Instead of the Dishes » Education, Mommyhood » 5 OTHER Reasons to Volunteer with PTA
5 OTHER Reasons to Volunteer with PTA
Disclosure: I had already planned to write this blog post, and then I convinced VolunteerSpot.com to let me add the giveaway component to it. They provided me with a $50 DonorsChoose.org gift card for a separate project that I did for them, which I gifted to a classroom in another school district. They also provided the $50 DonorsChoose.org gift card that I’m giving away at the bottom of this post.
Now that school is back in session, I’ve started volunteering for PTA again. Actually, I enjoyed it so much last year that they talked (suckered) me into being the Volunteer Coordinator this year. So, I’ve spent some time thinking about what the perks are for volunteering at your kid’s school. Of course, everyone knows the obvious reasons, like helping teachers, improving the academic experience for everyone, and so on, and so forth. But, I’ve also come up with five OTHER reasons why you should consider becoming a PTA volunteer.
- There’s a uniform. Ok, there’s not really a uniform, but most schools have “spirit wear” which is basically a t-shirt with the school’s name/logo/mascot on it. It’s so nice to climb out of bed and not have to think about what to wear on the days I’m volunteering. I just put on my spirit wear (hrrmm, the red shirt or the black shirt?) and go!
- You meet people. We were new at our school last year. While volunteering, I met lots of other moms and people from the community. It was an easy way to feel less like a newbie, and it was easy to talk to most of these folks because we had guaranteed things in common – kids in the same school and a vested interest in making that school a great place. I also got to know some of my child’s classmates.
- It can provide brainless quiet time. Ok, so working the cotton candy machine at the fall festival turned out to be sooo not brainless. But, when I work at school during the day making copies and cutting triangles out of construction paper, it gives me a dedicated block of time for quiet. No cell phone, no laptop. Just me and my thoughts.
- Get to know the teachers. I’m not talking about creating friendships, because hey, they’re super busy working. But, I’ve enjoyed learning which teacher teaches what. Of course I tend to pay close attention to the grade levels my children are in and the one they will move up to the following year. I don’t mean to sound like a hover parent, but I like having a basic idea of what a teacher’s personality is like without having to rely on my children to paint the picture. (Because then all the teachers would be “fine”.)
- See what kids are learning in the classroom. When I walk the hallways, I see artwork and writing projects that I wouldn’t otherwise know about. I get a sneak peek of the 3rd grade music program when they practice in the gym. When I make copies, I find out that my kindergartener will be reading Pete the Cat: I love My White Shoes. I even get ideas for activities to do at home!
Helping out the teachers and staff is really only the tip of the iceberg when you consider the benefits of getting involved at your child’s school. Even if you work you can help at evening events or do “take home” projects on weekends. No matter how you pitch in, every little bit helps. Oh, and your kid will be really proud of you too.
One easy way to get started is to pledge to volunteer for your child’s school this year at VolunteerSpot.com. Just by taking the pledge, you will be able to enter to win $1500 for your school! VolunteerSpot is a free online volunteer management tool that schools across the country use (I use it to coordinate the volunteers at my school). Pledge to Volunteer at school this year and your school could win $1500 from VolunteerSpot! (3 schools will win!) Click HERE to pledge now!
AND you can also enter to win a $50 gift card from DonorsChoose.org. DonorsChoose.org is a website that allows you to pick specific classroom projects to fund, such as establishing a classroom library or purchasing needed science supplies. It’s a great way to make a huge impact in schools that need the most help. So, the winner will win a $50 gift card to apply to any of the classroom projects listed in the Donors Choose database. To enter, simply scroll down and leave a comment below with something related to back-to-school, volunteering, or funding classroom projects. I’ll randomly select a winner from the comments on Thursday, September 12th.
Filed under: Education, Mommyhood · Tags: DonorsChoose, giveaway, PTA, reasons, volunteer, VolunteerSpot
37 Responses to "5 OTHER Reasons to Volunteer with PTA"
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My kids start school next week and I love volunteering in their school and helping the teachers out with supplies.
I have volunteered off and on at Evan’s school over the past two years, and it has been pretty fun. I made the mistake of giving the secretary my phone number this year, and I have stuff lined up for the next three weeks! I won’t do that again!!!
I love, love, love helping out at my boys’ school! I also love all the wonderful volunteers and our volunteer coordinator is especially awesome!
As a first grade teacher, we can never have too many volunteers! There are so many things that our little babies need help with…learning how to access the computer, one-on-one assistance with classwork, reading stories, tying shoes! Please volunteer in your child’s classroom!
Funding classroom projects brings joy to the donor, the teacher, and the students. One of the best things about helping schools is that students often remember the kindness and generosity of strangers and try to help others when they get older.
Our PTA volunteers man our book fair–and give all the money to our media center. That is a double gift!
Back to school sounds like a lot of fun! Although fun and exciting, it’s the toughest time for me as a teacher trying to get the “right” routine going in my class and having all the materials/supply needed to kickstart the new year with a bang! I have volunteered to help my child’s teacher by taking projects home and working on them!
I teach 22 amazing first graders! I have funded many projects through Donors choose and have spent much of my own money to provide the best teaching supplies and curriculum for my students. Working in a low income school, the students and parents are so thankful for my time and effort I put into their kids. I would like to be able to help fund another project so these kids can get the best future possible! Thank you for donating these gift cards, it’s people like you that help us be the best we can be!
I am a teacher and a parent. I think it is so important to volunteer any time I can regarding my own child’s education, and absolutely love parents volunteering in my classroom!
I’m a special education teacher at an elementary school and I LOVE my parent volunteers!
Most of my parents work. I wish I had more volunteers in my kindergarten classroom. The students love it and so do I. I love helping the “new” DonorsChoose teachers.
