Do you have a volunteer who has excellent organizational skills? Put her to work as a party or field trip planner. Give the volunteer some basic information, such as the date of the event, the budget or price range, and two or three ideas for themes or field trip locations. State your preferences clearly and make plans well in advance. For example, if you prefer a simple, one-hour holiday party over a three-hour extravaganza, say so up front.
Instead of spending hours at home cutting, coloring and laminating materials for classroom games and art projects, enlist parent volunteers to help you. Organize the materials into kits, placing each project in a zipped, plastic bag that includes detailed instructions, as well as the date you need the kit returned by. Place the kits in a basket near the door, along with a clipboard that includes a place for parents to sign each kit out. Take-home kits save you valuable time, and give working parents an opportunity to help.
Invite parents, grandparents and community members to volunteer as special visitors. Invite a parent to share information about a career or special skill, such as baking, art, carpentry, storytelling, or music. Invite community members, such as dentists, doctors, or retail store owners, to visit. Host a grandparents day; or invite grandparents to read with the children or share stories about their family heritage.
Use the information from your survey to customize volunteer opportunities. Some parents prefer to come in once a week for an hour to file papers or read with the children. Other parents may prefer a more hands-on approach. A former teacher might happily plan an art, science, or literacy activity that you wouldn't have time to do. Get to know your classroom parents, and then invite them to participate in activities you know they'll enjoy.
When working with classroom volunteers, be discreet and ask parents to do the same. As parents work with children, they may ask you questions about a child's development or situation. Offer strategies for effectively working with individual students, but don't divulge private information. Politely change the subject, rather than betray confidences.