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My son charles's fifth-grade open House was just as I expected: My husband and I sat in too-small chairs as our children's artwork hung like mobiles from water-stained ceiling tiles. Charles's teacher took charge, and at the end of the evening pointed to four sign-up sheets in the back of the room. "These are our volunteer needs for the year," she said. "Please sign up for at least one of them."
I watched the other parents rush forward to volunteer. By the time I reached the sign-up sheets, only one job was left: Put together the weekly Friday folders.
Sorting 25 students' weekly class work into their respective take-home folders was not my idea of fun. As a former school teacher, I wanted to help plan class parties or drive on field trips! So I put my pen down and walked away.
But soon after school started, Charles's teacher suggested I observe him in the classroom to help her curtail his talking during class.
"While you're here, would you mind putting together our Friday folders?" Charles's teacher asked. "I still haven't gotten anyone to take that job."
Sneaky … God is sneaky.
During the one hour it took me that day to put together Friday folders, and on the days that have followed since then, I've been able to see how my son is doing in class, correct him privately if necessary, and get to know his teacher in a way I never imagined possible. Because of my "lowly" job of preparing Friday folders, one day I noticed my son's teacher didn't have a working stapler. Since I knew from firsthand teaching experience that she'd end up purchasing one with her own money, I bought Charles's teacher a good stapler and put her name right on it. She shows off that stapler to every teacher who walks into her room. It's like a prize to her.
Education budgets have been slashed. Teachers are overburdened and underpaid. Now more than ever, parents need to offer a helping hand. According to a 2000 U.S. Department of Education Schools and Staffing Survey, 91 percent of teachers say lack of parent involvement is a problem in schools. No matter what kind of school our children attend or what grade they're in, when we meet our teachers' needs, we not only share Christ's love with them, but also help them better meet our children's needs. Here are a variety of ways to get involved in your kid's education and foster success in the classroom—whether you're a stay-at-home mom with daytime hours to give, or a working parent with only evening hours to offer.
Become visible.Some of us go an entire school year without stepping foot into the school itself, yet we know the parking lot intimately. So "show up" by attending your school's Open House. Make time for parent/teacher conferences and go to awards ceremonies, concerts, carnivals, science fairs, book fairs, and curriculum nights. The older your child is, the more important it is for you to be there. Often parents back off when children enter middle or high school. Attending these events may be the only way you can plug in at these levels.
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