Anyone help out in the classroom?

[mrsdil]

My ds teacher has asked for volunteers to go into the classroom for 1 hour a week and listen to the children read. I am considering this but will need to use the hour i normally have for my lunch. (my ds has had the same book for 2 weeks so know they are desperate for people).

I was just wondering if it was realistic to expect to do just 1 hour or does it normally drag on for longer as i would hate to go after hearing just half the children if you see what i mean.

I help out, once a week, with reading in my child's class (yr 1). There is also another parent who comes on a different day. I tend to do anything between 1-1.5 hrs. I spend about 10 mins on each child. Never manage to do the whole class but no one seems to mind! I work through them alphabetically and carry on where I left off each week. The teacher is always appreciative of any help.
Even if you only manage to help a few kids, mrsdil, you'll be such a help, honest!!

I signed up to cook with DS2s class today (year 2) and was a bit apprehensive, but I really enjoyed it! I had four kids including my son, and they were all delightful. We baked easy biscuits then they decorated them - I'll definitely do it again. DS2 hasn't been at the school long so it's a really good way to get to know some of the children.

I listened to readers at dss' school for three years. When I first started I could only do 1.5 hrs, but that didn't matter. The teacher was always very grateful for any time I was able to give.

Warning though, it can be addictive. I loved listening to readers: it is very rewarding, and such fun to spend time one-to-one with the chidlren. I enjoyed it so much in my last year there spent 3.5 hrs a week doing it on my day off work. And now I work full-time in a school myself!

I'd love to but it's not possible for me as I still have ds3 at home. He'll start morning nursery next yr when he's 2 so I'd like to help one morning a week if I can.

I have always helped out at both Ds's schools. Im into art so would go in a help out every week. DS1 is now at secondary school and they do not allow patrents to go in
Ds2 is a special school and from January I will be going in for two afternoons to help out with Arts and Crafts

I help out in school two mornings a week, doing lots of listening to puils read. I don't always get through all the children but the teachers don't seem to mind, they're just grateful for any help.

Roisin is right though - it is addictive! I love going into school and have started reading lots of children's authors at home!

At my sons school we are invited to do reading every day for 20 mins .I do it every day its adddictive. In yr 2 they are on reading ability tables so the teacher (shes FAB) asks you to do a table of 6 . They have to change their books as well . I volunteer a whole day on a Thursday for a different teacher in year 3 and this is my third year of helping her ,she calls me her PA (LOL) And on a Friday I do cookery sessions (for the kids that have been good ) 10 of the little darlings .I get soooo much out of it just as much as they get out of me .Next year when my DS is in year 3 I will know what is going on . I get no special treatment because I volunteer but I do get alot of smiles and I feel the teachers are more approachable as they know me by name .It is really worth doing if you can its a win win situation .

I work in school too and realistically if you wanted to listen to an hours worh of children reading you might get throgh 6-10 dependant on stage and ability.If you decide to you will have to make it crystal clear that the hour is the max although I am sure the request may have been aimed more at parents who arent working during school hours and have time to devote.
It takes our class a couple of days to hear all readers on and off between other things and chances are they will give you poorer ability as they unfortunately are quite often the ones who have no input at home.Good luck dont forget you will need to be child checked and this in itself is qute a lengthy process.

I help listening to readers in Y3 one day a week (though it's only a 20 minute slot, so I usually only hear 2 readers at most). There's at least one parent going in for 20 minutes every day, and more some days, so most of the children get to read to a parent each week. I love getting to know the children and understanding a bit more about what goes on in the classroom. As some posters will realise from other threads, have got extremely interested in the current 'how to teach reading' debate (not going to start that here, but I've found it fascinating ....)
I have helped with most things, though I'm not keen on cooking or art.

Mrsdil, from a teacher's point of view, we are always interested in whatever help a parent can offer. It doesn't matter whether it's 10mins or a whole day.

Sadly, the curriculum no longer includes time to hear individual readers, esp at KS2. However, schools know how important it is which is why they are always asking for volunteers.

As Joanna4 mentioned, it was almost certainly aimed at parents/grandparents who are at home during the day. No matter how desperate for help I was, I don't think I'd feel comfortable for a working parent to give up their lunch break. Especially as I'm always complaining about having to give up mine!

I take a group of yr 4 children for about 3/4 hour each week (5 kids) and we read as a group - each one reading a page or so at a time,then we discuss the book...

I've been doing 1 morning a week since my DD started, and as everyone else has said, teachers are happy to accept whatever you can offer. I listen to reading, do lots of art and other things that need to be done insmall groupsand just don't happenif they get no help at all - such as music.
I'd recommend it as a great way to find out what really happens in school ( beyond the "I played with X and Y at playtime", which is all I ever got out of DD1!),and get to know the other kids.
Could you not offer to do 1/2 hour a week, so you can still eat.

If you feel you can't offer an hour every week, could you pair up with another parent and "job share" so you each do an hour on alternate weeks. That way, the teacher knows she will have someone every week, but the load is split.

As a teacher, I can't stress enough how incredibly valuable it is to have parent helpers in school to provide that bit of extra one to one support.