Volunteer in Your Child's Class . . . From Anywhere!
You know that volunteering at your child’s school is important on so many levels. Volunteering allows teachers and educators to be more effective in their roles and do their job better, while parent volunteers can fill critical gaps that may otherwise go unfilled.
No matter where you are (in the classroom, at work, at soccer practice, even at home), as a parent, these 4 super volunteer jobs can go with you and still be as important and fun as ever:
1. Volunteer Coordinator – Sometimes the most daunting task with helping out the teacher is rallying the troops and finding the right people at the right time. Gone are the days of posted signup sheets on the classroom door, phone trees, and reply-all emails! Free online signups from VolunteerSpot schedule all the needs for the classroom and invite parents to sign up from the convenience of their computer or mobile device. eCalendar syncing, custom messaging and automated reminders keep everyone on track too. Try it out now
Related: 5 Free Apps to Boost Parent Involvement
2. Communications Director – Do you have a knack for spreading the word? Are you tired of the insane amount of papers that come home in your child’s backpack? Volunteer to move classroom communications online. Write a monthly newsletter for your class, create a class website, become a parent blogger for your school, assist with your school’s facebook page – the options are endless.
3. CFO – Classrooms today have budgets bigger than some small businesses. Yet, we are often still sending checks in the mail or worse, putting cash in backpacks. Volunteer to manage your class budget and move operations online. Collect classroom contributions (like funds for supplies, teacher gifts, fundraisers) safely and securely through your online VolunteerSpot signups or another third party transaction service. Issue real-time reciepts, responders, and updates to parents and help everyone contribute in an easier way!
4. HR Director – Today’s classrooms are connected. Skype, FaceTime, Google Hangout, and more have opened up a virutal world of possibilities - giving parents the tools and know-how to communicate and collaborate with the class, teacher, even one another. Ask your teacher if you can participate in career day via FaceTime or conduct a virtual fieldtrip via Skype. Offer to tutor students over video chat. Virtual visits can be even more exciting than the real thing.
Be proactive and get involved where you know you can (and want) to make a difference in the classroom. No one knows the needs of your child’s class better than the teacher. Let him or her know your interests and skills and ask how you can help remotely on your own time. Countless studies show that students thrive in environments where parents and teachers form partnerships and work together. Is there really a more compelling reason to get involved now?
Also See:
[INFOGRAPHIC] Where Teachers Need Parent Volunteers
How to Set up a School Volunteer Calendar
