Volunteering in classroom | ADHD Information

Hi, I voluteer every Thursday in my sons kindergarten class, I am very
over protective! I am able to observe him in the classroom too. So when
his teacher said he wasn't paying attention in class, I too had seen the
same thing. He was dx with ADD-inattentive just two weeks ago, we have
started him on Metadate-CD...he is showing improvement on following
directions and we are hoping after spring break to be showing more
improvement since the doctor has just increased his dosage. So, I think it
is great for you to be voluteering in the school! It shows you are very
interested in your childs education, and I believe that the children that
have parents interested in their education and the ones that do well.
camsmom39159.6387615741I volunteer every week in the school library. I volunteer off and on in the classroom. I wouldn't say that my forte is working with kids! I say if you love it, do it as much as you can because the school needs the help!

I was wondering if anyone else does the same as me and volunteer as much as possible in school to keep and eye and ear on what is going on in school?  I volunteer every other Monday in the Library, every Tuesday I do the lunch / yard duty ( watch the kids while eating lunch and then when they are out in the play yard) and then on Fridays I do math labs.  I am also my daughters room mom.  I have a good relationship with the teachers and know most of the staff and principal.  My goodness... just reading this I sound over protective.  Does anyone else do this???

My daugher is in 2nd grade.. and ADHD very H... she has learning disablities and has friends and she doesn't mind me being there... sometimes she loves to see me and other days... she doesn't even come see me... which is fine by me, she is off playing with her friends.

I love volunteering in class... I do it mainly to get to know the teachers and make sure my daughter is not left out and get a lot of feedback from them.  

Hi abbymaker,

Volunteering in the classroom can give parents a very clear idea of exactly how their child does during the school day, what can be improved, how the medication works, what is available at the school that might help your child developing contacts and good relationships and rapport with teachers, nurses, office staff.  You also can identify kids that your child might not know yet and who might make a great friend for them. 

"Does anyone else do this?"

Absolutely "Yes" with great results!  I'm all for it!

I volunteer every Tuesday morning.  Also if there is a field trip or special event I'm there.  I am very over protective.  His teacher is very laid back and doesn't give me much response on how he is doing.  This way with me being there once I week I can corner her and get some insight.  I also find it very helpful in understanding his homework that comes home with no instructions.

He enjoys having me there and his friends face just light up when I come.

I wouldn't have it any other way!

I did volunteer when my DD was in Elementary, but in 4th grade she is in middle school, and they don't allow"parent volunteers", I do volunteer for field trips, band boosters, etc. So I do get feedback from teachers, and when i am really curious I just email them.4th grade is middle school where you are!  Whoa, and I thought 6th grade was early for middle school!YES!!!  I volunteer every Tuesday morning, lunchroom helper, book fairs, anything or anytime I can. -- Without a doubt, this has been the biggest help in getting my son "re-labeled".  Kindergarten was rough for us and I am now asked in a much nicer voice "Is this your son??"  Life for him has been much easier!!  Highly recommend it for anyone who has even 1-2 hours to spare a week.

Over the past 15 plus years, I have been an active volunteer in the elementary school, tutoring students, serving as vice president and president of the PTO, being a volunteer teacher assistant in a spec ed classroom (a friend of mine is the teacher) while Chase attended half day preschool, listening to the 2nd graders read their daily sentences, collating papers for teachers, organizing filing cabinets of worksheets....

I think it is part of the reason that the teachers are so willing to accommodate my requests for Chase, even though it has been 5-6 years since I have been able to volunteer...it has had a residual affect.....

Since I don't work, I'm at that school as often as possible, although I try to avoid field trips.  I handle a few major activities for the PTO and act as a hall monitor for part of the day. I have found that my being in the actual classroom is too much of a distraction for my son and that he gets a lot of "power" or self-control or whatever you want to call it from my being there. So because I feel strongly that he be the source of his own power, I try to stay out of the classroom.