“Hi, Ms. Laila!”
The cheerful little voice calling across the schoolyard made me smile. I wasn’t a teacher, but after years of volunteering in my child’s class, I had become a familiar face. Seeing how comfortable my son’s classmates were with me was gratifying.
When my son started kindergarten, I offered to help once a week—despite having a two-year-old, being pregnant with my third, and juggling freelance work. I was busy and often exhausted, but the school let me bring my toddler along, and that made volunteering doable. It was adorable seeing her sit seriously at circle time or color alongside the “big” kindergarteners.
It turned out to be well worth the effort. Not only was I involved in my child’s education and helping our community, but I was rewarded with a level of personal fulfillment and connection that surprised me. That was, ironically, most valuable during the busiest, most tiring seasons of parenting, when it was most tempting to let volunteering slide.
Over the years, I tried to keep a presence in all my children’s elementary classrooms. The form that took changed with my shifting schedule, growing family, and different teachers’ needs—not to mention a long pause during Covid. At times, it felt like a chore I could barely fit in. But every time, whether I went in weekly, monthly, or a couple of times a year, the return on my investment was outsized.
I realize that work schedules, younger children, and other responsibilities make in-school volunteering difficult—or almost impossible—for many parents. But in my experience it’s worth thinking creatively about what’s doable. Even the busiest parent may be able to take a couple of hours off work once a year to help out.
Before you can volunteer, most schools require registration, which can take weeks to process. Get a head start—sign up now, even if you’re unsure when you’ll help. Once approved, check with your child’s teacher to see what’s needed most.
Here are my top 6 reasons for volunteering in the classroom.
It Supports Your Child’s Education
Classroom volunteering makes a direct impact on the students’ education—which is, after all, the point of school. Serving on the PTA, joining the school board, or planning fundraisers all make a difference. And contributing to your child’s schooling however you can is impactful and rewarding. To me, though, volunteering in class gets to the heart of the mission.
Schools are struggling to successfully teach all their students everything they need to know. This impacts everyone, and especially the most vulnerable children. (Read more about the U.S. reading crisis and its unequal impact in Maya’s article on national NAEP test scores, for example.) The education system relies on school volunteers to fill in the gaps of funding shortfalls and learning inequalities.
Helping in classrooms gives school volunteers the chance to directly support students in learning material they need to succeed in the next lesson, the next grade, and the next phase of life. As a volunteer, I’ve read one-on-one with students, practiced multiplication tables with small groups, supported science or art projects, and worked on spelling with kids just learning English.
With each math fact learned, new concept understood, or word sounded out, I could see a child’s path forward getting a little straighter and a little smoother. Along the way, I could also offer words of encouragement and individual support to children in crowded classrooms where the teachers were stretched thin.
It’s Good for Your Child
Volunteering in your child’s class shows them you care about them and value education. It also gives you a window into their academic and social needs.
That doesn’t mean you’ll be working with your own child. Sometimes, you may, but often, you’ll be helping others with individual, small group, or class-wide projects. And that’s a good thing. A thriving classroom benefits everyone—including your child. When all kids are learning and supported, the whole environment improves.
What’s more, kids will benefit throughout their lives if they’re part of a more successful, literate, competent, and fulfilled community. Conversely, they’ll all suffer if a significant number of their peers and neighbors are hampered by inadequate skills.
If your child feels jealous or neglected when you’re working with others, explain that you’re there to support them by helping the whole class succeed. You’ll help them feel better and also offer a valuable model of taking small steps to make positive change.
It Lets You Get to Know (and Support) Their Teacher
Volunteering in the classroom is also a wonderful chance to get to know your child’s teacher. This is meaningful in helping you better support your child’s education and may prove priceless if your child encounters any issues.
It’s also a huge help to teachers to have back-up during the school day. Elementary school teachers have to be “on” all the time—they can’t even take a bathroom break unless there’s another adult in the room.
They have to impart crucial foundational concepts to children who may be at wildly different levels of knowledge and skill development in each subject. On top of that, they have to help kids develop social skills, manage their emotions, and learn basic independence and organizational abilities from shoe tying to remembering their lunches.
At times, what teachers needed most when I volunteered was just for me to put papers in folders, make copies, or sharpen pencils. Those tasks are important, too. Anything that helps lighten the teacher’s load lets them focus more on teaching key material and supporting all the students. Sometimes, even just another grown-up around to calm a boisterous child or pick up some mess makes a big difference.
It Lets You Observe Your Child’s Class
No matter what my volunteer role was, I valued the chance to observe my children’s classes firsthand. There’s nothing like seeing with your own eyes how your child is doing and what their classmates, their teacher, and the overall environment are really like.
If you’ve ever had the experience of asking your little one about their day and gotten one word in return, stepping into their class may be just the ticket. Same thing if you have any concerns about their learning, attention, or behavior.
It can be heart-wrenching if your child complains about problems with other kids, a “mean” teacher, or hating school. Volunteering in the class can give you a clearer picture.
What sounds like bullying might just be normal childhood friction. Complaints about an unfair teacher might stem from the child’s frustration at not getting to chat during math time. And the little one who seems miserable after school may prove full of smiles, laughter, and genuine interest during class—just wiped out by the end of the day.
And if there are real issues to address, time in class may give you the insight to handle them appropriately.
No matter what, go into the class ready to help. Remove obstacles to success for the students and the teacher. Assume good intentions–from the teacher, the other kids, and your own child. If you find something unacceptable, address it politely. People are far more willing to listen when you’ve built a relationship and shown you’re there to support, not criticize.
It’s Good for Your Relationship with Your Child
Volunteering in the classroom builds your relationship with your child. It lets them know that you think their schooling is important and you’re willing to put in time and effort to support it.
Your physical presence also builds your emotional bank account with your child. It’s easy for kids to feel like their parents are always on the computer, on the phone, or at work. Never mind that you may be busy doing things that benefit them, from earning a living to attending a PTA meeting or planning their activities.
Volunteering in their classroom shows your child you care in the way kids, like all of us, understand best—with actions they can see. Keep in mind that you don’t necessarily have to put in a lot of time to reap the rewards. Showing up and being present makes an impact any time you can do it.
It’s Good for You
It can be hard to make room for one more thing, especially when we feel tired or overworked. (And what parent doesn’t, at least some of the time?) But doing something meaningful can be surprisingly rejuvenating.
Volunteering in your child’s class can make you feel happier, transport you away from your worries or responsibilities for a while, and give you valuable perspective.
Meaningful connection is vital to well-being, and it can be in short supply in modern life. Spending an hour or two with your child’s class may be a source of fulfilling connection that actually helps you to be more productive and energetic in other parts of your day.
That said, it’s important to recognize your own limits, too. If you can’t make it into your child’s classroom for a month, a year, or for years on end, that’s okay too.
If in-class volunteering isn’t possible for you, look for other ways to be involved and keep an open mind about trying it in the future. It also may be that you can arrange for a grandparent or another loved one to become a school volunteer.
Every family’s situation is different. The secret is to find what works for yours right now.
