Volunteering at your child's school...

[usndocjaysin]

So today (and every Tuesday) I go to my boys school and help out in his class. Not only is it extra time with him but I also get to what he goes through and has to. Apparently I'm a rare case for dads don't volunteer time in class traditionally. I find it to be unique experience to interact with 30 little boys and girls and watch the dynamic between them all. Not only that, the teacher and what she is tasked to do with the limited resources she has and managing all these kiddos by herself. So I ask have you ever volunteered time in yours child's class? If so what did you take from it or do you have a funny stories/experiences while you did?

 

[Duhh]

My mom used to volunteer all the time in my 5th grade class. She came in at least twice a week. But it was only because she was hooking up with my teacher...






...seriously.

 

[auntiebling]

dad's in class are definitely rare. i did a little presentation a few years ago and that was quite fun. i need to to more, it's a great way to gain insight on how your kid is doing on all manner of fronts.

 

[DReg350]

I've volunteered in my son's class starting way back when he started Kindergarten. I've volunteered to stuff Friday folders, chaperoned field trips, class parties, and served on the School Site Council. I donate several hundred dollars each year directly to my son's teacher for supplies as well. I also do two presentations every year: Dinosaurs for the entire 2nd grade and Astronomy for the entire 3rd grade. I also do the Dinosaur presentation for my sister, who is a 1st grade teacher at a low income school on the east side.

 

[mlm]

My wife does several times per week. I take kids to school in the morning and hang out till the bell rings, but not much more.

 

[Godsdarling]

Good for you Jay. Kids are so awesome. I volunteered and they ended up hiring as the kindergarten teacher :laughing I did that for 3 years. So fun. You want to learn what exercise is, play tag with a bunch of kindergartners! Crazy!

 

[tuxumino]

is the teacher hawt?

 

[Bay Arean]

Good for you. I was a stay-at-home Dad with a 26-30 hour a week job. I volunteered in class, chaired the Site Council and Exec Board with the PTA. Created and chaired a talent show, got a CD listening library for the teachers, helped install new playground equipment etc etc. I performed in-class music with the kids and we staged a history-musical (about the Gold Rush). The high point was a Hispanic heritage fiesta where we had student carnival, horse-drawn wagon, Mexican folkloric dancers, food from restaurants, and even the local politicians showed up. Those were wonderful years and I urge you to do it now, because once you get to middle school, classroom volunteering is almost non-existent and PTA becomes a bit more abstract. It sets an example to your kids and you get to know the whole school community. The kids kind of look up to you and it feels wonderful to have their trust so you get to be a parent to more than just your own. Go for it!!!

 

[spddrcr]

Having a wife who teaches 4th grade means i get to spend more time in a class room then i ever imagined i would. when my son in 6th grade was struggling at the beginning of the year i helped him get some extra credit in science by giving a powerpoint demonstration on the process of smelting lead, was asked to come back later this year and give another presentation on casting with lead and what it is used for. turns out the teacher (older female) loves old historical guns.
Also showed up for his P.E. class a couple months ago on a thursday morning to show him almost anybody can walk a 12 minute mile, he hasn't missed the 12 minute mark since and the teacher thanked me.:laughing


My wife often says that the students that have parents who are able to help with class are generally the kids who have the least amount of trouble with school, which kinda makes sense.

 

[SteelerFanatic]

I do the field trip chaperoning thing. It's funny, cause the teachers always give me the ADD kids. :laughing

I don't volunteer in class though. Too metotenous (sp?).

 

[Bay Arean]

I do the field trip chaperoning thing. It's funny, cause the teachers always give me the ADD kids. :laughing

I don't volunteer in class though. Too metotenous (sp?).

I can;t believe you don't run the Spelling Bee! :laughing

 

[usndocjaysin]

My mom used to volunteer all the time in my 5th grade class. She came in at least twice a week. But it was only because she was hooking up with my teacher...

...seriously.

Ouch...

dad's in class are definitely rare... it's a great way to gain insight on how your kid is doing on all manner of fronts.

I wonder why dads are rare though... More often than not its probably a work schedule thing... Yeah it's a trip I get to see a different side of him, it's kinda cool!

is the teacher hawt?

Lolz... No

...The kids kind of look up to you and it feels wonderful to have their trust so you get to be a parent to more than just your own. Go for it!!!

It's crazy how that happens... They come up and ask you things and after awhile they trust and respect you. I think more than anything it shows a good example to my son how important school is and how I want to be involved in his advancement in it. Not only that I'm able to see how we'll he does with everyone else so I can see what he could work on. Not only academically but socially as we'll.

...turns out the teacher (older female) loves old historical guns.
...My wife often says that the students that have parents who are able to help with class are generally the kids who have the least amount of trouble with school, which kinda makes sense.

This is funny as well... One day the teacher came up to me and had said that he was talking about zombies... I was thinking that maybe it was inappropriate and she was going to ask me to talk to him about it. Turns out she's a huge walking dead fan and we'd talk about the new episodes while the kids had play time outside! Hayden's pretty squared away when it comes to being good but I can see if the parent is around they're probably going to mind there manners for the teacher and parent are in contact with each other a lot.