Our Schools

This week I agreed to volunteer another hour of my time each week to the kids school. I was called by a friend to see if I would be willing to help with an after school reading program. And since Johnathan goes to this program, I figured it would be good to help and see just how the program works and how it is helping Johnathan. I will help each Thursday for an hour after school, and add this to the hour I spend helping lead half of Hannah's class in the computer lab each week.

But what I can't get over is how much help our teachers need from parent volunteers. There just doesn't seem to be enough hours in the school day for the teachers to get everything accomplished that they are now required to do. In the years that I have been helping in the kids classrooms, I have done everything from making copies, to leading a class activity, to testing kids in reading and math. Some of the activities I have done seem like they should be performed by someone on the teaching staff, but with the lack of teachers the school need parent help. I am thankful that I have the hours to give the teachers. I wonder how some of the teachers get anything done without parent help. Growing up I remember my Mom helping in the classroom, but for parties or special events not on a daily basis. And some of the Moms I know spend almost as many hours at the school each week as their kids do. To me this seems wrong. Makes me wonder what our schools would be like if the volunteers were unable to continue.