How Do You Volunteer In The Kindergarten Classroom?
Kindergarten is a critical time in your child’s educational life. While many children have been in preschool, Kindergarten is the first official year that children are away and in the mix of the educational system. As such, it sets the tone for a child’s experience of school and your experience as a volunteer. Be patient. Often, you’re raring to go as a newly minted kindergarten parent volunteer. But kindergarten-aged children need to separate from their parents and establish the routine of being at school independently first. Recognize that most kindergarten teachers will not start using volunteers until later in the year to get children settled. Sit down. Children respect the authority figure in the room–the teacher. Make sure you’re not inadvertently undermining her authority by standing in the background. Walk into the classroom and sit down in one of the tiny chairs the children use. Focus on what the teacher is saying to exemplify the behavior for the children. Wait until you’re
