missteach?, that is great. I am sure you will be a blessing to the teacher! Master Pre-K, that is really terrible. I don't know if there is any way for you to appeal. (You'd be surprised how many doors open when you say, "May I appeal?") But I think you and the "old" teacher ought to at least try. Or maybe you should tell the pricnipal he needs to help move stuff...
I miss having a para. Our's got cut due to huge budget cuts. I have some good parent voluteers that will take stuff home to do, most parents work. There are days when I wish I had a para that could be an extra hand to help students.
I don't know how anyone does it without. I mean, the second you turn your attention away, they go wild. I guess you just have to set things up so you can have uninterrupted focus on them!
I haven't had many volunteers the past few weeks. So with the holidays coming up it's been harder to keep kids attention. The other day I was really having a hard day with the kids and I begged my dad who was off the come in even for an hour. It was great having him there. I could reward a small group of kids by letting them to a holiday craft.
I had classes with aides and without. I had some really good ones, and some from h*$$! Sometimes, I wish I could just have the room to myself! but it is too hard with pre-K. you have to take them to the bathroom, if you don't have one in your class. You have to get their coats on, you have to pick up stuff from the office, make phone calls, etc. just to hard to leave room without one. Parents don't count in that regard. That's the main problem with parent helpers...you still can't leave them alone in class. must have a certified staff person at all times. You can get away with stepping out a few times (with your aide in the room), but not too many!
Parents who just come in to sit and schmooze with their own kid drive me nuts, as do the closet spies ... but I don't really feel I can ever turn down a request for a parent to visit and/or help - even if I know that's why they're coming. After all, we're in public schools here, and they are the customers - they have a right to see what's going on. I think being open and welcoming is the best policy, and if they do offer to volunteer, put 'em to work - have them read with a low-reader, or do flash cards with a student who needs help with facts. I also understand the complaint about too many helpers ... that's the situation I find myself in sometimes. I have senior volunteers and parent helpers and other teachers with an extra 15 minutes who are coming in to help, and high school tutors, and paras ... it just seems like SOMEONE is coming or going all the time, and it's been very difficult this year to keep any sense of order. And yeah, you have to spend time figuring out who they should work with and what they can do, and if I forget they're coming that day I have to take time away from the whole group to get them off and running. All that said, I have to reiterate that I don't think you can ever turn down volunteer/parent help .... I don't know how to solve the other problems.
if you have proof that they are more of a hazzard than a help, you have the right to keep them out. smokers, cell phone talkers, eaters, file snoopers, thieves, interrupters, etc....they can be banned from your room. all you have to do is warn them, and watch them break the rule twice, and then document your efforts. most principals/directors prefer NOT to have extra bodies in school all day, regardless of what they say or write in newsletter. they may say this to look positive, but in reality, not really interested in having parents in building all day. especially is they are gross offenders as listed above...
I like my helpers. I have one who has been with me for the last four years and only wants to work in my room. I have a chart made out with different tasks or skills for her and other helpers to do each day with specific children. I have a column on the left that states the skills and the columns on the right are the names of the kids who are to work with her under her day of the week. I do it on a rotation basis each day so that the children don't miss too much class time. Some of my skills are math (whatever we happen to be covering or review past lessons) phonics (letter sound and name review, spelling) reading (read a phonics or sightword book), Practice skills (tying shoes, address, phone number, prayers ...Catholic school) then to copy any papers I need,cut out letters for a bb, whatever comes up. I have also sent a note home for some work to be done at home for those parents who can't come in but want to help in some way. When I had games and sightword books to color and assemble I sent them home to my classroom parents. They loved the chance to help and color! They did a great job and saved me months of time!
