• School volunteers enable teachers to provide students with individualized instruction and enrichment activities by offering them volunteers to assist in classrooms, thereby allowing teachers to give special attention to students needing more help.

• To free other school personnel to meet the needs of students more effectively by providing volunteer assistance.

• To strengthen school-community relations by providing a menu of opportunities for interested parents and community members to participate effectively in school programs.

• To help parents and community members learn more about District and school objectives/programs by providing volunteer orientations and training.

• To introduce school volunteerism to corporations holding a personal stake in the success of our students and the future workforce.

• To broaden students’ experiences through interaction with volunteers by providing adult role models to assist the students with tutoring and mentor opportunities.

• To provide enriching intergenerational experiences for students and senior citizens who help educate students about the lifelong process of growing up

• Parents, students, individuals from the private sector and business community.

• People who feel the need to support and help the schools in their effort to educate

  each child to meet his or her full potential.

• Those individuals who recognize that well-educated children are our greatest natural resource.

• Anyone who has a skill or talent that can enrich the school program.

• Someone who wants to learn about their own community and help to create better conditions.

• People who want to experience the rich satisfaction of helping children.

• Be dependable and punctual.

• Have a positive attitude and be enthusiastic and cheerful.

• Set good examples for students.

• Like children and show it.

• Work cooperatively with school personnel.

• Be flexible.

• Wear a volunteer identification name tag or badge at all times.

• Sign in and out at the beginning and end of each daily volunteer assignment.

• Let the teacher or person in charge know how the volunteer assignment is progressing.

• Praise the students honestly and frequently.

• Call the school if you cannot complete your volunteer service for the day.

• Find a book or story that your student is interested in. Discuss what you  read. Sit beside the student if possible so they can read over your shoulder. If the student can see what you’re reading it will help him recognize words. Talk about what you’ve read. Use questions that will help increase their comprehension.

• Listen to your student read.

• Play games with your student.

• Encourage the student to go to the library as often as possible.

• Talk to your student about subjects that are interesting to him or her.

• Listen to your student.

• Use games to encourage drill.

• Don’t assume too much about your student; make sure he or she recognizes the different numbers before going to more difficult exercises.

• Try a novel approach to learning multiplication tables; try relating the learning to something the student is interested in. A certain amount of drill is unavoidable, but keeping charts of the student’s progress may help keep his or her interest and motivation up.

• Get the student physically involved by providing sticks or buttons for him or her to work with in solving problems. Have fun with learning games!

• Try to devise practical problems for the child to solve, i.e. What is the shortest route from school to your home?

• Make volunteers feel welcome.

• Meet often with volunteers.

• Plan the work volunteers are to do before they arrive.

• Be generous in offering praise, encouragement, and support, judicious in offering constructive criticism.

• Start simply and give additional activities as you feel volunteers are ready for them.

• Plan enjoyable experiences through which volunteers can create good relationships with students

• Make sure instructions are clear with adequate time allotted for preparation.

• Supply materials appropriate for lessons.

• Provide guides, keys, or corrected papers for explanation.

• Be honest and open in talking over small problems.

• Leave volunteers in charge of the class.

• Give volunteers more than they can handle in the allotted time.

• Expect volunteers to do tasks they are not trained or prepared to do.

• Assign duties that belong to teachers.

• Expect volunteers to be just housekeepers.

• Criticize volunteers in front of children.

• Expect volunteers to change their schedules without proper notice.

• Remember that volunteers cannot be thanked too many times.

• Include the volunteers in planning and encourage their suggestions.

• Prepare for the volunteers before they arrive.

• Show a genuine interest in the volunteers, they will show a genuine interest in the school.

• Remember personal information about the volunteers.

• Are flexible.

• Assign the volunteers jobs that will keep them busy and interested.

• Assign tasks that will increase the skills and knowledge of the volunteers.

• Check each volunteer’s job often so it does not become stale.

• Increase the volunteer’s responsibility by expanding assignments.

• Notice signs of fading interest (such as absenteeism), try to change the assignment or add more responsibility.

• Find out why a volunteer quits, try to remedy the school-related reasons.

• Give awards and recognition to emphasize their importance and to show your gratitude.

• Show appreciation daily instead of relying totally on award ceremonies to thank the volunteers.

• Remember that volunteers cannot be thanked too many times.

. . . You will have Dependable, Cooperative, and Contented Volunteers.