parent decides to disclose to his or her friends. I also know that parents who have volunteered in my school have either made comments OR had the nerve to ask me about another child. Confidentiality laws in our state say that NOTHING can be said about a child other than to his custodial parent(s). It is the same as in the medical profession.
I am just trying to point out that this can be a reason that a teacher does not want to have a parent in the classroom.
If it is just a matter of making copies then I am all for it.

 

[JESW]

Bella....I also agree with your comments about some of the parents gossiping about other students. My DS9 has Apsergers, and while we have been through some VERY rough times with him, this school year is MUCH better! The school is aware of his situation, he has an ISP, and his teacher keeps DH & I informed of things we need to know. I feel very comfortable with this woman teaching our son. BUT...when this mom was in the classroom she observed my son getting frustrated - and when he gets frustrated he sometimes bangs his head on his desk. His teacher knows this, his school counselor knows this and even his psychologist knows this - they are all working with him to find other alternatives. BUT.....this mom thought it was her duty to tell me, as a friend of course, what my son was doing in the classroom. Because of our relationship with the school we already knew. I am NOT comfortable with someone like her making her own judgements....and I am sure she has told many of the other moms what she saw.

Jill

 

[eeyore kelly]

I have volunteered in the classroom since DS was in preschool. Some teachers I volunteer a lot for, some teachers I volunteer very little, depending on their needs, because it is their class room. Now that DS is in 5th, I do copying, binding project books, bulletin boards, etc. Very little of what I do is inside the classroom. DD is in second, andexcept for special projects, I am not needed in the class, so for her teacher I do a lot of copying, computer work, and die cutting. I believe that a teacher has the right to decide on the type of help that is needed in her classroom, and should not be expected to molly coddle the parents.