in my own experience, my volunteerism has been met with indifference at best. Mind you, other parents are very quick to say thank you for help, and the rare teacher is enthusiastic about parents' involvement, but for the most part, I think this may be a question best considered by school administrations.

In such a test-driven academic society, I do believe that without parent volunteers, the students and schools would not have the same opportunities to be creative. I have to say most parents often enjoy volunteering for the 'non-educational' activities such as class parties, events, etc. and put more efforts towards planning and organizing, rather than one on one time with the students. (I can easily fall into this group) Refocusing our efforts so that we work along with the teachers in aiding students that need specific skills devlopment would probably be more beneficial, and less stressful!

Well, here's the thing... I think it would be bad. Now perhaps that's short sighted of me because I have heard horror stories from friends in other states where parents are having to volunteer to teach ART classes because the funding has been so drastically cut they did away with art and music. Now that's pretty extreme.

But I do strongly believe in the home-school bond. And I don't know if volunteering is the only way to strengthen that or if it could be achieved by other methods.

I am discovering that we HAVE to find alternative ways to support our children and their school. It is logistically getting tougher and tougher to facilitate parents' desire to be in the classroom, but resources are getting shorter at the same time and help is needed. The traditional avenues of classroom volunteers and PTA need to be re-evaluated and re-invented. I continue to have faith in the problem solvin abiliy of a collective of parents with varied educational and professional background. If we work at home or in a traditional environment, we make our bones as solution speciists.

Only if you promise to correct my typos. Sometimes I hate my iPhone. Lol!

As a former teacher I know how important to let the school know you are involved. I try to avoid volunteering in a classroom because I don't want to be in the situation where the teacher is not able to deal w/the children and me being a volunteer really doesn't make him/her feel I am "qualified" enough to reprimand a child that she could not handle. So I am a member of the PTA, I help out in the school store, I volunteer to sell tickets and yearbooks, etc. But I have the time to now that I took "early retirement" :)

A lot of schools depend heavily on volunteers and not for the right reasons. They save the menial tasks for volunteers to do which makes many parents uneasy about helping out. Volunteers are there to help and supplement. If parents stopped volunteering more money out of a nonexistent budget would have to be shelled out for more paraeducators to do the things that teachers are unable to do. Since we don't have the money, teachers would be given more tasks leading to an even faster rate of burnout and even less desiring careers in the teaching profession. Are we ready to lose that? I hope not.

While some volunteer with a vengeance I wish that more parents from elementary to high (YES, I said high school) school would take 1 hour on their day off to do SOMETHING at their child's school. Filing, cutting out shapes, copying papers, calling other parents. It makes a difference even if your child doesn't say it out loud. And it alleviates the same old parents!

During my childhood, mothers were discouraged from volunteering at my elementary school -- AT ALL! This was the norm, if you can believe it. (Of course, this was also a time where breastfeeding was considered a renegade activity... I'm talking about the mid-60's here, folks.) However, I remember just LOVING it when Mom was able to chaperone a field trip and I would have been very happy to have her working at the school more often.

As a past member of my childrens' cooperative preschool where parents ran the school, with the exception of the teaching position, it is hard for me to imagine any benefit to having LESS or NO volunteering. It's much easier to reinforce, and understand, what's happening at school if you have a clue what is actually going on there through firsthand experience.

I suppose we might have a better idea of what education truly costs if there weren't so much free labor, but we would certainly lose a large chunk of enrichment activity.

My mom always volunterred at my school growing up- in the late 1970's early 1980's, she voluteered to teach computer lab (totally new then!). Now that I am employed part time, rather than full time, I practically BEG for volunteer opportunities at my girls' school. This is the same school district that I grew up in. My mom's volunteerism led to a full time job in the school system- I am -gulp- 40 and she has been in the same school system since her volunteer stint began in the 1970's! Not a lot of volunteer opportunities now- except at party times, events, and once per month work groups (which always seem to fall on a day that I am working...) and I wonder if it isn't a liability issue? BTW- I am in Montgomery Co., MD

As an active PTA officer for a few years now, I am regularly gobsmacked by the difference between the intention of the organization and the reality. It was designed as an advocacy group. A lobbying organization with local, county, state and federal levels. It has become a gathering and organizing of volunteerism within the walls of your own school. Less volunteerism could free parents up to help fight budget issues and keep politicians accountable. Less volunteerism could eliminate excuses to not coach a rec team or lead a scout troop. There are a million ways to be involved in our chlordane lives without claiming classroom volunteering is the only way to "be involved". Don't get me wrong. Our schools would seize up without the assistance of those critical parents with servant hearts, but a little goes a long way. Can I get more than 1 volunteer to go to a county board meeting and report back to the community?

I believe in Parents in school. I believe in providing the school with what it can do for itself. But I would ask all parents to question their own motivations. What starts out personal becomes a community issue the minute you enter the classroom.

Disclaimer: These are all questions I had to ask myself and had trouble answering. Just being provocative.

I am one of 9 out of 24 parents who volunteer for my son's class at least once a month. And I say for his class because in two years I have rarely been asked to be in the class. Instead I work on clerical tasks outside the classroom. I want to be clear I am glad that his well educated and dedicated teachers are in the room teaching and not in the hall copying and collating.

But if I wasn't there: perhaps high schools students would have after school jobs doing these tasks and learning to be good employees; perhaps this environmentally conscious elementary school would have to move toward less paper; perhaps publishers would find a way to create workbooks that functioned they way they are used (instead of volunteers ripping out and sorting whole chapters);

I can also imagine what an impact it could have if all 24 families volunteered 1 hour once a month, but that might be for another thread.

Such great comments and dialogue all! I am so proud to hope these type of positive, community building topics on the site. If you have any suggestions, for future discussions let me know! Thanks again for sharing your thoughts!

I am a teacher and I want to say thank you to all of the volunteers that help in my classroom and in our school! I have been blessed with tons of help over the years!

Though your question is a generality, it can only really be answered in terms of specific individuals. One might feel invigorated and worthy as a result of volunteering while another mightl feel put upon. Now here's the thing: One who volunteers grudgingly will not, in the end, make a positive contribution. Those who do it joyfully will. Sooooo, after honestly weighing the practical/emotional plusses and minuses, those whose psyche is nourished by volunteering should, and those whose isn't err by so doing. I do not see the end of parent volunteerism around the corner, but if it were to occur, the slack would either be picked up by others, or the school program would be correspondingly impoverished.

One thing is for sure: No child wants to hear about the horrible day a parent spent volunteering in his/her school. Unspoken guilt by association! A resentful but sensitive parent volunteer will at least spare the kids that.

I couldn't have said it better myself!

"One who volunteers grudgingly will not, in the end, make a positive contribution. Those who do it joyfully will..." This is a great general guideline with which parents should make an honest self-assessment, keeping in mind the picture you paint in your last paragraph. Whether the parent communicates "the horrible day" they may have had out loud or in some other way, I am sure child gets the message regardless.

Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom!

As a parent and volunteer manager I found your story fascinating. Although I reside on the other side of the world I am sure that your experience resonates globally. I have linked your story to my blog

http://djcronin.blogspot.com/