Worthwhile Tasks for Classroom Volunteers Burgen Young byoungmnliteracy

Worthwhile Tasks for Classroom Volunteers Burgen Young, byoung@mnliteracy. org

Agenda • Challenges and benefits of classroom volunteers • A process for finding worthwhile tasks • Practice using the process • On the job training for classroom volunteers

Who’s here? • • • Volunteer coordinator? Administrator/Manager? ELL teacher? ABE/GED teacher? Other?

What are some challenges and benefits when working with classroom volunteers?

Backwards Planning

What are your classroom challenges?

Multi-level Class

One Room Schoolhouse

Erratic Attendance

Getting to class early to welcome all students

A challenge you have now?

How could a volunteer help?

Discuss with a Neighbor • What is a challenge you have or a task you don’t have enough time for? • How can a volunteer help with meeting this challenge?

PREPARING VOLUNTEERS

Explicit Instruction 1. 2. 3. 4. Explanation Modeling Guided Practice Application

Give volunteers clear expectations.

Group Discussion How can you use the steps in explicit instruction to prepare a volunteer to help students get the materials they need in either a oneroom school house or in a computer lab? 1. 2. 3. 4. Explanation Modeling Guided Practice Application

Discuss with a Neighbor What steps can you use to prepare a volunteer to do the task you discussed earlier? 1. Explanation 2. Modeling 3. Guided Practice 4. Application

FINDING CLASSROOM VOLUNTEERS

Use position descriptions to Communicate Clear Expectations

s e g a s s e M t n e m t i u r c Re

Ideas for a recruitment message

Other Resources