How to Unlock the Power of Parent Volunteers

Did you know that parent volunteering can boost academic outcomes for students? Plus, Education Week reports that parent volunteering have a positive impact on student engagement and attitudes toward school.

Parents and educators both want the best outcomes for students. Volunteering is one way that parents and schools can work together for positive results. How can schools unlock the power of parent volunteers?

10 Ways To Involve Parent Volunteers

#1 Reading Buddies

New and struggling readers can benefit from one-on-one support. With little training, parents can help students get extra practice reading. Parents can coach students to read, boosting their fluency and reading comprehension.

Simply listening to students read is a great place to start. Parent volunteers can also talk students through reading comprehension questions. Working one-on-one can boost student confidence and motivate them.

#2 Cultural Learning

Bring the world to the classroom with parent volunteers who can share about their cultures. Parent volunteers might prepare a short presentation including a traditional meal, traditional clothing, photos, a lesson on a foreign language, and more.

At all grade levels, taking time to learn about other cultures opens student’s minds. Along with a presentation, teachers can assign age-appropriate work such as writing a report or creating a poster. Older students might plan and film a podcast including an interview with the parent volunteer.

One year in my kindergarten classroom, the children enjoyed a lesson on Japanese calligraphy given by a mother of Japanese heritage. This lesson not only inspired children to learn more about Japan but also increased their interest in writing beautifully.

#3 Math Tutoring

Parents can support children who need help in math. The teacher might train parents to work with children using a math game or math manipulatives. This can free up the teacher to work with other small groups. Many parents may also be skilled in math and can help older students work through equations or solve geometry problems.

#4 Parent Expertise

Parents may be able to share lots of professional expertise in technology, history, science, and more. In the younger grades, parents can give presentations to children about a variety of topics. For example, a nurse might offer a presentation about hygiene and handwashing.

In older grades, parents can provide insight into different careers. Students might ask questions about the realities of different professions such as nurses, doctors, radio hosts, engineers, and more!

#5 Fundraising

Many school events and projects require funding. Schools can delegate fundraising efforts to a group of parents. For example, parents might organize a bake sale, silent auction, or talent show to raise money.

At the schools where I worked, parents also helped collect needed items for the school. For example, they gathered books for the school library and helped organize recycled items to create a pretend grocery store.

#6 Decoration Committee

Bring excitement to the classroom and your school in general by enlisting parents to help decorate for holiday seasons. This can help create a cheerful environment for students and boost engagement. In addition to decorations, teachers can also use parent power to put up educational bulletin boards. Or, parents can help display student work.

#7 Preparing Materials

From copying worksheets to cutting out laminated cards, teachers have a lot of lesson preparation to do. Parents can take on some of this work, lightening the load for teachers.

#8 Chaperones for Field Trips

Parent volunteers on field trips are essential, even for older grades. With an extra pair of eyes and hands, teachers can more easily handle unforeseen situations while away from school. Plus, chaperones can help make field trips more educational. Parents can help motivate students to ask questions and take notes while on field trips.

#9 Support for Sports and Extracurricular Activities

Extracurricular activities like the soccer team, band, or chorus all involve various events. Parent volunteers can help plan, set up, and run events such as concerts and tournaments. Parents can help sell tickets and hand out programs. Additionally, parents can support teachers during the event to keep students organized backstage or while waiting for their game to begin.

# 10 PTAs and PTOs

Parent Teacher Associations and Organizations help communicate between schools, teachers, and parents effectively. It provides a space for parents to be involved and help make decisions at the school. More importantly, through PTAs and PTOs, parents can support school needs. Volunteering can be organized through the PTO, creating an easy way for parents to get involved.

How to Organize Parent Volunteers

Organizing parent volunteers is essential. When parents arrive at school, they should know exactly what to do. This results in positive outcomes for parents, teachers, and students.

How can schools organize parent volunteers effectively? Here are a few ideas:

Survey Parents

In a school feedback survey, you can ask parents about their interest in volunteering, availability, profession, and skills. The survey can help guide teachers when they seek out parents for needs in the classroom. For example, if a parent is a geologist, they might help with a unit about rocks. Or, if a parent is a mechanic, they might help with a lesson about physics.

Use an App

School communication apps like School Signal make it easy for parents to sign up for volunteering opportunities. You can create events and request volunteers. Additionally, you can store forms related to volunteering on the app so they don’t get lost. 

Provide Training for Ongoing Volunteers

If parents will be volunteering multiple times as a tutor or reading buddy, consider providing some training. This way, parents can build the skills they will need ahead of time and feel confident in their role. 

Make Parents Feel Welcome

When parents feel welcomed and valued, they’re more likely to volunteer again. The more they volunteer, the more they’ll learn about how the school functions and how they can be more helpful.

Ask Parent Volunteers for Feedback

Improve volunteer opportunities in the future by following up with parent volunteers about their experiences.

The Takeaway

Educating students and creating a positive school culture takes many hands. With parents helping, the workload is lighter for all. Plus, students flourish when their parents are active and involved. How will you use parent volunteers at your school?