Getting involved in your child’s classroom is always a good idea. Your presence shows your child that you care – that you’re genuinely invested in their education – and with shrinking budgets and rising costs, many schools are becoming more and more reliant upon volunteers.
This post is sponsored by Custom Ink, however, all opinions are mine alone.
If you’re looking to support your child’s classroom, it’s a good idea to reach out directly to their teacher to see what kind of help they could use. However, if you’re looking for ideas, here are six easy ways you can make an impact on your child’s classroom:
Volunteer your time. It can be tough to find a few hours to volunteer in your child’s classroom, but most teachers are incredibly appreciative of the support and the extra pair of hands. If you have a flexible work schedule, reach out to your child’s teacher to see when it might make sense to volunteer. You may need to work directly with the school’s administrative office to fill out a bit of paperwork before you’re able to help out in the classroom, but it’s a great way to make a significant impact.
Send in some supplies. It’s no secret that teachers are woefully underpaid. Despite this, many pull cash out of their own pockets to purchase pens, glue sticks, tissues, and other supplies for their students. Save them the trouble (and the money!) by donating some much-needed supplies to the classroom. While anything will likely be appreciated, it’s best to reach out first to see what’s needed. Many schools and teachers keep a running list of the things they need the most.
Support fundraisers or create your own. Your child’s class probably isn’t hosting a fundraiser for the sheer fun of it. Instead, cash raised through fundraisers goes to replace old equipment and furniture, pay for field trips and offsite events, and otherwise support your child’s learning. The next time your kid’s teacher sends them home with a fundraiser flyer, see if there’s something you can do to support the initiative.
Or how about creating your own? Madison’s teacher wanted a fun way to differentiate her kids while going on field trips, so we decided to create fun tees that the parents can purchase. So together we collaborated on a classroom project. With handprints, we had the kids sign their names and had tees made of the drawing. Then we used Custom Ink to get the tees printed, and the entire process was a lot simpler than I thought it would have been.
From the very beginning, Custom Ink kept in touch. From us sending in the initial artwork to the final prints. Emails asking our approval to ensure that we were happy with the end results, ended up with us making slight adjustments, but the fact that they didn’t just print what we sent was amazing!
On the back of the tees, we originally had “The future is in our hands.”, but Custom Ink worked with us on incorporating the school’s mascot into the final print. The entire process was fun and easy and guess what? The entire school now wants their own for their classroom. ☺️
Join the PTA. Many schools have a parent-teacher association, and it can be an excellent opportunity to get involved and show your support. There are often dozens of ways to get involved, from volunteering at school functions to merely sharing your opinions on issues impacting your child’s school.
Keep your sick student home. If your child has come down with a cold, don’t send them to class. Not only are coughs and sniffles disruptive to the learning environment, but your child also runs the risk of infecting other students. Instead, be considerate and support your child’s classroom by keeping it germ-free. Your child’s teacher – and the parents of their peers – will thank you.
Chaperone field trips. Many schools coordinate field trips to fun, educational spots like museums, zoos, and historic sites. The next time your child comes home with a permission slip to take a field trip, consider volunteering to tag along as a chaperone. Your child’s teacher will be appreciative of another adult to help keep an eye on the kids, and you’ll get to spend a day doing something fun with your son or daughter.
Whether you spend time tutoring students, help out with after-hours school functions, or donate much-needed notebooks and pens to your child’s classroom, you can rest assured knowing your efforts are appreciated. And if you’re looking for custom apparel for your child’s classroom, Custom Ink has you covered.
