It’s no secret that the governments are still taking away from our education systems on so many levels and teachers and students are, without a doubt, paying the price.
While money is a huge factor in most situations, as are class size, a shortage of teachers and special needs programs, as well as things such as music and the arts, there are other ways that our schools can become better places for our children, and one is definitely parent involvement.
There are ways to be involved on several levels, such as attending PAC meetings, volunteering to help at fundraising events, spending a few hours each week at a school and so on. I was recently surprised to learn just how many jobs the schools need help with and I am not sure if many parents realize it. There are work bees to clean, organize and sort through things like storage rooms, help is needed to catalogue guided reading books with level stickers, parents are wanted to help with reading programs, book bags need to be made up and so on.
Then there are all the events such as the Gitanmaax Trade Show, where John Field is having a loony auction table. They need items donated such as baked goods or homemade things such as scarfs and of course a variety of other items. They also need parents to help decorate and man the table for the two days of the show. There are fundraising baskets, fun nights, assemblies and other school events where extra bodies make a big difference.
Helping with the events is a win-win on so many levels. With fund raisers, the money raised goes towards programs for your child’s school, and you get to spend extra time with your children. This is a huge asset on so many levels, as most kids are proud to have their parents involved and love to show them their school and introduce them to their friends and teachers. It really is worth taking the time to get more involved in our children’s education.
This is not to say I don’t appreciate the fact that most parents work to provide for their families, and finding an extra hour or two to attend school functions may not be feasible. Yet maybe baking muffins, cupcakes or other items for a school fund raiser could be a great family hour to spend with your little ones.
If time is still an issue, then perhaps call your school and see if they need any donated items such as extra socks or shoes and next time one is out, pick up an extra package of kids socks to help those without.
The long and short of it is this: the more we are involved in our children’s education, the better it is for the school, our communities, our children and even our families.
