Action Ideas

There was a time when parents made up about one-half the adult population of the U.S. Now only about one-third of adults are parents. With changes in family demographics — more single parents, more families with two parents working outside the home, and more grandparents raising children — the job of mentoring children must fall more heavily on people of faith. The following are suggestions for getting involved in the public education system in your community. Check with your local schools to see which ideas are appropriate ways for you to partner with schools..

• Contact the principal or a teacher and invite him or her to come and talk about when, where and how volunteers can help.
  
• Read to an individual child, a small group of children or a class.
  
• Be a child’s buddy by spending a few minutes each week listening to any concerns or questions the child may have.
  
• Provide assistance for a teacher by filing papers, recording information, duplicating pages and so forth.
  
• Teach an art, music, or physical education class if certified teachers are not available.
  
• Provide supervision for children on a field trip or special outing.
  
• Provide financial assistance for a child’s school supplies and/or field trip expenses.
  
• Listen to children read orally to you, giving them the opportunity to practice the reading skills they are learning.
  
• Read the textbook information on various subjects such as social studies, science or health to a child who has difficulty with independent reading and help with homework.
  
• Prepare items for various classroom learning centers.
  
• Create classroom bulletin boards.
  
• Be involved in learning activities (games) with a child or a small group of children.
  
• Present a science experiment to a class.
  
• Serve as a school receptionist in the office by greeting visitors and answering the telephone.
  
• Serve as a health room volunteer to record inoculation records and/or height or weight information.
  
• Serve as a classroom supervisor when the children take a nap to provide the teacher with additional time for planning and preparation.