VOLUNTEER INFORMATION  

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General Duties:

• Maintain confidentiality regarding children, parents, staff, and classroom matters.

• Sign confidentiality agreement.  

• Be willing to accept directions and suggestions from the classroom staff.

• Verify volunteer time on volunteer report form.

• Individuals who volunteer more than once a month must obtain a TB test and submit to Region Office. 

Working With Children

• Assist in taking measures to reduce and prevent accidents.

• Work with individual or small groups of children.

• Join group time activities (circle, time, group play, etc.)

• Listen to children; demonstrate interest by attentiveness, facial expressions, and    verbal encouragement.

• Encourage children to work and play cooperatively and respect rights of others.

• Encourage good nutrition by eating with the children and eating the food that is provided conversing about the food, tastes, textures, and colors, etc.

• Help teachers maintain orderliness, cleanliness and hygiene in the classroom.

• Speak to children in positive ways.

• Assist staff with good tooth brushing and hand washing.

• Encourage good manners (conversations, mealtimes, sharing, etc.)

• Help maintain order on field trips, outside walks, outside play, etc.)

Do's and Don'ts 

Do:

• Wear comfortable shoes, low shoes, be prepared to sit on the floor. Wear something washable; a smock is helpful (you'll be near chalk, dust, paint, paste, etc.) Use good taste.

• Call yourself and other adults by Miss, Mr., or Mrs. (Name) at all times.  

• Call the center as soon as possible if , for some reason, you can't come on your scheduled day.

• Let the teacher handle the disciplining of any child. 

• Tell the teacher about any problems you may notice.

• Keep your cool; you are setting an example for the children.  

• Be friendly.  Listen and talk to the children and let them know you are interested in them.  LEARN THEIR NAMES and  use them frequently.  

• Help a child learn by asking questions that make him/her think about what he/she is doing.  

• Encourage each child to do things on his own. 

• Remember that the teacher is in charge of the classroom and has overall responsibility.

• Be ready to follow directions from the teacher willingly and readily. 

• Ask questions.  Remember, the teacher does not expect you to know everything. 

• Inform the teacher if a child needs to use the rest room.

• Sit down and eat with the children when meals are served.  Set the proper example by tasting everything.

• Offer encouragement to shy children.  Praise for even a small accomplishment works wonders. 

• When you see a child is upset, inform the teaching staff.

• Keep those things you see and hear confidential.  Just tell parents you enjoy working with their children.

• Talk with your teacher about your work.

  Don't:  

• Wear sloppy or fussy clothes.  High heels are out, so are extremely good clothes.  Remember, you'll be working with children.

• Use first names when speaking to adults in front of children. 

• Let the kids in class down.

• Scold a child.

• Threaten to punish a child in any way.

• Lose your temper.  Never bring upsets from home into the classroom with you.  Don't try to "win" children by being overly friendly, or be too strict with them.  

• Don't make promises that you can't carry out.

• Show him/her how easy it is by doing it for them.

• Be afraid to make a mistake.  If you make an error, try to learn from it.

• Use baby talk.

• Be upset at the variety of terms the children use.

• Stand against the wall just waiting for the teacher to tell you what to do.  

• Be offended if the teacher asks you not to do that again.

• Socialize with other volunteer or members of the staff during class time.

• Criticize the food in front of the children.  Don't force; just encourage them to taste.

• Reinforce a child's fears or pass your own fears on to him/her.

• Call a child stupid or compare him/her to another child.  Don't say he/she is bad or call him/her a brat.

• Show favoritism or express dislike for any child by offering or denying special praises, rewards or attention.

• Be afraid to volunteer in your child's class, just be sensitive to his/her feelings about sharing you with others. 

• When a child is upset, say "Stop crying" or "that's not important; you will forget all about it."

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