Easy Ways to Help Your School is part of a Campbell's Labels for Education #Labels4Edu campaign hosted by the shopper social media company Collective Bias #CollectiveBias #shop. These are my ideas and my opinons.
Now that the kiddos are back in school, it's time to think about how to spend your extra time. Have you considered using some of that time to help your school? Whether you are a parent of school-aged children or not, you have something to offer your local schools. I've compiled a list of easy ways that you can help out.
Some of us have lots of free time, some of us have only a little, and some of us seem to have none at all! No matter how much or how little time you have to spare, I have some ideas that I hope are just right for you!
How to Donate Your Time
Ideas will vary from teacher to teacher, but here are a few ideas for volunteering inside the classroom:
- Be a room parent
- Decorate the classroom door
- Help with class parties
- Help during centers so that the teacher can work with children one-on-one
- Make copies
- Sharpen pencils (You won't believe how much time this can take!)
RELATED: Teacher Appreciation Door Decorating Ideas, More Teacher Appreciation Door Decorating Ideas
Can't help during school hours? Work with your child's teacher to get some of these projects to complete at home:
- Grade papers
- Prep materials for a classroom projects (laminating, cutting out, etc)
- Plan a party or event for a classroom unit
Here are some great places to volunteer at the school, but outside of the classroom:
- Help in the lunchroom
- Supervise the kids on the playground
- Decorate bulletin boards throughout the school
- Shelve books in the school library
- Sort leveled library books to send home with kids
How to Donate Your Talents
Help with the School Arts and Athletics Programs
Do to funding issues, many schools don't have art, music or P.E. teachers. That means that the classroom teacher is responsible for teaching those subjects in addition to the academics. If you have a talent in one or more of those areas, take your talents to the schools!
If art or music is your thing, offer to teach a class or grade once or twice a month. When my youngest was in 1st and 2nd grade, the school didn't have art. I loved going in every other week to teach an art lesson to her class! If athletics are more your thing, offer to run a PE class for the kids once a week. The teachers and students will love it!
How to Donate Your Money
Ouch! Didn't that sound painful? Nobody likes to part with money, but for many, its the best way (and sometimes the only way) to help.
Not everyone can donate time. Another great way to help your school is to support their fundraising efforts. It's as easy as going to the school carnival or buying a little bit of wrapping paper or cookies when the kids come door to door. (I would actually rather donate directly to the school than buy stuff I don't need, but that's just me!)
Looking for more ideas? How about these?
- Join the PTA or PTO
- Become a Tutor
- Attend School Board meetings and share your input
- Chaperone Field Trips
- Sign Up to be a Substitute Teacher!
How do you help at your school? I'd love to hear your ideas!
Need more ideas for back to school? Check out some of my favorites. (Images below are linked.)
Karen @ From the Garden Table
Great ideas! Now that my youngest just entered preschool, suddenly I have a little time to finally help out in her school and my son's. Looking forward to it!
Heidi
Enjoy, Karen! I love being in the schools with my kids. I hope you love it, too.
Marilyn
What great tips! Volunteering in the classroom is such a HUGE help!
Heidi
Thanks, Marilyn. I think so, too. The schools need all the help we can give!
Jennifer at Making Our Life Matter
Volunteering in the classroom is a great way to give back to teachers!!
Heidi
I totally agree, Jennifer. As a retired teacher, I know how important parent help can be!
Clare
These are great ideas Heidi - I would never have thought about how helpful it would be to sharpen pencils! Here in the UK most of the supermarkets run programs where you get vouchers when you shop and the school can exchange them for gym equipment or books.
Heidi
I sharpened pencils the other day when I was subbing, and it was an extra 10 minutes that I had to stay after school. All those little details add up! That supermarket voucher thing sounds cool!
Heather
Even before Emma was school age I always wanted to use those box tops/labels. I need to start.
Heidi
Now you can finally use them! I always have a huge bag, and I keep forgetting to divide it among my kids and send them in!
Sara Merritt
My daughter is in kindergarten and in addition to collecting labels I also have volunteered to help with parties and other classroom events. Last night we baked cookies for the class's special Friday afternoon snack. :) #client
Heidi
That's great, Sara. Teachers love moms like you! We need more moms like you!
Mitzi
I taught 3rd grade for many years and know that I couldn't have accomplished half of what I did without hardworking parents who gave their time and talents in the classroom-- great list of the many ways we can help!
Heidi Fowler
I totally agree, Mitzi! I always loved my parent helpers when I was teaching, too!
Megan
Great tips Heidi! I like how you included tips for helping that include donating time since not everyone can donate money--this way everyone can help out!
Heidi
Thanks, Megan. I agree. Not everyone can donate money. I personally prefer to donate time, but I know some can't don't time and are happy to donate money. Good thing there are ways to help that fit all of us!
Barb @ A Life in Balance
My kids love to help me collect labels for our school. Its a great way to get kids involved in giving back to their school.
Heidi Fowler
My kids like to help me collect, too, and they always get frustrated when I forget to divide them up and send them in!