I teach third grade, and having volunteers can really make my day! For example, I had 3 high school aged girls whose district was out for the day come and help me administer spelling tests (we have 4 groups), and it worked out so beautifully! They helped make my morning go super smoothly!
Volunteering lets your child see first-hand that their education is important to you and worth investing your time. If you can’t volunteer during the school day, offer to work on assembling items, cutting out laminated materials, coloring, etc at home. As a teacher, all parent involvement is welcomed.
Both of my kids attend the school I teach at. I love surprising their teachers with little gifts or tagging along on a field trip to help out. I love being a teacher, but I also love just being a “mom” in their classrooms.
I am a teacher now, but got to stay home when my kids were young. It’s interesting to have seen both sides of the coin…first as a volunteer, then as a teacher. As a teacher, I am very grateful for any extra time and help from volunteers. As a parent, there is no way to stay better connected to what is going on at school then actually being present and getting to know the teachers and staff.
I would love it if we had parent volunteers for the every day things that happen at school because they are so great for all the big things!
I love how people help schools. I am teaching an advanced kindergarten group and it is challenging!!
I love when parents come and volunteer in my classroom! We no longer have a PTO so I am trying to organize one to help raise money for our students. Thank you to everyone who volunteers! We all appreciate it!
Back to school is a wonderful, but sometimes stressful time. It is so helpful to have parent volunteers that are willing to support my classroom!
We no longer call our parent helpers volunteers but rather a STAR! It stands as Spending Time As Role models. They wear a star badge when they sign in. We have great parent help, even from many of the working parents. Besides volunteering on a regular basis, parents can also sign up as a story time reader where they choose books and come read to the class for 30 minutes every week. I don’t know how I would teach my first graders without supportive parents. It’s awesome!
I’m a classroom teacher who uses donors choose regularly. A gift card would come in handy!!
We have a group of PTA parents who ROCK! They have done a lot around school to help raise funds so that every one of our classrooms now has a Promethean board and a document camera! They make sure the fundraiser money is used for needed items in the classrooms (like the Promethean boards)!
I teach kindergarten and love using DonorsChoose to fund projects that help my students learn. I am also very thankful for my parent volunteers and our school’s PTO. Their support is amazing! I am also excited that my school is starting a new volunteer program through our local United Way called Read to Succeed. This is going to be an amazing year!
As a mom of 3 boys and a first grade teacher, I really appreciate the help parents and grandparents give, from stapling homework packets to reading with kids, or even just a kind word to help on hard days. I went many years with no volunteers and really saw a difference when people helped out. The teacher can only go so far, but with more helpers, the students can learn more.
I am a 4th grade teacher who recently discovered the joy of Donors Choose. It is so thrilling when you can provide your class with materials from a funded project. I was so excited when my first project got funded in June and even more so when we received the items this past week. It is a wonderful thing that people are willing to give in order to make the classroom a better place!
I am very fortunate to teach at the school my children attend. As a teacher, I am not able to sneak away very often to volunteer in their classrooms, but there are other advantages. It’s nice knowing that my kids are close by every day, knowing their teachers and their friends, and feeling like we are a part of the same school “community.” Being both a teacher and a parent at my school gives me a perspective I wouldn’t have if my children attended a different school, and I believe it has made me a better teacher.
I really believe that every parent should volunteer as much as they can. I always volunteered in my children’s classes, and now I will be volunteering in my grand daughter’s schools as well. My daughter is a teacher, and I also volunteer in her classroom every day!
I am a 5th grade teacher who loves using DonorsChoose to fund field trip buses, and to get resources in the classroom, and for our school too. Why do I love DonorsChoose? It has become difficult to have enough colored paper, or a class set of books, or toner and copy paper. The office no longer funds such resources. With DonorsChoose, I can request these resources, and many times my project will be funded! This way I have happy moments tearing open boxes, and bringing fifth graders on field trips. I know times are tough, but having DonorsChoose means there is a happy way for me to receive wonderful resources. It keeps me happy, and it makes my students ecstatic too! How do I help the PTA and school? I fund projects for our school garden, I request trash liners for our recycling program, and I get my own resources so the PTA can spend their money elsewhere. It’s a win win situation for all!
I use donorschoose to help get materials for my school. I have tried to help other teachers learn to use donorschoose in my school, and other district schools. In our school the PTA is very active and an important part of our school. It is great when we can work together to help the students.
Without those who volunteer in our buildings or provide opportunities for students through donations on Donors Choose, education just wouldn’t be the same. I have so many parents eager and willing to help out in any way they can whether that be through making copies, accompanying us on field trips, or making donations towards our projects on Donors Choose. It’s this support that has allowed us to bring so many amazing items into the classroom that we wouldn’t have otherwise!
As a mom of kids with food allergies, I love to work with my children’s school to provide education and awareness on FA.
DonorsChoose has been incredible1 My students have access to materials and technology I would never have been able to get otherwise. Thank you for doing this!
As a high school teacher I love to see parents volunteering but we don’t have as many as elementary and middle schools. I guess parents think that because the kids are in high school we don’t as much help which is just not true.
Volunteering in schools is so helpful for teachers! Even having someone to read 1-on-1 with a child for 30 minutes makes a huge difference. Our students need individual attention.
Hi. You know most of my story about volunteering at my daughter’s school – the new play structure we installed last year, major safety improvements on the playground. And, I’m excited to say we’ll be installing an outdoor classroom soon for middle school students, thanks to a grant from Lowe’s!
Volunteering at school is very satisfying. I have been going up and helping with kindergarten lunch. Bonus, It is 0.5 miles from home, so I walk an extra mile a day!!
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