[cms0620]

Next year we are getting new families which are more involved than the ones we have now. We are being asked to make a list of ways volunteers can help out.

1. What are the ways you use parent helpers?

2. Any body have cute names for these helpers?
(some teachers are using things like math mentors or review reader) etc ?

[appst]

tutor small groups in math, make games for RTI, laminate and cut out items for centers/bulletin boards, etc. Our fourth grade parents are wonderful...they even make our weekly copies, which keeps me from having to stay after school even longer than necessary. Everything is placed in folders and ready to go at the start of each week.

[ajmm115]

One-on-one read alouds. This is especially good for your lower readers, who are probably reticent to read aloud in class. Some - in our experience, and I taught 7/8 - had NEVER read to their parents, or had a parent read to them. A kind, caring person listening, gently correcting, encouraging - wow, what a blessing that was.

One of my granddaughters came home with a note - very cute - asking parents what THEY thought would be a neat way to spend two hours in a classroom. It had questions as idea starters.

Do you speak another language? Have you been somewhere unusual? Can you play an instrument that you could bring to school and play for the kids? and so forth.

I can't believe I forgot this - my daughter is doing a lunch time book club - had twenty kids sign up (but only 12 stuck with it). They meet once a week, use a book that they can find multiple copies of, though now the kids are volunteering to buy their own so they can read something that isn't available in multiple copies at school or at the library. They are on their fifth book, I think, and the kids are already pleading to keep it going into summer. It will come as no surprise that my daughter (on medical leave from her financial analyst job) is loving it too.

She's in a very COLD part of the country and a big plus here is that the kids like not dealing with outside. They bring their lunch or go over to the cafe. and bring a tray.