Tips for Teachers

Pacifica School Volunteers is very grateful for the wonderful support teachers have given to our organization and volunteers. Your role as a supervisor is essential to the success of the volunteers’ efforts. The primary role of the volunteer is to support your work as a teacher by helping students with classroom work, or other classroom activities. Each volunteer likes to feel they are making a difference in the life of a child.

We have found the following tips helps create a positive relationship with the volunteer, and makes the experience more rewarding for the teacher, volunteers and the children.

When your volunteer begins, here is a helpful list to review:

• Days and times to work in the classroom
• Name the students should use for the volunteer (Mr., Ms., first name)
• Place where volunteer can leave personal belongings
• Designation of work area in the classroom
• Classroom duties for the volunteer
• Procedures for working with students one-on-one or in small groups
• How the teacher will tell the volunteer of the day’s assignment (note, folder, other means)
• Teacher’s classroom rules and policies (class management techniques, reinforcement techniques preferred). Volunteers can remind students of rules, but they are not responsible for discipline.