Education Short List

Education is a hot button topic in the country lately. Everyone wants to get involved and help be a part of the change; but they don’t know how to do that. Here is a list of the Top 6 ways to get in there and make it happen.

1. Classroom Teacher

The most important, and most recognized, figure in a classroom. Without teachers and educators none of us would know what we know. Really.

2. Classroom Aide

Many a teachers would not know what to do without their extra classroom support. This goes double for English as a Second Language (ESL) and Special Needs teachers. An aide isn’t just an extra body in the room, they tend to be retired teachers, personnel who have received specialized training, or ones who already have certain qualifications (i.e. speak a foreign language). Think of a classroom aide like a nurse; they don’t have all of the qualifications or burdens of being a doctor – but that doesn’t mean they are any less valuable.

3. Volunteer

This is probably the most common option that parents, or guardians, of school-age children, use as a way to help out in the classroom. Directly in the classroom, you could help the teacher with a variety of tasks; most commonly would be to pull a small group of students to work with. Another idea is to help students finish work that they are behind on, or have them read to you. So often teachers need assistance with clerical work, it may sound boring, but believe me teachers wish they had the time to make all the copies that they needed. Outside of the classroom, or after class hours, you could volunteer to do a workshop for teachers, be a part of the school PTA, or be an after-school tutor.

4. Tutor

No, this position may not be in the classroom, but it has a direct impact on what is happening in the classroom. There are a variety of ways that tutors can be involved. For classes that don’t have aides, or extra support, a tutor can fill that role. By working with small groups, an educated tutor can be like an extra teacher – guiding students in their success. Also, after-school tutoring is quite common. In low performing schools it is actually mandatory to help students get up to grade level.

5. Librarian

Although librarians are not in classrooms, their roles have a direct impact on the classroom and the students of a school. Librarians can be a student’s first introduction into reading materials. They can provide resources for students who are doing research projects. And librarians can guide teachers in making appropriate selections for their own classroom libraries.

6. School Administrator

Don’t want to be a classroom teacher, but still want to make a difference in the classroom? Then being a school administrator might be a great fit. Maybe you (like me) want to have a bit more control over what happens; or, perhaps like so many veteran teachers, you want to put your years of experience to use in a broader sense. Although you may not have a classroom – now you may have a dozen, or fifty, or possibly 100 classrooms. If you feel you are a strong mediator, like to delegate, and can envision long-term plans for the future, perhaps being a principal is where you need to be.

(Okay, so yes, I said six ways – but well, I just couldn’t leave out this last one.)

7. School Board Member

I’ve personally known three people who have served on school boards. All of them were retired educators who still wanted to participate in education, and to make a difference in classrooms. Since school board members are elected, you can really take the opportunity to reach out to the community and tackle decisions head on. You can also be passionate about changes that need to be made, and be ready for them.

Just like the article I wrote last month about ways to participate in education; being involved in education, in or out of the classroom, is so important. There are lots of ways to help out, no matter your qualifications or time constraints. Our students really do need you.