The

Program

            Volunteer Guide

The purpose of this guide is to provide new KIDS volunteers with guidelines
for working with the teachers and their students in the classroom.

WORKING WITH THE TEACHER:

• Having you volunteering, an additional adult in their classroom affords the teacher considerable flexibility, enabling her to do a better job of teaching and enabling you to contribute directly to each student's education and growth as a person.
  
• The teacher is given the students that are assigned to her classroom and is given the curricula to teach - she will use her own techniques and methods to do her job - methods you should adopt and emulate.
  
• The best way for you to help the teacher and the students is to "help where help is needed" - to perform the tasks needed at that moment
  
• Some tasks are more rewarding than others and some students easier to work with than others, but all the tasks should be accomplished and all students, those needing extra help, and those needing more challenge, need you to help where the teacher perceives the needs.
  
• When you are unsure how best to accomplish your task - ask the teacher - it will make your time and efforts with the students more productive.
  
• As the teacher gets to know you, and you have more experience working together, she will be able to have you help her and the children in a growing number of ways.
  
• The teacher and the children will depend on you being there on your regular day - your regular attendance is important! You should notify the teacher if you are unable to come on one of your days - email is the preferred way. You two will share your email addresses with each other.
  
• Concerns about a child and any behavioral or discipline issues should immediately be brought to the attention of the teacher. As you get to know each child, your observations about their progress, their needs, and their behavior can be very useful feedback for the teacher.
  

WORKING WITH THE STUDENTS:

• Your very presence in their classroom says that you think that they are an important person and that they matter in this world.
  
• The elementary students will typically quickly accept you, and going to read or play a game with you will become a treat for them.
  
• You will be helping them with their academics - and their growth as a person. You will become another caring adult in their lives - a mentor.
  
• Be friendly - be first to smile; let them know you want them to do well in their work, and you want to help them>
  
• Students may often be stuck in their work and even ask you to do the work for them. However, you can be a big help getting them get started and with their thinking about their current task. Ask questions to help them remember what the teacher said about the work, how to figure out answers and what to do next. When they do come up with the answers themselves, they are pleased with themselves - and learn.
  
• Well-placed praise goes a long way - a simply "Good!" after a new sight work or correct answer to a problem, or a "That was good!" or a "You did a very nice job!" after a one-on-one session with a student is wonderful encouragement for them and helps bolsters their self-esteem.
  
• Take the opportunitites to make positive comments about the student's appearance, behavior, abilities and intelligence; reinforce their good qualities that make them unique and special
  
• You will not always accept or condone their behavior, but always accept and appreciate them as the young people they are and can become.
  
• Observe how the teacher teaches the various academic subjects. Use and reinforce the teachers teaching and learning methods, paradigms and techniques for the children's reading, writing and arithmetic, It will enhance the student's learning when they are with you.
  

WORKING WITH OTHER VOLUNTEERS:

• Communicating and sharing experiences with other volunteers can be very useful - particularly if you volunteer with the same children and share your insights about them with each other.
  
• Working together, volunteers can collaborate on ideas to further help the teachers and their students and assist with special events for the school and class rooms.
  
• Sharing volunteer experiences and ideas through the school liaisons and volunteer liaisons with the rest of the KIDS team can enhance the whole program and benefit all the KIDS students.